Wind chimes are considered an instrument constructed with suspended items that will strike each other whenever a breeze passes through, creating a mellow chime. They can be made of glass, metal, wood, or any object that creates a sound when struck.
So here are two ways you can do a DIY wind chime.
Using seashells
You will need:
-An embroidery hoop
-String (clear or in any preferred colour) or fishing line
-A power drill or hot-glue gun
· Scissors
-Shells
Step 1: Cleaning your seashells
If you grabbed your seashells directly from the beach, it's important to clean your shells. You can do that by mixing one part of bleach and three parts of water in a bowl and letting the seashells soak for a few hours. Once they're clean, rinse the shells in warm water and allow them to dry.
An extra step is to coat your shells with clear nail polish or mineral oil to make them shinier and stronger.
Step 2: Drilling holes in the shell
Use your power drill to drill one hole in each shell. You can use a 1/16 (or 1.6mm) bit. You can drill the hole anywhere, but keep in mind it affects the position (and the visual) of your wind chime.
If you don't have a drill but you do have a glue gun, you can also glue the strings to your shells.
Step 3: Cutting your strings and tie them to the shells
Cut your string (or fishing line) to your desired length. Here's when you can start planning the design: you can make the threads the same height, or you can vary their length for a more varied look. Keep in mind that you will use a bit of each thread to tie into your base.
If you drilled holes into your shells, pass the string through each shell and tie a knot. You can also pass multiple shells through the same thread to create different levels. Alternatively, you can also use hot glue to glue your strings onto your shells.
Step 4: Tying the strings to your base
Tie your strings to your embroidery hoop, making sure they're firm. If you want an extra layer of security, you can put hot-glue on top of the knots to secure it into place.
Make sure to keep the shells close enough to each other so that they will bump into each other.
Step 5: Hanging your wind chime
To finish your wind chime, cut a long thread of your string and tie each end to opposite points in the hoop for you to hang your wind chime.
Using old keys
You will need:
-Old keys
-String (of any colour) or fishing line
-Scissors
-An embroidery hoop
-Optional: a hot-glue gun
Step 1: Choosing your keys
Find old keys you would like to use for this project. They can be random or you can follow any specific pattern, colour, or size.
You can also coat them in clear spray paint or clear nail polish for them to have an extra layer of durability. If you want an extra splash of colour, you can use acrylic paint to coat your keys with different colours.
Step 2: Cutting your strings and tie them to your keys
Cut several pieces of strings with lengths to your liking. Once you're done, tie each key to the end of each string. Make sure you're making a double knot to secure them. You can also put a drop of hot glue on top of each knot.
If you want to decorate your wind chime more, you can tie different beads to your strings.
Step 3: Tying your strings to the embroidery hoop
Make sure to do a double knot here as well, and you can also add a drop of hot glue on top of each knot for extra security. Make sure you're tying your strings to your desired length.
Step 4: Hanging your wind chime
To complete your wind chime, cut a long thread of your string and tie each end to opposite points in the hoop. Now you can hang your windchime!
Now that you have the gist of it let your imagination roam free and devise the most creative wind chimes! You can do wind chimes with bottle caps, sea glasses, spoons, copper cubes, or any other material you have lying around.