DIY | Jewellery with memory wire and rubber cord

Here you find inspiration and instructions on how  to make your own bangles and hoops with memory wire and rubber cord.

Memory wire is spiral wire sold in loops. It is quite thin so beads can be threaded without any problem and thanks to its flexibility it keeps its circular form. This is why it is a very convenient material for bangles, necklaces and rings. Besides – you don’t need to attach a clasp.

In our examples we combine memory wire with rubber cord which is pulled over the wire. You can finish the bangles in different ways. You can glue half-drilled beads onto the ends or you can form a loop with the help of round-nosed pliers or chain-nosed pliers. But forming a loop with memory wire is actually quite difficult, this is why we recommend using a looper. These special pliers facilitate the work a lot and the loops will be shaped equally.

This kind of jewellery is relatively easy to make and you don’t need anything more than chain-nose pliers and a bit of jewellery glue.

Colourful rubber cord

You can make these pretty bangles in many  bright colours – not only in black. On Smyks.com you can find a set with hollow rubber cord in 12 beautiful colours.

Bangles with memory wire, rubber cord and beads

Bangle with rubber cord and Delica beads

You need the following materials to make this bangle:

• memory wire, gold-plated steel
  (alternatively: memory wire, silver-plated steel)
• approx. 20cm rubber cord, hollow, 3mm, black
• 4 gold-plated beads (doublé), 2.5mm
• Delica beads, forest green
• Delica beads, mermaid green
• Delica beads, 24K gold inlaid, hexagonal
• Delica beads, juniper blue
• Delica beads, turquoise-blue
• Delica beads, matte black
• jewellery glue
• cutting pliers

First you cut memory wire in the desired length off the spool. The wire is hard to cut, this is why you should use cutting pliers.

Then you glue one gold-plated bead onto one end. Once the glue has dried, you pull half of the rubber cord over the wire. Then you string a gold-plated bead followed by the Delica beads. After that, you thread another gold-plated bead and pull the second half of the rubber cord over the wire. Finally, you glue the last gold-plated bead onto the other end of the wire.

Hoops with rubber cord and Delica beads

You need the following materials to make these earrings:

• 1 pair of hoops, gold-plated brass, 35mm
• approx. 15cm rubber cord, hollow, 3mm, black
• 4 beads, gold-plated brass, 3mm
• Delica beads, forest green
• Delica beads, mermaid green
• Delica beads, juniper blue
• Delica beads, 24K gold inlaid, hexagonal
• Delica beads, matte black
• chain-nose pliers

First you cut the rubber cord into four pieces of the same length.

Then you straighten the hook of the hoop a bit, so you can string the beads. String the different components onto the wire and bend the hook back into its original position.

P.S. Delica beads do not fit on hoops made of sterling silver or gold-plated sterling silver. They only fit on hoops made of gold-plated or silver-plated brass because their wire is thinner.

Bangle with rubber cord and hawk’s eye

You need the following materials to make this bangle:

• memory wire, gold-plated steel
  (alternatively: memory wire, silver-plated steel)
• approx. 30cm rubber cord, hollow, 3mm, black
• 2 half-drilled cones, gold-plated brass
• 1 hawk’s eye, 12mm
• jewellery glue
• cutting pliers

First you cut memory wire in the desired length off the spool. The wire is hard to cut, this is why you should use cutting pliers.

Klebe an dem einen Ende des Drahts einen Kegel fest. Wenn der Kleber getrocknet ist, führst du die Hälfte der Gummischnur auf den Draht, danach das Falkenauge und danach den Rest der Gummischnur. Als Abschluss des Armreifens klebst du den anderen Kegel auf das andere Ende des Drahts.

Then you glue a gold-plated cone onto one end. Once the glue has dried, you pull half of the rubber cord over the wire. Then you string the hawk’s eye bead followed by the second half of the rubber cord over the wire. Finally, you glue the second gold-plated cone onto the other end of the wire.

