Instruction for Making a Wind Chime From Silverware

Old forks, knives and spoons can be bent, curled and tarnished to make a unique piece of outdoor art.

Green crafts have grown in popularity over recent years. In an effort to save money and keep old goods out of landfills, folks have been finding ways to reuse or repurpose everyday materials. Whether it is a reusable shopping bag hand-knitted out of plarn ("plastic yarn") or industrial-sized pickle jar topiaries, green crafting can be innovative, funky and fun. A popular method for repurposing old silverware or flatware is to transform the metal bits into an original, artisanal wind chime to adorn your deck or front doorway.

Things You'll Need

• C-clamp
• Wooden block
• Marker
• Drilling oil
• Power drill
• 1/8-inch drill bit
• Shallow tin can (such as those used for tuna)
• Waterproof paints
• Paintbrush
• Needle-nose pliers
• Metal file
• Strong fishing line
• 6 or more pieces of silverware or flatware
• Safety goggles

Instructions

1. Clamp a fork to the wooden block with a c-clamp. Mark the flat end of the fork with a black dot about 1/4 inch from the edge and at the center point of the flat end's width. Polish this end of the fork with drilling oil before punching a hole through it using the 1/8 inch drill bit and power drill. Repeat this step for all of the silverware you plan to use in your wind chime.

2. Paint the tin can ---either with one color or a muti-colored design --- and let it dry.

3. Lay the can on its side so that it resembles a wheel. Secure it by closing the c-clamp around the width of the can so that it won't roll. Make four marks on the can, about 1/4 inch from the edge, spaced equally apart. Polish the marks with drilling oil and drill. Flip the can over so that the open side is facing down and mark the center of the can. Drill through the center.

4. Hold one of the forks you drilled in Step 1 firmly by the flat end and bend the four tines into the shape of a four-armed cross, with each tine facing in a different direction, using the needle-nose pliers. Curl the end of each tine upward into a tiny loop.

5. Curl the ends of any additional forks with needle-nose pliers into whatever shapes you desire. Tuck the pointed end of each fork tine over or under to mask its sharp tip in case it should fall or someone should brush against it. You could instead file the points down with a metal file if you prefer. Note that you can bend and twist your flatware into shapes for a more original wind chime design; just remember to leave the flat ends free for suspension.

6. File the sharp edges of any grapefruit spoons or butter knives you plan to use in the wind chime with a metal file.

7. Thread about 10 inches of fishing line in a loop shape through the hole in the bottom center of the tin can and secure it with a knot both inside and outside of the can. Leave about 4 inches (2 inches on each end) loose on the inside of the can. Thread one loose end on the inside of the can through the hole at the flat end of the first fork you drilled and secure it with a knot to the other loose end.

8. Thread about 3 inches of fishing wire through each curved loop on the end of each fork tine and attach it to the flat end of another piece of flatware. Repeat for all four tines. Attach any other silverware to the loops you made in the other forks to create a multi-tiered wind chime. Continue adding flatware or silverware until the desired look has been achieved.

Tips & Warnings

• Decorate your wind chime with beads, seashells and ribbon to make a multi-colored, more ornate wind chime.

• Wear safety goggles when drilling metal.

References

• "Fave Crafts": How to Make a Silverware Windchime
• "Whimsy Love": Flatware Windchime Tutorial
• "Divine Carole": How to Make a Silverware Windchime