Making Wind Chimes using Seashells

Seashells can be used in so many different ways, it is easy to imagine them gently tinkling in the wind as they hang from your beach house by the Atlantic coast. If you have collected seashells over the years from your many trips to the beach, or to souvenir shops that sell already cleaned and polished shells, then it will be easy to dig them out and hunt for the best ones in your collection to make the wind chimes from. Practically any type of shell can be used in making wind chimes.

For the wind chimes, you will need a total of 20 different shells, all approximately the same size. You will also need the following:

one 12″ long dowel or stick with the bark removed and sanded smooth

a very small drill bit, 1/16 in size

fishing line

small nail tacks

a hammer with a small head

a craft knife

pencil

Tacky glue, or a hot glue gun

Drill a hole about 1/4″ from the top of 16 of the shells. Take care not to break the shell while making the hole. Lay out the shells on the table in front of you. Make four rows of shells, with four shells in each row. The top of the shells should be facing up. Cut off a 20″ piece of fishing line and thread it through the hole in the bottom shell in the first row. Tie a square knot at the top. Thread on the next shell and tie a knot in the same number. Repeat until all of the shells in the first row are tied onto the first line. Cut a second piece of fishing line 20″ long and repeat the procedure with the next row of shells. As you finish each row, lay the strand of tied shell on the table. After the four strands are tied, take the dowel or branch and with the pencil, measure 1″ in from each end. Carve a groove with the craft knife. These grooves will hold the wind chimes hanger in place.

Double a piece of fishing line 28″ long so that it is 14″ when folded in half. Tie one end of the line onto the dowel, making sure it slips into the groove. Repeat with the other end. Make square knots at each end. Now you are ready to attach the seashell strands. Make a knot at the top of each strand, forming a small loop so that it can be tacked into the dowel or branch. A square knot is recommended. Place the knotted loop against the underside of the dowel. Take one small tack and with the hammer, nail it into the underside of the dowel or branch so the tack is not visible on the sides or top. Hammer it in place. Repeat with the other three strands. With the remaining shells, glue them to the branch or dowel on the side as an added decoration.

Once the glue is dry, the wind chimes can be hung outside by your garden.

Image Credit: Photo by Roman Trifonov on Unsplash.