My Good Friend Memory Wire!

I took a trip down memory lane when I selected this package of memory wire from Artbeads.com.

I sort of knew I wanted to try using memory wire with the crystals I selected, but I took some time to look through the wire & chain section of the catalog first.

After making myself crazy over ALL the possibilities, I stuck with my good old friend!

I'll never forget the first time I discovered memory wire! It was probably 20 years ago and as a new beader, I was getting bored with regular stringing.

I picked up the Joann, Etc. magazine and inside was a memory wire project for kids using rainbow colored 6/0 e-beads in a random pattern. I had never seen memory wire before and thought it looked like so much fun.

The girls in the magazine were making 2 strand bracelets if I remember correctly. I bought the memory wire and the 6/0 e-beads and loved them, but thought they seemed a little bit juvenile for me to wear to work.

It was then I discovered the tiny metallic beads in the embroidery area of the craft store. A whole new world opened up and I began making 6 strand memory wire bracelets strung in a variety of patterns using those tiny metallic and matte seed beads.

Since I have worked in the same place for 20 years, I often run into people who have told me they still have and wear those memory wire bracelets that I made like a mad-person so long ago and gave to anyone I came in contact with! Hmm...maybe it's time to try making one just for old time sake.

As you know, sometimes something old becomes new again!! :)

FTC compliance disclosure: the items in this post from Artbeads.com were provided as a promotional gift as part of their bead blogger program for review or design purposes.