Rick’s Hobby Garage is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website. I only recommend products and services that I have used and stand behind. This compensation helps me keep this blog running and free of charge to readers like you.
I love wind chimes! Not only do I think they are pretty, I enjoy the sounds they make. When I listen to wind chimes I instantly think back on the times when my family and I would visit my grandma in Tucson, Arizona. I am transported to when she and I would be the first ones up in the morning and we would sit at the breakfast table looking out the window. I honestly don’t remember talking, just enjoying each other’s company and the view. Just outside the window was the pool, pool fence and a wildlife habitat my grandma had created. She had a water dish out with some food and we would watch the animals come in. The animals ranged from coyotes to rabbits and a wide variety of birds. While we enjoyed the quiet house, the wildlife and each other’s presence, there were the wind chimes in the background. It is funny how sounds can bring back such vivid memories.
Wind chimes are thought to have a calming quality to them and are often included during meditation practices. Many people believe that listening to wind chimes can reduce tension, stress and bring about good energy. I would agree with this as long as the wind is a slight breeze. Listening to the wind chimes does calm me and takes me back to the quiet morning time with my grandma.
Who created wind chimes and how far back do they date? Well, they go back to 1100 BC in ancient China. They were originally made with cast bells called fenglings and were considered religious ornaments that would attract peaceful spirits and ward off evil ones. Early wind chimes were made from bone, wood, bamboo and shells but the Chinese were the first to make wind chimes musical by adding bells. Some Chinese temples, shrines and pagodas will have up to hundreds to thousands of wind chimes hung from the eves. The breeze with that many wind chimes must create quite an impressive sound!
Not only do wind chimes help with spirits but they help with bringing attention to the weather and changes in the wind. They have been used as early warning systems for shifts in the weather. If you have ever watched the movie Twister, the wind chimes play an ominous part in the movie as a foreboding tornado is approaching.
Some fun and interesting wind chime facts:
- In Indonesia, wind chimes have been used to scare off birds from their crops.
- Wind chimes are considered to be a percussion instrument.
- The tintinnabulum is an ancient wind chime found in Rome. It is made from bronze and has multiple bells hanging from it.
- The largest wind chime in the world according to the Guiness Book of Records is from Casey, Illinois. It is owned by Jim Bolin and measures 42’ long, has 5 metal tubes and hangs 49’ off the ground.
- Many people believe that having wind chimes hanging on your house will promote good luck.
Supply List
- A branch about 14″ long
- Assorted beads
- Wire cutters
- Beading clamps
- Beading wire (Paid Link)
- Crimp beads (Paid Link)
- Crimp tool (Paid Link)
- Wire (Paid Link)
- Bells (Paid Link)
- Glue (Paid Link)
The first thing you will want to do is find an old branch or stick that you would like to use as the top of your wind chime. We have this pile of branches for the fire pit and I found a branch that I really liked. I lucked out and I liked the length it was already so it did not need to be cut to size and I liked the slight curve in it. This branch is about 14″ long.
I will be honest, I really did not have a plan at this point. I thought it would be nice to sand the branch and see what it looked like. At first I was unhappy with the results but I just kept sanded and these really beautiful markings, probably from termites, were uncovered. I really like the texture. I put the branch in a vise to hold it while I used the hand sander. I just kept moving and rotating the branch as I needed to.
Here is the branch after I finished sanding. I like the different textures and colors. I decided not to apply a finish to it and just to let it age naturally. On your wind chime you can add a stain to it or a finish of linseed oil.
Next I put the branch back in the vise and measured out the placement of the holes that I needed to drill. I wanted five strands of beads and I was going to hang it with wire, so that would be a total of seven holes that needed to be drilled. Just make sure the drill bit is slightly bigger than the wire you will be using.
Next I beaded five strands of beads about 17″ long. I chose a combination of purple and clear glass beads. This is where the project becomes truly yours by your choosing the beads you like, the colors, shapes and bead material that suits you.
These are the bells I used at the bottom of the wind chime. They are really pretty and make a light, pleasing chime.
Before I attached the bells, I made sure the wire loops at the top of the bell were closed. If they were not, then I used the crimp tool to close the gap. Next I threaded the beading wire through a crimp bead, next through the loop on the bell, back through the crimp bead and through several beads. I then used the crimping tool to crimp the crimp bead, trimmed any excess wire with wire cutters and then I added a dab of glue for added durability.
Now that the bells are added, the next step is to attach the strands to the branch. First, string the beading wire through a crimp bead, through the bottom of the branch, up through a bead and back through the hole in the branch, through the crimp bead and several beads. Using the crimp tool, crimp the crimp bead, trim any excess wire with wire cutters and add a little glue. I wanted to add the glue because our wind can be pretty rough and I wanted an extra layer of durability.
Lastly, add the wire hanger. I just threaded the wire through the top on the branch, twisted it behind the branch and up to the wire, then twisted it around itself for about 3 inches up.
All done! I absolutely love how this wind chime turned out and it sounds so pretty! I love how the light catches the beads and how it sounds in the breeze. I can not wait to make more!
Happy desert gardening!
Joy Simper has a full time job as a home schooling stay at home mom. She is the one that holds the house and yard together and keeps the kids in line. She enjoys gardening, including seed starting and propagating plants.
I love the article!
Thank you so much!