Hello!
Took some pictures while I was working of my last project and I just thought I'd share with everyone how I personally create a windchime or chimette. :) so sit back, relax, and let my pictures help out! (though if I see you selling similar windchimes like mine I have to choke you :) )
Step 1. Create a workspace. The other day I brought up a small card table from downstairs and placed it in my room setting my loads of boxes of beads etc under it, hot glue gun, other glue, and hemp next to it. Make sure you've good lighting... it helps at 2am when you're creating :P
Step 2. Lay out the glass that you're thinking about using. Then go down each row going through it like a sudoku puzzle. haha! You don't want the same blue or even -a- blue in the same row down or across. If you've a light purple and then a dark purple and it absolutely -must- be there, make sure its farther away. can't have people noticing it.Step 3. Add beads. Each piece of glass gets 3 beads of either the same color as the piece above it, or different colors all together. Blue pieces of glass look silly with blue pieces of beads. they just meld together instead of adding to the piece. The top row only gets 2 because it gets too crowded ( so unless you're adding 3 small beads its kind of bleh looking ).
Step 4. Turn on hot glue gun and go get a drink of water :). and maybe even a fruit snack.
Step 5. Come back, cut a piece of hemp. I usually measure it out by pulling it 3-4 times past my arm held out. It needs to be LONG. if you make it too short it gets sloppy. Left overs get recycled into being the braided handle so no worrying.
Step 6. Once you have your 4 long pieces of hemp you're ready to create! You take the glass closest to you and start wrapping it with the hemp. The first move is to go up and down the piece and then across somehow. you can do this one or two times but you're basically securing it so that the glass doesn't collapse and hurt someone. :(.
Step 7. Holding onto your wrapped goodies you need to put a good amount of hot glue on the biggest overlap and then the pieces that don't feel quite so good. I even apply some glue to the front pieces -just- to make sure.
Step 8. Once done with that row you lay it down next to the others that have yet to be made and get to the next row. Having the rows created previously out in front of you lets you know what wrappings you've already done -quite- enough of, and how close or not close you need to wrap the next piece.Step 9. Repeat until you're done.
Step 10. Once you're done you take the woodblock that has been drilled 4 holes in the center and then metal hooks twisted into it and pull each strand through. Since you've already laid them out this part is easy.
Step 11. Braid 3 pieces of hemp from one side to the other of the metal hooks. don't make it too long! just long enough.
Step 12. Photo to the heck out of it! yey!
Step 13. list it on Etsy!
See? my job is EASSSYYYY.
