How To Make Whimsical Silverware Wind Chimes

Do you love the relaxing sound of wind chimes gently swaying in the breeze? If you answered yes, then you're going to love this outdoor craft idea that will add a little whimsy to your backyard living space. Its budget-friendly yard art using thrift store kitchenware finds and I'll show you how easy it is to make these DIY whimsical silverware wind chimes.

DIY Whimsical Silverware Wind Chimes

We have a busy road behind us and I wanted something to deafen the constant hum of traffic. Not wanting them to chime so loud that they become annoying but rather a soft melodic sound more like a pleasant distraction.

While I wanted them to sound pretty, I also wanted the wind chimes to be a little whimsical so I added a lovely quote to the bottom, where it is visible from below.

In Summer the song sings itself   ~William Carlos Williams

Such a fitting sentiment or a wind chime, don't you think?

There is a reason I used these particular accouterments to make the wind chimes.

I'm excited to be participating, for a second time, in the monthly Thrifty Chicks Group challenge. On the second Wednesday of every month, my creative junk loving friends and I come together to upcycle or repurpose a junk find based on a monthly theme.

This month the theme is Kitchen and our task is to upcycle something either found in or to be used in a kitchen. Last month we had a chair challenge and in case you missed it, here is a link to my Color Block Painted Wooden Chairs project. You'll find links to my talented friend's projects at the bottom of this post.

What you need to make the silverware wind chimes

Most everything you need to make these can be found in the kitchenware aisle of your local thrift store. These are some of the items I used to make the sugar bowl wind chimes, minus the spoons (more about that later).

I have to admit, my handmade wind chime project didn't come without some hiccups along the way and I'll share more about that in the detailed DIY tutorial further down in the post.

As you can see in the photo above and below, the outdoor wind chimes were made with recycled cutlery, a sugar bowl, and a salad plate from Goodwill. If you can't find a nice sugar bowl you could use a creamer with a lid or a teapot to make this. I made a whimsical teapot wind chime for my daughter-in-law for her birthday.

I've included a materials list further down in the post. It contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Five helpful tips when shopping for thrift store wind chime supplies

1. DO NOT buy heavy porcelain or stoneware salad or dessert plates. It is next to impossible to drill holes in them for the silverware hangers.
2. Buy 2-3 salad or dessert plates for any drilling mishaps.
3. Buy sterling cutlery rather than stainless steel as it is much softer for drilling holes through it.  
4. Spoons or forks are fine for the chimes.
5. You'll need a total of eight forks. You can use all dinner forks or make it interesting like I did by using four dinner forks and four smaller dessert fork. The choice is all yours.
6. Buy a much larger serving fork, spoon, or ladle for the middle chime.

How to make the silverware wind chimes

Step 1 - Glue Lid Onto Sugar Bowl

I used a Corelle Shadow Iris sugar bowl. My Mom had this Corelle coordinates pattern when I was growing up so it has sentimental value.

We'll start with the easiest but most time-consuming step first, gluing the lid onto the sugar bowl with E6000 glue. Set it aside for at least 12 hours before moving onto the next step.

Let's talk safety

Before we move onto the next step, let's talk about safety first.

• Make sure you wear safety glasses and protective gloves both when drilling holes in the plate and the silverware. We want you to finish this project and not wind up on an emergency room gurney.
• It's important the plate be cooled during the drilling process so you will require a bucket of water and a saturated sponge on hand.
• Please be careful when using an electric power tool near water. You DO NOT want that bucket of water spilling. 
• Set the pail of water in another area close by and please put the drill down before dipping the sponge into the water.

Step 2 - Drill holes into the salad or dessert plate

In this step, we're going to drill small holes in the dessert plate for the jump rings for the silverware chimes to hang from.

I used a plain white Mikasa French Countryside salad plate for the base of the sugar bowl. BIG MISTAKE because it is porcelain and I went through three 6mm diamond core bits and about ten minutes of sweat equity...per hole. Determination is my middle name and so an hour or so later the dang nine holes were finally drilled.

Here's how I did it

1. Remember, wear eye protection for steps 2 and 3.
2. Flip the plate upside down (we want the good side of the plate to be seen when hanging).
3. With a marker place a dot in the center of the plate followed by 8 dots evenly around the plate about 1/4-inch from the edge.
4. Place a piece of masking tape (not painter's tape like pictured above) over each dot to give the drill bit some friction and stop it from sliding across the smooth porcelain finish.  
5. Use a 6 mm diamond core Dremel bit. If you don't have a Dremel, use a power drill and a 6 mm diamond core drill bit.
6. Start by angling the bit to pierce through the tape and start the hole.
7. Once the hole is started, straighten the bit to drill straight down into the plate.
8. If you have a second set of hands, use them for this step. Make sure you are cooling the plate by squeezing a water-filled sponge over the hole as its being drilled to keep it from overheating and shattering.

Step 3 - Drill holes into the cutlery

In the photo of the supplies towards the top of this post, you saw that I had a bundle each of dinner forks and spoons. Well like the salad plate, the spoons were tough as nails and no matter what drill bit we tried nothing was piercing into those spoons.

We ditched the spoons and used a bundle of salad forks instead along with a large ladle for the center chime.

Again, wear safety glasses plus protective gloves for this step because those fine shards of metal are nasty!

