Beaded Wind Chimes
Make this easy colorful wind chime using beads and a variety of recycled materials.
Supplies Needed
- Large and medium-sized beads
- Paper cup or yoghurt cup
- Drinking straws
- String
- 4 or more jingle bells (¾" or 1")
- Metal shank button or metal washer
- Poster paint or acrylic paint
- Paint brush
- Pipe cleaner
- Scissors
- Hole punch
STEPS
1 Create the top.
Recycle a used paper cup or empty yoghurt cup to make the top of your wind chimes. Clean the cup and wipe it dry. Trim the paper cup to a height of about 2 to 3 inches.
2 Punch holes.
Punch 4 or more evenly-spaced holes around the cup's mouth.
3 Paint the cup.
Paint the paper cup. Use acrylic paint if the cup is glossy, otherwise you can use poster paint or tempera. Let the paint dry completely.
4 Decorate the cup.
Decorate the cup as you please. Paint it with patterns and other details or glue small buttons and other notions.
5 Cut strings.
Cut four or more strings approximately 12 inches long. The number of strings should correspond to the number of holes on the cup. Cut an extra string that is 2 inches longer than the others.
6 Attach the jingle bells.
Tie a jingle bell at the end of each string except for the longer extra string. Set this extra string aside for the wind chime's pendulum.
7 Cut drinking straws.
Cut drinking straws into ¾ to 1-inch long pieces.
8 String beads and straws.
String beads and drinking straw pieces through each string, stopping about 1 to 2 inches from the top end of the string.
9 Tie the beaded strings to the cup.
Tie the top of each beaded string to a hole on the paper cup.
10 Make a loop on a pipe cleaner.
Cut a pipe cleaner in half. Take one piece and make a small loop on one end.
11 Create the pendulum.
Take the extra string. Tie one end to the loop on the pipe cleaner and the other end to a metal shank button or metal washer.
12 Punch a center hole on the cup.
Punch a small hole at the center of the paper cup.
13 Position the pendulum.
Insert the straight end of the pipe cleaner from inside the cup, through the center hole. Pull all the way through—the loop on the pipe cleaner serves as a stopper.
14 Loop the pipe cleaner on top.
Loop the pipe cleaner on top to make the wind chimes' handle.
15 Check the pendulum length.
Hang your wind chimes where it can catch a soft breeze. Check if the metal button or washer is at the same level as the jingle bells. The button or washer should be able to hit the bells when it catches a breeze. Adjust the length of the string if necessary.
