Autumn Beaded Bracelet

What You Need:

• Memory wire
• Beads or charms
• Tea towel
• Scissors
• Jump ring (optional; needed if using a charm)
• Needle nose pliers

What You Do:

1. Let your young artist pick out the beads to use to make an autumn bracelet. Your child can pick them according to color (orange, red, golden yellow), or you might have beads that are autumn shapes – leaves, acorns and even skulls for the Day of the Dead.
2. Beading artists and jewelry designers always lay the bead out before they get to work. You don’t have to have a beadboard to do this. Just lay your beads out across a tea towel. This is the time to create the pattern if you plan on using one. Also, keep in mind approximately how many beads you are going to need – are you doing two rounds? Three? Or even four or five? The more rounds you plan to include in the bracelet, the more beads you will need.
3. Does your young artist like the pattern? If not, that isn’t a problem. This is a great time to change it. Keep moving things around until your child creates a preferred pattern. Once she has accomplished this, it’s time to string the beads on the wire.
4. Don't cut the wire first. Instead work with the entire coil of memory wire. Bead by bead, string them onto the wire. Don’t worry if they run down the coil. Just make sure they don’t fall off the other end.
5. When your child has added enough beads, push them together on the wire to see if they like the look. If your child wants another round, add more beads. Slip some off if there are too many.
6. Now it's time to end the bracelet. Don't cut the wire yet. Work with the end of the wire and use the pliers to create a loop or fold-over that is too large to fit through the beads. Once you’ve secured the beads on one end of the wire, carefully cut the wire about a half an inch beyond the beads. Use the pliers to create a loop or fold-over to keep the beads from falling off this ends as well. Trim wire if needed.