Ah, the 80’s & 90’s. Responsible for clogged lungs from artful bursts of aerosol hairspray to achieve mountainous teased hair and also for questionable fashion choices. Still, there were “totally awesome” aspects such as funky pop (or grunge rock if you preferred the 90’s) music and breakdancing. Like, ya know? As a jewelry maker, I found myself fondly reminiscing on one such fad. Twist-a-Beads!
My family and I used to scour the flea markets for cheap strands of beaded necklaces that we could clasp together in a twisted pattern and wear in all their gaudy glory. Good times. As with most fads, they eventually come back into fashion, but with a modern spin. I’m still waiting. Actually, Mardi Gras helps to keep this trend alive, albeit usually while wearing only their beads, but I digress.
If you have mixed beaded strand necklaces, you can combine them to create your own Twist-a-Beads (also called Twister Beads) necklace. You’ll just need an oval or circular clip or Twister Clasp that can capture and hold all the strands.
Whether you are playing dress up with your kid’s plastic pieces, re-purposing old Mardi Gras beads or putting together some much loved, but forgotten strands…make your own trend and party like it’s 1999. Or 1989. Or somewhere in between, y’all. lol.
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