How to Make Stained Glass Wind Chimes

A summer evening approaches and you are sitting on your front porch swing, feeling the warm gentle breeze. In the distance you hear the sounds a wind chime and you want decide that you want one. Here is how to make a stained glass wind chime:

Go to your local craft store and purchase a bag of pre-cut pieces of glass. Buying pre-cut pieces saves you from having to cut the glass and drill holes into it. Purchase a package of fishing line and a piece of wood 4” x 4” x 2”. Purchase a glass cutter, if you choose to cut your own glass. If you are using plain glass, then you will need to procure stained glass paint, a can of polyurethane or sealer, and two small paint brushes in order to make your own stained glass pieces.

To prepare your own glass, you will need to plan your wind chime before you start cutting.

Choose pieces of glass that are about the same weight. Larger pieces will break the more delicate pieces as they bounce off of each other on your wind chime.

Draw a paper pattern of the shapes that appeal to you. You may also trace from a favorite piece of wall paper with flowers or seashell forms on it. The choice is yours to make. Cut the pattern out.

Place and tape the pattern over the piece of glass you are planning to use. Use the glass cutter to sketch along the pattern design. Hold the cutter perpendicular to the glass and apply pressure as you move your hand along. When you have completed tracing the pattern with the glass cutter, the excess glass should easily break away along the stress points you created.

Drill a hole into the glass. Use a handheld drill with a diamond coated bit. Drill the hole about 1/4 inch from the top of the glass. Pass fishing line through the hole you have just made in your glass. Then tie a knot snugly to the top of the glass piece. You will be using varying lengths of fishing line.

Paint each piece of precut glass. Make sure there are no rough edges to cut you fingers. Take a small paint brush and lightly apply the stained glass paint to each piece and around all the edges. Since the paint is thin you can blend more than one color onto the glass to give it a marbled look. Gently move a toothpick throughout the paint to smooth it out. Hang the pieces to dry thoroughly for around 24 hours. If any air bubbles form, pop them with a toothpick. The paint will appear cloudy at first but will ultimately dry to a transparent look. After the paint has thoroughly dried then you can apply the polyurethane sealer and allow to dry for another 24 hours.

Hold the strings up to the base to determine that your pieces will be touching each other as the wind blows through them.

Drill a small hole in the base where you want the line to hang from, approximately 1/4 inch from the edge. Pass the open end of the fishing line through the hole in the base and tie a knot. Drill two small holes close to each other in the center of the wooden base. Pass a five inch piece of fishing line through the two holes and make a loop, tie in a knot.

Hang your wind chime from your porch or a nearby tree.