Crafts

Silverware Wind Chime

6 to 8 pieces old silver plate forks, knives, spoons
1 small silver plate serving dish
Heavy monofilament line
Very light stainless steel link chain
4 small "S"-shape stainless hooks
1 larger "S"-shape stainless hook

Find a flat surface and temporarily lay out your silver chime. You'll want the pieces to hang at different lengths.

Mark points to drill four holes equally spaced every 90 degrees around the mounting plate's circumference. Give your drill bit a place to bite by using a punch first at your marked points. Drill the four holes in the mounting plate from which the chimes will dangle.

Clip off four equal pieces of light stainless-steel chain, about 6 inches long. The pieces will angle upward from the edge of the plate to a central point and should be long enough to allow the chime to move freely.

Use the "S" hooks to attach the chain pieces to the mounting plate, with the four smaller ones at the plate edges leading to the larger "S" hook.

Assemble the wind chime temporarily - tie four of the silver-plate utensils at different lengths and use the four drilled holes on the plate as attaching points. Check to ensure that the mounting plate will hang level. Adjust the chain lengths as necessary.

Add the four chimes by loosely tying off the silverware pieces with different lengths of monofilament line.

Determine where you want to add the remaining pieces of silverware. Hang the pieces opposite one another if the mounting plate is circular.

Balance by hanging silverware of different weights at different lengths from the plate.

Drill the necessary holes. Hang the additional pieces, also tying them loosely.

Experiment for sound and balance by changing both the point where the line is tied to the silverware piece and the arrangement of the hanging pieces. Tie the monofilament lines securely, trim the knots, and secure each with a dab of super glue. Hang the chime.