Hoops with rubber cord and hawk’s eye

You need the following materials to make these earrings:

• 1 pair of hoops, 40mm, gold-plated sterling silver
• approx. 25cm rubber cord, hollow, 3mm, black
• 4 beads, gold-plated brass, 3mm
• 2 hawk’s eyes, 12mm
• chain-nose pliers

First you cut the rubber cord into four pieces of the same length.

Then you straighten the hook of the hoop a bit, so you can string the hawk’s eye bead. String the various components onto the wire and bend the hook back into its original position.

The hook can easily be bend with a pair of chain-nosed pliers. Be careful when you bend it backwards and forwards because it might break.

Bangle with rubber cord and African turqoise

You need the following materials to make this bangle:

• memory wire, gold-plated steel
  (alternatively: memory wire, silver-plated steel)
• approx. 20cm rubber cord, hollow, 2mm, black
• 2 gold-plated beads (doublé), 2mm
• Delica beads, forest green
• Delica beads, sea green, silk effect
• Delica beads, 24K gold inlaid, hexagonal
• Delica beads, juniper blue
• Delica beads, matte black
• 2 African turquoises, faceted, 4mm
• 1 African turquoise, faceted, 6mm
• jewellery glue
• cutting pliers

First you cut memory wire in the desired length off the spool. The wire is hard to cut, this is why you should use cutting pliers.

Now you form a loop with one wire end. This can be done with the help of one pair of round-nosed pliers and one pair of chain-nosed pliers. But the wire is actually quite difficult to bend. This is why we be recommend looping pliers. It is much easier to work with a looper and the loops will have exactly the same shape.

Once this is done, you string the other jewellery components. Finally, you close the bangle by forming another loop with the other end of the wire.

Hoops with rubber cord and African turquoise

You need the following materials to make these earrings:

• 1 pair of hoops, gold-plated brass, 35mm
• approx. 20cm rubber cord, hollow, 2mm, black
• 2 African turquoises, faceted, 4mm
• 4 gold-plated beads (doublé), 2mm
• Delica beads, sea green, silk effect
• Delica beads, matte black
• Delica beads, 24K gold inlaid, hexagonal
• chain-nose pliers

First you cut the rubber cord into four pieces of the same length.

Then you straighten the hook of the hoop a bit, so you can string the beads. String the various components onto the wire and bend the hook back into its original position.

P.S. Delica beads do not fit on hoops made of sterling silver or gold-plated sterling silver. They only fit on hoops made of gold-plated or silver-plated brass, where the wire is thinner.

Bangle with rubber cord and hematite beads

You need the following materials to make this bangle:

• memory wire, gold-plated steel
  (alternatively: memory wire, silver-plated steel)
• approx. 25 cm rubber cord, hollow, 2mm, black
• 2 half-drilled hematite beads, 3mm
• 13 hematite beads, faceted, 3mm
• jewellery glue
• cutting pliers

First you cut memory wire in the desired length off the spool. The wire is hard to cut, this is why you should use cutting pliers.

Then you glue one half-drilled hematite bead onto one end. Once the glue has dried, you pull half of the rubber cord over the wire. Then you string the faceted hematite beads followed the second half of the rubber cord over the wire. Finally, you glue the second half-drilled hematite bead onto the other end of the wire.

Hoops with rubber cord and hematite beads

You need the following materials to make these earrings:

• 1 pair of hoops, 40mm, gold-plated sterling silver
• approx. 20cm rubber cord, hollow, 2mm, black
• 20 hematite beads, faceted, 3mm
• chain-nose pliers

First you cut the rubber cord into four pieces of the same length.

Then you straighten the hook of the hoop a bit, so you can string the hematite beads. String the various components onto the wire and bend the hook back into its original position.

The hook can easily be bend with a pair of chain-nosed pliers. Be careful when you bend it backwards and forwards because it might break.

Delica jewellery with memory wire

Find more inspiration and instructions on how to make jewellery with memory wire in our earlier blog post Delica jewellery with memory wire.

Have fun making your own bangles and hoops!

Have you got any questions, comments or ideas? You are very welcome to send them to us via the comment field below.