Summer breeze makes it sound fine...
Summer breezes will make your Whimsical Repurposed Wind Chimes…well…chime!
Clean out the junk drawers!
Look through your kitchen cupboards, junk drawers or shop to find the fun items needed for you and your grands to make your whimsical repurposed wind chimes. A trip to your local thrift stores is also a great source of items to repurpose.
So, I’ve had this project in mind a long…long…time so I’ve had time to gather up a lot of repurposing options. I’ve listed some of the types of things I picked up here and there and threw in a box for this project. Rarely have I spent more than a dime or quarter for each item.
Make whimsical repurposed wind chimes by the dozen!! 😉
Once the grands have chosen their items and we make this craft, I hope to make one for myself and several more for gifts or to sell in my Etsy shop. My friend had one in her garden and I was smitten. Anyways….
Choose a theme-
Pull together a group of objects that will work well together. A group of kitchen items or a group of shop items works great. One of the items will be larger and will be the upper frame of the wind chime. This may be a larger wrench or funnel for the shop items or a funnel, colander or larger sieve for the kitchen items.
Put your thinking caps on!
Because I don’t know what you will creatively find for your whimsical repurposed wind chimes I can’t give exact instructions for each step. So I will explain the basic principles and you can creatively find ways to make it work with your items. This is a great problem solving exercise for both you and your grands!! Better than any sudoku puzzle!
Support item for the top-
The larger item will be the top support for the entire wind chime. The smaller items will be hung from this larger item and will need to balance once those smaller items are connected. There will also need to be a way to hang the larger item and get it to balance as well.
Let’s start with hanging the large item. You can use either fishing line or light to medium weight wire to hang your items. Depending on the design of your top item, find one, two or three places to tie pieces of line or wire so that it hangs nicely and there are places to hang the smaller items. Depending on the item it may hang vertically or horizontally. You can string and twist on beads as desired for decoration.
Punch holes as needed for hanging
If the item doesn’t have holes already there, you may need to use the nail and hammer (or drill) on a wooden block to punch a hole in the appropriate places.
Fishing swivels and clips work great
Tie the top of the wire(s) or line(s) to a fishing swivel and clip. The swivel will allow the wind chime to rotate when blown by the wind. You will use another loop of chain, line or wire on this swivel to hang the whimsical repurposed wind chime when finished.
Attach the smaller items
Attach your smaller items to the larger one, one by one. Use wire that is strung or twisted with beads for decoration. Use the nail and hammer to punch (or drill) holes as needed. Work to balance the smaller items so that the larger one remains balanced. You can use fishing swivels for these pieces too if you would like.
Problem solve...balance...
Every set of items is unique so you will need to be a creative problem solver to design an interesting and balanced piece.
Tip: If your pieces are larger, use heavier wire to support the weight, especially if it will be outside in higher wind.
Let your imagination ~soar~
There is an infinite number of possibilities when making a Whimsical Repurposed Wind Chime! The sky is the limit so let your imagination soar!
Mother's Day gift, score!
These make fantastic gifts and look so cool on a post in a garden. Who do you know that would enjoy receiving one from you and your grands? I’m thinking Mother’s Day, what do you think?
Please, please post pictures of your creations. I’m so eager to see what you come up with !!
What else is on the wind?
The last time the grands were over there were kids all over the sky! The wind is great for kites as well as for wind chimes! If you want to make a kite check out "Make Your Own Diamond Shaped Kite" post and the "March Coloring Page" featuring kites to color for when you are done! You may want to pick up the whole WTN Through the Year Coloring book to have all the WTN coloring pages in one place while you are at it!
Supplies for Whimsical Repurposed Wind Chimes:
- Small kitchen items- spoons, forks, jello molds, cookie cutters, sieves, funnels, etc
- OR Small shop items- wrenches, nuts, bolts, washers, keys, etc
- OR a collection of items in a theme of your choice and interest
- Beads
- Buttons
- Fishing line (for lighter items hung where there is less wind)
- OR light to medium wire (for heavier items in some wind)
- Fishing swivels with interlock snap (size 5 worked well)
- Pliers (needle nose or regular?)
- Hammer
- Small nail
- OR drill with small metal drill bit
- Wooden block- to hammer onto or drill into
Enjoy!
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Gail Porter says
I love these windchimes! Have been trying to make some out of anything and everything. You give me great ideas! Thank you!
Shelly says
I was just thinking about that today- all the things that a person could use. What a fun way to recycle "stuff" from the shop or garage! I first saw a wind chime like this in a friend's yard. I was smitten! Thanks for the encouragement- you are why I do this!!
Diana Valle says
Wow!!!! Great ideas!!!!