How to Make Outdoor Chimes
Outdoor wind chimes can be made with many different materials -- even terra cotta flowerpots. Making these wind chimes is a good art project for children. In addition, homemade wind chimes make perfect handcrafted gifts for birthdays, Mother's Day or other holidays. The materials for this project are readily available at craft centers and home improvement stores.
Things You'll Need
- 3 terra cotta flowerpots, 6-, 5- and 4-inch diameters
- Acrylic paint
- Acrylic sealer spray
- Polyester craft cord, 5mm or 6mm diameter
- 9 large wooden beads with diameter larger than the flowerpot holes
Instructions
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1
Paint the outsides of the three terra cotta flowerpots. Use acrylic craft paint. You can paint the rims and add other details on the body of the pots. Paint them bright, cheerful colors. Use your imagination. Let the paint dry completely.
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2
Spray the dry pots with acrylic sealer spray. Allow them to dry and spray on another coat of the sealer. Let this dry completely.
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3
Cut a length of polyester craft cord about 2 yards long. It must be long enough for all the knots you will tie, the beads you will add and the height of the flowerpots. It is better to cut it too long and trim it later.
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4
Tie a loop in the end of the cord. Make the loop large enough to slide over a nail or plant hanger. Do not make it too large, however, or it will slip off in the wind. Knot the loop well.
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5
Slide a large wooden bead onto the cord from the loose end. The wooden beads you use for this project should be larger than the holes in the bottoms of the flowerpots. Position the bead about 5 inches from the loop. Tie a knot under the bead to keep it in place.
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6
Slide the largest flowerpot onto the cord so that its bottom is toward the bead and against it. Slide another large wooden bead onto the cord and position it inside the flowerpot next to the bottom. Tie a knot in the cord to keep this bead in place. Now the flowerpot should be able to hang on the cord without moving. It will be suspended between the two wooden beads.
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7
Slide another large wooden bead onto the cord. Position it to hang about one inch above the rim inside the flowerpot. Knot it in place. This is the clapper bead that will hit the flowerpot to make the noise for your wind chimes.
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8
Knot another wooden bead 2 inches below the rim of the flowerpot. Slide the middle-sized flowerpot onto the cord. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 to secure it on the cord and make a clapper. Repeat for the third flowerpot as well.
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9
Add a few more beads for decoration on the cord below the rim of the last flowerpot. These decorative beads can be any material since they will not be hitting the pots. Knot the end of the cord well. Trim off excess cord. Now your wind chimes are ready to hang.
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Tips & Warnings
Use polyester craft cord. Do not use something that will not stand up to the weather.
Add other colorful plastic, glass or wooden beads to the cord between the flowerpots as you build the wind chimes. Breakable beads can be positioned along the cord where the flowerpots will not hit them.
Do not use glass beads to hold the flowerpots in place or as clappers. They will break and create a hazard.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Clay pots image by Charlene Bayerle from Fotolia.com
