Fishing-lure wind chimes

Hands-on time: Approximately two hours.
Total time: Add time for the clay to dry.
Skill: Easy.
Cost estimate: $12 per wind chime.

Materials & Tools

• Fishing lures in assorted colours, sizes and shapes
• Wire cutters
• Measuring tape
• 22- to 24-gauge Fun Wire in assorted colours
• Bamboo sticks
• A small handsaw, or good pair of garden clippers (to cut the bamboo)
• Beads in various colours, sizes and shapes (Pony beads - which have larger openings than most varieties - are perfect for this project)
• Clear monofilament fishing line
• Three wind-chime pipes in brass, aluminum or copper
• Clay (to make three weights) and modelling tools (wooden sticks and plastic knives can also be used)

Catch the light and sounds of summer's end with a fishing-lure wind chime. These chimes gleam in the day's golden light and tinkle on a quiet starry night.

My teenage son found a slew of old fishing lures while vacationing at a friend's cottage. My first thought was that they would make great components for wind chimes, along with beads, some wire and a few ornaments. It became a group project that everyone enjoyed doing at the cottage on a lazy afternoon.

If you are using old fishing lures, take off the hooks, and clean them thoroughly to remove any dirt. Wipe dry and set aside.

Make the base for the chimes by cutting three pieces of bamboo in 20-centimetre lengths. Cut three pieces of wire in 15-centimetre lengths. Form a triangle with the three bamboo sticks and join the pieces together by wrapping a wire at each end in a criss-cross manner, over and around the overlapped bamboo ends.

To make the hanger for the base, cut three 25-centimetre lengths of wire and twist the tops of the wires together (about 5 centimetres should be twisted together). Insert three beads at the end of each wire, then wrap each wire around a corner of the triangle to complete the hanger.

Cut six pieces of fishing line, varying in length from 60 to 75 centimetres. Place a wind-chime pipe at the ends of three strands and secure with a knot. Repeat this step with the remaining three lengths of fishing line, but attach clay weights instead of pipes.

To make the three small weights, form the clay into teardrop shapes and make a hole near the top with a stick. Wait until the clay is dry before attaching the weights to the strands.

String the strands (with chimes and weights at the ends) with beads, short bamboo pipes, fishing lures and ornaments in a random pattern. (I used pony beads, smaller round plastic beads, wooden beads, metal charm ornaments and bamboo tubes.) Modify each strand slightly by varying the placements, leaving 10 centimetres at the top unbeaded in order to secure it to the base. Tie a knot at the end to keep the beads from falling off.

When you have completed all six strands, attach two to each side of the bamboo triangle base, wrapping the top of the fishing line around the bamboo at least twice, and tie a knot to secure.

Hang your chimes on a porch or a tree, at home or at the cottage, and let the gentle breeze create a soothing, melodious sound. Add new fishing-lure finds to your wind chime as souvenir keepsakes.

Tips

• Wind-chime pipes can be made with metal pipes in various widths, which can be found at your local hardware store.
• Bamboo comes in a variety of sizes; experiment using different lengths and widths to create your own signature sound. Adding tiny bells can also make for interesting melodies.
• Monofilament fishing line can be substituted with fine wire. Lures can be painted if desired. The weights can be replaced with large beads.

Variations

• Wind chimes can also be made with old odds and ends, vintage silver or silver-plated flatware.
• Make an Oriental-style wind chime utilizing a greater number of bamboo pieces, and incorporating crystal prisms, copper pipes, Oriental coins and red satin cord.
• To learn how to make your own fishing lures, visit the Lure Maker's Workshop at www.luremaking.com.