I've used fishing line. I'm not sure what strength. Susie

being an avid fisherman, I called my son, to see what he'd use, if he was to make a windchime, say for instance with silverware, or broken stoneware dishes...
he knows me and my own junk here...lol
he suggested around an 8 pound test..
he said that the more pull on a fishing line, or least amount of pull needed, determines the test strength..
so, if you have a fish that's going to pull a lot, you need a higher test line..with more strength...
and they come in clear and white..
the really thin, lower test line is a bit hard to tie a knot, like tying a knot in sewing..
same for the higher test line but cuz of bulk..
so, he thinks a test line of around #8 should be in the strength that's needed for most anything being strung for a wind chime...

there's always the black thin chain, from the hardware store or silk ribbon, for lightweight things, or
nylon cording, or rolls of hemp, done in designs for necklaces, with beads incorporated, with the item hung on the ends...
it'd be pretty, to make a few half hitch spirals, with something hung on it, rather than to make a necklace...
hemp comes in a lot of really nice colors....
it's great for strength...

hmmmmm now you have me thinking about the idea...
I have some awesome beads, that I could use for some add ons for a wind chime....hmmmmmm I like that idea

somewhere on this forum, I read to use jewelry wire so that's what I used for an outdoor hanging projedt.
kathy

thank You for your input. AKA my DH is a fishermen also, I bet he's got some laying around somewhere....

My DH also used very small chain...like you can get at a hardware store when he made a metal windchime with an old glass insulator for the weight at the bottom.

Ohhh, Marlene, got a pic of hubby's windchime??!!!

Here in So CA the hemp and ribbon and thinner fish line just do not work. Smog = rotten. Some wires will rust quick also. Some fish line holds but if you touch it, it just breaks after 1-2 years. I think maybe small chain or jewelry wire would be great even if it rust. Last a lot longer. I hate making something beautiful and then having to rewire/string. Now if you use CDs, they will eventually fall apart but if you use inexpensive things on it, no biggy, just toss.

I use beading wire - it's nylon coated stainless steel
( Really thin ) and can hold up to 20 pounds. It's cheap ,comes in spools and is found by the beading supplies. I'm in the process of making a windchime myself !

They have fishing line that is uv protected. Wonder if it would hold up better?

Thank you all. The jewery wire is what I think my SD was trying to tell me about. Mzclassic do you put the crimping beads on the end of wire to keep it from going through the whole?

i use beading wire and crimping beads, i don't know offhand what size, and use crimp beads to hold them. i make silver ware wind chimes and this is what i use for them they hold up great,makes a bit neater piece of art using the wire and crimping beads, and ones i made last year the wire looks like new. i ve also found the fishing line gets weak and breaks too soon too somewhere i have photos of my wind chimes made of old silver plate trinket trays, with porcelain roses glued to it and jewelry wire, and glass beads. i use extra crimp beads on the hanging wire

DH found 2 small pieces of driftwood. One is larger then the other. I thought about taking the smallest one and hang 3 skeleton keys from it then attaching the larger one and hang about 5 strips of glass from it...Right now it's in the thinking stage. I did get the keys though...

Yes I use the same type wire that toomuch was talking about. Its coated so it won't rust. The crimping beads are to keep things from sliding off.

Donna in Florida

Thank you guys for all you help. mzclassic that sounds like that's the way to go....Again thank you all...

I'm glad this question was asked. I just love this forum where so much knowledge is passed around.
I am making a tea cup chandelier (still need two more cups the right size) with silverware & crystals hanging down below and was wondering what would be the best material to use to hang them with. I admire everyones knowledge!
Vickie

My mother and I made some using 25-lb. test fishing line.

Now can anyone tell me what size to cut the glass pieces for the chimes....Thanks....

I wish I had known to use the wire before I made some windchimes at Christmas time last year. Hopefully they will last a while. I think the size of the pieces of glass depend on the look you are going for as well as the sound you want it to make. The size of the glass pieces will determine the sound they make when they clang together...

There 's an item like wind music in Feng shui. I 'd like to know who 's holding her up. Because we have it hanging in the hallway on a nail embedded in the ceiling, and recently I read that it 's kind of impossible to hang it on a nail sticking in the ceiling, no way. Now I don 't know what to do, shoot probably anything? Prompt...Wind Chimes for Feng Shui

Libby, if it's not too heavy then cup hooks will work. Otherwise, the hardware stores sells giant eye-screws.