Just Chiming In
by
Lovesunique
2 Materials
$5
2 Hours
Easy
I've had an idea in my head to make a chime for quite some time now. I finally got everything together that I thought I would need. The large pot was a gift. For awhile I was using it as a vase and then it got set aside. The little cups I've had FOREVER sitting on the top shelf of a cabinet. When it clicked that they all had the same design (flowers and blue handles) I started thinking more about a chime. I studied the chimes I already have and decided I needed a weight to swing around and something in the middle that would knock around in the cups. I also needed something the cups could hang from...like my rusty Bath and Body soap holder!
First thing I did was to paint my soap holder and wooden spools to match my cord.
Then I started to tie the cups onto the soap holder using different lengths of cord. I tied a cord across the middle to hold my line with the weight and I'm using it to go up through the big cup with a second cord.
My handyman (husband) drilled a hole in the big cup for me. I figured if this project didn't work out I could always use the cup as a pot.
Next I took my spools and knotted them down the weight line.
Originally I was going to use an old belt buckle to hang the chime but I didn't like how it looked so I just twisted more cord to create a more substantial center point for hanging.
I tied each cup by its handle with a knot.
Originally I was going to use the fork in the first picture as my weight but it didn't look right. I had plenty of cups so I decided to use one as the weight.
My little soap holder shows a bit more than I would like, but since I painted it to match I'll get used to it. After I test it more in the wind I will adjust the cups a bit. Glad I have plenty of cord left just in case!
Kind of nice seeing my cups after all this time.
Update: I didn't like how the cups were hanging so close together. So I thought if I used some type of ring that the the cups could hang from it would be better. So I found a duct clamp and painted it.
Oh, boy, terrible. I was still trying to use the soap holder. I still wanted the soap holder because I thought it could bang around inside the larger cup. I decided not to use it and found a smaller duct clamp that fit up inside the large cup. The cups hang much better and the weight has more room to swing.
Looks the same as before; just better mechanics. Now if we could just get a good breeze!
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Ah-ha! It does work! I'm giving the fork I originally thought about a try. I already had a hole in the bottom of one of the small cups so I just threaded the string through and tied on the fork.
Ok, so this isn't DIY but I bought it for inspiration. It's really cute. The forks aren't real; they are thin tin. The plates, cups, bowls and lids are enamelware. (The lids and bowls are super cute. Maybe they are sugar bowls.) The cord is waxed and there's bling with some plastic beads. So with the one I made, if I wanted to drill holes in the sides of the large pot the cups might work better and I could string some beads for some shine. Just tossing out some ideas. I got this on sale (normal price too high for DIY-er's) at Zulily from Sunset Vista Designs Co.
I made it my "own" by adding a knob to the lid!
Comments
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4 of 30 comments
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It's absolutely lovely. I love it and I agree excellent instructions from you.
Thankyou.
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Thanks Maureen!
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I live close to water and it is always very windy here.This windchime idea would work great! Good idea, Nice end product!
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Thank you!
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Frequently asked questions
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does it take an E4 hurricane to make it chime?
Won't the cups chip?
Cute idea...........I presume those are "metal" cups & not glass???