Use a power drill with a 3/16" high-speed metal titanium drill bit to drill a hole into the top of each fork. Be forewarned, the silverware and drill bit get VERY hot.

Step 4 - How to add typography onto the dessert plate base

This step is completely optional. If you don't want any typography on your wind chimes skip this step.

1. In PicMonkey, Word, or whatever software of your choosing, type the quote with a script font set to the text curve option and manipulate the text until it fits the diameter of the plate.
2. Print it the graphic and if the phrase doesn't line up perfectly around the plate, cut out each word and tape them onto the plate (as pictured below). 
3. Slip a piece of carbon or graphite paper behind the words and trace them with a pen so they transfer onto the plate.
4. Trace over the transfer with a fine tip Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Pen in whatever color you like. You may have to go over it twice, allowing the ink to dry between applications.

Step 5 - Attaching the cutlery chimes onto the dessert plate

At this point, we are still not attaching the plate to the sugar bowl just yet. Time to hang the cutlery chimes onto the dessert plate.

1. Slip 12-14 inch long strands of stretch free jewelry thread (or fishing line) into the holes of the forks and tie in a double knot.
2. String a green colored bead about 1-inch from the top of the forks and double loop through the bead to keep it from sliding. 
3. String two purple beads above the green one (no need to double-loop).
4. String a green bead and double loop to stop it from sliding.
5. Set the plate on top of a bowl to raise it off the table (like pictured below).
6. With needle nose pliers attach the silver jump rings through each hole on the dessert plate and squeeze the ends closed.
7. Tie the four dinner forks onto every second jump ring about 2-inches from the last bead and tie it in a double knot, cutting the excess thread.  
8. Repeat the same step for the four salad forks except leave about a 4-inch strand of thread from the last bead. The key is to have all the fork tines hit each other when the wind blows.
9. On the large middle fork, spoon, or ladle, string the beads about 2 1/2-inches up and double loop to keep them from sliding. 
10. Pull the thread through the center hole on the plate and tie the thread onto a paper clip or thin washer. Make sure the ladle is hanging slightly lower than the forks but that all eight forks hit the scoop part of the ladle. Hold the plate up to test it for sound and adjust the length of the thread accordingly. 
11. Add a dollop of glue on the plate to secure the paper clip or washer. 
12. Cut off the excess thread.

Step 6 - Glue the dessert plate onto the sugar bowl

Now that we have the cutlery attached to the dessert plate, it's time to attach it to the sugar bowl. Simply glue it on, with the typography facing downwards, onto the sugar bowl with E6000 glue and leave it overnight to cure.

Step 7 - Attaching hanger cord to the wind chimes

Now for the final step of our DIY Silverware wind chimes, we attach the hanger cord and we're ready to hear beautiful music in the backyard. Providing Mother Nature blesses us with some wind.

Cut a piece of white 1.5 mm 100% nylon cording about 14 inches long. Fold it in half and attach it to the handle of the sugar bowl with a slip knot.

Tie the opposite end of the cording onto a keyring about 10-11 inches from the handle with a square or granny knot and cut off the excess.

And that my friends is how you make whimsical sugar bowl and silverware wind chimes with thrift store finds for fun outdoor garden decor.

A short video clip of what the silverware wind chimes sound like

There wasn't much wind so with the camera in one hand and a quick swipe with my other, this is what they sound like.

Isn't it pretty? I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.

As promised, here are is the materials list and tool list for making the wind chimes.

Materials List

• 2 salad or dessert plates (not ceramic) 1 extra just in case the first one breaks
• Sugar bowl with an open-hole handle on the lid
• 1 large serving spoon, fork or ladle (sterling silver)
• 4 sterling silver dinner forks
• 4 sterling silver salad forks (or 8 dinner forks)
• E6000 Glue
• Clear Stretch free jewelry thread (or fishing line)
• White 1.5 mm 100% Nylon Cording (or small link chain)
• 16 Purple Colored Beads
• 17 Green Colored Beads
• 8 0.5" Jump Rings
• 1 Paper clip or think washer
• 1 Keyring
• Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Marker (fine or extra-fine point) 
• 1 sheet of carbon or graphite paper

Tools List

• Needle nose pliers
• Dremel (or power drill)
• 6 mm Diamond Core Dremel Bit (or 6 mm Diamond Core Drill Bit)
• 3/16" High-Speed Metal Titanium Drill Bit
• Safety Glasses
• Safety Gloves
• Sponge 
• Bucket of water
• Masking Tape

So what do you think? Would you make one of these for your backyard? They'd make lovely gifts too! If you have any questions about the wind chimes, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top. I love hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this outdoor craft, I'd be so thankful if you pinned and shared it with a friend.

Now I invite you to visit my friend's blogs to see their interpretation of our kitchen challenge using the items in the photo below. Just click the links below the photo.

A Kitchen Cabinet Door Into A Towel Holder by Shoppe No. 5
Christmas In July Kitchen DIY Project by Adirondack Girl At Heart

How To Make A Coffee Bar Sign by Just The Woods

Sewing Machine Drawer Kitchen Organizer by Lora B. Create & Ponder
Silverware Wind Chimes (that's me)
What To Do With A Collection Of Random Kitchen Do-Dads by The Vintage Cottage

How To Make Repurposed Folding Strainer Flowers by Thrifty Rebel Vintage

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.