Ideas on Making Wind Chimes

Create your own wind chimes to add whimsical music to your outdoor living spaces. Depending on the elements you choose to make the chimes, you can fill your garden with light tinkling sounds of glass or wood, or the more noticeable sounds of melodic metal pipes clanging in the breeze.

Make your own pipe wind chimes using commercially available wind chime kits, common plumbing supplies or stalks of bamboo. Wind chime kits include a header, melodious pipes and monofilament line to attach the pipes to the header. Create your own pipe chimes using lengths of copper pipe, copper tubing and fishing line. To make the header, shape a 12-inch or larger strip of copper tubing into an S. Cut seven lengths of copper pipe to dangle from the header; vary the lengths or make them all the same. Holes drilled through the top of each pipe and along the length of the copper tubing allow you to thread fishing line through the pipes and then through the header. Knots in the fishing line secure the pipe; cover the knots with waterproof glue.

Eclectic wind chimes can include items such as a cup and saucer, old gardening tools, metal utensils, a small watering can or any combination. Construct eclectic wind chimes by hanging several wind chime strands from a header, or by hanging one strand beneath a header. Craft bells often dangle from the bottom of single strand chimes. To make single strand chimes, attach components, one atop the other, with fishing line. For example, to include a watering can and gardening tools together in a single strand, tie fishing line around the hanger hole of a small spade, then thread the end of the line through a two-hole button. Knot the line and glue the button to the underside of the can with waterproof adhesive. Run another length of line from the hanger hole of the spade down to the top of a craft bell. In this example, the watering can is the header. Make it part of the strand by running a line from the top handle to another gardening tool.

Themed wind chimes help create a specific atmosphere in your garden. Western themed chimes made with horseshoes and a cowboy boot header fit beautifully on a farm. Screw eye-hooks in the boot's sole and dangle horseshoes from small chains to make the chimes. A stained glass themed wind chime design adds color your patio or winter garden. Drill holes through stained glass tiles using a diamond drill bit, and then join the tiles together with fishing line. Use a larger stained glass tile as a header for the chimes. You can also create wind chimes for a special event, such as a graduation or wedding shower. Craft stores have a variety of wooden cutouts that you can paint to suit any occasion. Include craft bells at the end of each strand to add the musical element.

Create wind chimes that sparkle with color and toss rainbows around your garden using crystal prisms and glass, wood, ceramic, metal or shell beads. End each beaded strand with a top-drilled crystal; tie the beaded strands to headers made from stained glass tiles, driftwood or metal craft rings. To make the beaded strands, cut fishing line twice as long as the finished strand length, plus 6 inches. Thread a crystal to the middle of the line, and then hold the ends together. Slide beads over both lines to within 3 inches of the end. Tie the ends to the header.