How to Make Chimes With Old Keys

Use old keys to make a wind chime.

Chimes are used as decorations on porches and patios and to promote relaxation due to their soothing sounds. Use everyday household objects to make a homemade wind chime of your own design. Choose old keys for your chime, and you just might unlock the secrets of the wind.

Things You'll Need

• 3-inch-by-3-inch paper template
• 5-inch-by-5-inch paper template
• Red marker
• Green marker
• Wide-eyed sewing needle
• 24-inch lengths of heavy cording, 2
• Large plastic coffee can lid
• 1/2-inch metal ring
• 10-inch lengths of thin cording, 13
• Shepherd's hook
• 13 keys
• Clear coat nail polish

Instructions

1. Fold the 3-inch paper template in half and in half again to create creases. Do the same with the 5-inch paper template. Unfold each template and press flat with your hand. Place the 3-inch template in the center of the coffee can lid. Make a dot on the lid with the red marker to mark each of the four corner points of the template and each of the four crease points of the template. Remove the template. Place the 5-inch template in the center of the coffee can lid. Make a dot on the lid with the red marker to mark each of the four crease points of the template. Make a dot on the lid with the green marker to mark each of the four corner points of the template. Remove template. Counting clockwise, mark each dot with a number from 1 to 4. The green dots mark where you thread the heavy cord through. The red dots mark where to thread the thin cord through. Mark the center of the lid with a red dot.

2. Thread one end of one of the lengths of heavy cord through the eye of the sewing needle. Tie a knot in the other end of the cord. Poke the needle up through the lid, from the bottom side, at the green dot marked 1, and pull the cord through the plastic until you come to the knot. Push the needle through the opening of the metal ring and out the other side. Poke the needle down through the lid from the top side of plastic through the dot marked 3. Pull the cord through the plastic and tie a knot on the under side. Repeat by threading the other heavy cord through the lid starting at the green dot marked 2, through the metal ring, and ending at the green dot marked 4. Tie a knot in the end of the cord on the underside of the lid. This creates the hanger for the chime.

3. Tie a knot in one end of a thin cord. Thread the other end of the thin cord through the eye of the needle. Poke the needle down through the lid at one of the red dots marked on the lid. Pull the cord through the plastic until you come to the knot. Remove the needle. Repeat threading each cord through the lid until there is a cord threaded through each of the red dots.

4. Lift the lid by the metal ring at the top. Hang the lid on the shepherd's hook from the metal ring. Tie a key to each cord dangling from the lid. Knot tightly. Clip any long ends protruding from the knots tied in the any of the cords with the scissors. Paint a dab of clear coat nail polish onto each knot to secure the knot so it will not unravel.

References

• Kaboose: Key Wind Chime
• Planet Green: Make Your Own Wind Chimes