These DIY wind chimes are so beautiful and they sound so cheerful ringing in the breeze. Made from a few simple supplies, this summer craft is really easy to make!
DIY Wind Chimes
Beaded wind chimes are such a beautiful decoration for your porch, patio, or gazebo. They’re perfect for placing in the garden and make a lovely gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or a summer birthday. I love the soft clinking sound of the beads brushing against each other and the subtle chime of the bells when the strands move back and forth.
Learning how to make a beaded wind chime is the perfect summer activity for both kids and adults. Kids of all ages can enjoy organizing and stringing the beads. Although younger kids might need some help with tying the knots at the end.
You can make a rainbow coloured wind chime like we did, or you can place the beads in a random order on each strand. That’s what’s so great about homemade wind chimes. There’s no wrong way to make them – it’s such a simple, yet creative, craft!
Check out our Homemade Wind Chimes video tutorial:
*Note: Scroll down for the step-by-step photo tutorial.
Looking for more beaded craft ideas? Here’s some of our favourites:
Here’s what you’ll need:
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The full printable instructions are at the end of this post, but here’s a list of products on Amazon that are similar to the supplies we used:
What is the best string to use for beaded windchimes?
We used single strand nylon fishing line to make our DIY wind chimes. Fishing line is great for this type of project because it’s super strong, thin, clear, and good at holding knots. It’s also stiff enough that you can thread the beads without using a needle.
To hang the beaded wind chime we used twine to match the rustic look of the natural stick. Twine should last a full season outside, but you may need to replace it eventually. You can use nylon twine instead if you want something that is weather resistant.
Where can I get a stick to make DIY wind chimes?
Check your backyard for fallen branches, or go for a walk in a wooded area and see what has fallen to the ground. We picked up a loose stick (14 inches long, 1/2 inch diameter) while on a walk a few days after a windstorm.
Interestingly enough, you can buy wooden sticks or driftwood on Amazon, which is perfect if you want to make more than one wind chime. Another option is to use a wooden dowel, which you can also buy on Amazon, or at a home improvement/hardware store like Home Depot.
Where can I buy beads and jingle bells?
Amazon is my favourite place to buy glass beads and pony beads because there’s such a great variety of options. They also sell many kinds of jingle bells.
If you don’t like shopping online, Michaels and other craft stores sell a good selection of beads and bells. Walmart also sells a few options. Another great resource would be a local bead or jewelry supply store.
Do I have to use beads on my homemade wind chime?
We love the look and sound of the beads, but you can definitely make a similar style of wind chime using other materials. For instance, you can make a homemade wind chime out of tin cans, bottle caps, spoons, seashells, and/or keys. There are so many options when it comes to customizing a DIY wind chime!
Wind Chime with Beads
Materials:
- Fishing line
- Jingle bells
- Glass beads and/or clear pony beads
- Driftwood stick or small tree branch
- Twine
Equipment:
Instructions:
Step 1: Make and attach bead strands
- Cut a strand of fishing line 26 inches long. Tie a bell onto one end of the fishing line (in a tight double knot) to create an anchor for your bead strands.
- Begin adding beads to the fishing line, letting them fall to the bottom of the strand against the bell.
- Continue feeding beads onto the fishing line until you have a bead strand that is roughly 14 inches long (excluding the bell).
- Repeat these steps until you have all the bead strands you want. We made six strands in six different colours.
- Lay the bead strands out on a table in the order and length you want to hang them on the stick.
- If you want the strands to be different lengths, set the stick in position at the top of the beads. Then remove any extra beads that are above the stick. Our pink and red are 15 inches, purple and yellow are 12 inches, and the blue and green are 11 inches (measured from the bell to the stick).
- Loop the fishing line from your first strand around the stick and tie it tightly in a double knot. Continue double knotting the rest of the bead strands to the stick, making sure they're an equal distance apart (ours are spaced 2 inches).After making the knots, cut off any extra fishing line.
Step 2: Attach twine hanger
- Cut a 5 foot piece of twine.Loop one end of the twine around one side of the stick and tie a double knot.
- Wrap the twine around the stick at least five times. Slide the loose end of the twine under one of the wrapped strands and pull tight, creating a knot.
- Take the other side of the twine and tie a knot on the opposite side of the stick, making sure to leave at least 16 inches hanging loose past the knot.Take the loose twine and wrap it around the stick at least five times. Slide the loose end of the twine under one of the wrapped strands and pull tight, creating a knot.
- Cut off any extra twine.
- Your beaded DIY wind chime is complete!
Helpful Tip:
I love the look and the sound of these DIY wind chimes. The bells and beads make such a pretty sound in the wind, and the glass beads sparkle in the sunshine allowing the wind chime to double as a suncatcher!
Here’s even more beaded craft ideas:
4 Strand Pipe Cleaner Bracelets
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon |  Barnes and Noble |  Books- A- Million |  Indiebound |  Indigo |  Amazon Canada
This project was much more difficult than it looks. Working with the fishing line was a nightmare. The knots kept coming undone, spilling the beads from the line. Even my 12 year old granddaughter got so frustrated that she gave up. I know fishermen knot their lines all the time, but I’m not a fisherman.