Bluebell Crafts

Archive for the ‘Crafts Using Recycled Items’ Category

Wind chimes are used all over the world to scare off evil spirits from homes and birds from the fields. Wind chimes were also brought into temples for the tranquility they brought. Today, we use wind chimes decorative items indoors and out.

You’ll find wind chimes made of everything from huge pipes of metal to delicate porcelain sticks, anything that will make a lovely noise.  Some wind chimes don’t tinkle, wooden ones make more of a clunking noise but still contribute to the ambiance in a garden.  All sorts of household items can be used to make your own wind chimes and today we’ll discuss how to make chimes using old cutlery – knives, forks and spoons (look for them in junk stops or car boot sales).

You will need:

6 each – soup spoons and dinner forks
1 Butter knife
8-10″ Metal or wooden plate or circle
1/8-inch bit and drill
Rubber mallet
Different lengths of heavy fishing line
26 crimper beads
Pliers
Wire, if using a wooden or metal circle

Instructions

1.    Find the cutlery pieces you’ll use for your wind chime. The butter knife will be used in the center of the chime as the clanger and the spoons and forks will be located around the edge of the circle. You can use other headers such as sticks, plates, tea pots, etc. Beads and other embellishments can also be used.

2.    Put the spoons and forks on a flat surface and flatten with the mallet; it is very effective if they are twisted and the flattened. Once flattened, drill a hole in the middle, near the end of the handle of each piece, so the cutlery piece dangles downward. Set these aside while you get on with the rest of the project.

3.    Using the same bit, drill a hole through the center of the metal or wooden plate. The butter knife will hang there. For hanging the forks and spoons, drill 12 evenly spaced holes around the outer circle of the plate. If using a wooden or metal circle, attach the wire in an + across the circle and drill 12 holes evenly spaced around the circles for the forks and spoons.

4.    Cut six – 5″ strips, six – 7″ strips and 1 – 10″ strip of fishing line.

5.    Thread the ten-inch strip through the hole in the butter knife. Use pliers and a crimper bead to secure the knife to the fishing line and then attach the fishing line to the + in the circle or the centre hole of the plate, secure with another crimper bead.

6.    Using 3 of the 5″ strips of fishing line and 3 of the 7″ strips, thread the fishing line through the hole in the spoons and secure each piece to its line with a crimper bead.  Do the same with the forks using the remaining 5″ and 7″ strips.

7.    Alternating spoon and fork, thread the fishing line attached to each, through the holes on the outer rim of the plate or circle. Loop the line back on itself and secure with the crimper bead and pliers.

8.    Lastly, loop a 4″ piece of fishing line and thread both ends through the plate. Secure with a crimper bead under the plate. Use this loop to hang your new silverware wind chime.

9.    Hang where the breezes will catch it and enjoy.