Ask the Experts Memory Wire Q&A

How do you cut memory wire into individual loops for use with strand separators?

- Debby

Hold the coil of memory wire in your non-dominant hand. Find one end of the wire and lay it naturally next to the following loop of wire. Using the end of the wire as your guide, cut the wire where the end and the next loop meet. Use this technique to cut as many single loops as you will need.

Be sure to use memory wire shears, since the hardened steel of memory wire will most likely damage standard wire cutters.

Memory wire also looks nice as a single length that has enough coils to pass through all of the holes in the strand separators or spacer bars, i.e. three complete loops for a triple-strand spacer bar. Using this technique, you only need to string on enough beads between the spacer bars until you get to the ends of the wire. Glue half-drilled metallic beads onto the ends of the wire to keep the beads in place and give the jewelry piece a nice, professional finished look.

- Maura Buckner, Jewelry-Making Expert