Do You Love Wind Chimes? Directions Included  

I have always loved wind chimes. I love to hear the wonderful music that they play when their is a gentle breeze in the air. I love the loud music that they make when a storm is just beginning to brew. I dont know when my love for wind chimes developed but I now collect them. I have many of various sizes and prices on my front and back porch.

I remember once that I found a wind chimb that I wanted so badly. It made the most beautiful music that I had ever heard. It was in hallmark. It was way to expensive for us to afford. It was $99.99. Wow that is alot of money but everytime I was in the store, i found myself really wanting them badly. That year, for my birthday, hallmark sent me a gift certificate for 50% off any item in the store. That windchime was going to be mine! I went to get it. It was onsale for 1/2 price. Normally you could not use the gift certificate for sale items but the clerk let me. They wanted rid of the windchimes. I got that set for 25 buck and I was so happy. It is still my favorite. It is on my back porch where I can listen to it when I cook and do dishes. I looked it over and it would be so easy to make. Since then I have made several different kinds of wind chimes and the music they make sound so wonderful.

I thought that I would share some of the things that I have used to make wind chimes with you.

My husband loves to fish and we found that fishing lures make beautiful windchimes. They catch the sunlight and the moonlight and just gleam.

Do you have a father or Grandfather who liked to fish, this is a great keepsake to make using their old lures. Memories will always come rusing back when you see the sun or the moon shine off the lures or you hear the wonderful sweet music when a gentle breeze flows by.

To make them you will need the following:

Fishing lures in assorted colours, sizes and shapes
Wire cutters
Measuring tape
22-24 gauge Fun Wire in assorted colours
Bamboo sticks (these can be found in any garden center)
A small handsaw, or good pair of garden clippers (to cut the bamboo)
Beads in various colours, sizes and shapes (large ones are perfect)
Clear fishing line
Three wind-chime pipes in brass, aluminum or copper (just get some pipe cut at the hardware store)
Clay (to make three weights)
You will need wooden sticks and plastic knives to help make the project

First, you will need to take off the hooks on the fishing lure

Make the base for the chimes by cutting three pieces of bamboo in equal lengths. Cut three pieces of wire in equal lengths of 12 inches(you can adjust this if you want another length). Form a triangle with the three bamboo sticks and join the pieces together by wrapping a wire at each end in a criss cross style, over and around the overlapped bamboo ends

To make the hanger for the base, cut three 25-centimetre lengths of wire and twist the tops of the wires together (about 5 centimetres should be twisted together). Insert three beads at the end of each wire, then wrap each wire around a corner of the triangle to complete the hanger.

Cut six pieces of fishing line, varying in length from 60 to 75 centimetres. Place a wind-chime pipe at the ends of three strands and secure with a knot. Repeat this step with the remaining three lengths of fishing line, but attach clay weights instead of pipes.

To make the three small weights, form the clay into teardrop shapes and make a hole near the top with a stick. Wait until the clay is dry before attaching the weights to the strands.

String the strands (with chimes and weights at the ends) with beads, short bamboo pipes, fishing lures and ornaments in a random pattern

Modify each strand slightly by varying the placements, leaving 10 centimetres at the top unbeaded in order to secure it to the base. Tie a knot at the end to keep the beads from falling off.

When you have completed all six strands, attach two to each side of the bamboo triangle base, wrapping the top of the fishing line around the bamboo at least twice, and tie a knot to secure.

your chimes are now ready to hang. Enjoy the sound and gleam that they will show.

TIPS
Wind chime pipes can be made with metal pipes in various widths, which can be found at your local hardware store. I use medal pipes in mine as they sound much prettier to me.
Bamboo comes in a variety of sizes; experiment using different lengths and widths to create your own signature sound. Adding tiny bells can also make for interesting melodies.