Making a wind chime out of recycled materials is a fun project for kids and adults. Using colorful plastic lids that can’t go in the recycle bin is a great way to keep them out of the landfill. 

After making this recycled lid wind chime, start collecting your buttons and make my rainbow button wind chime too!

Recycled Plastic Lid Wind Chime

I have been saving plastic lids for a while now. It’s amazing how fast they accumulate when you start collecting them. I’ve saved a few here and there and made a few plastic lid crafts, but this was different.

These are things that we would normally throw away or toss into the recycle bin (although I’ve heard that many of these lids can’t be recycled). Once I started saving them, I was shocked at just how quickly they added up!

I recently posted on Instagram about this wind chime as it’s still hanging above my herb garden. I love it!

 

The wind chime I made last summer from plastic lids and beads still hangs above my herb garden. Link in profile. ?♻️? #craftsbyamanda

A photo posted by Amanda Formaro (@amandaformaro) on Jul 27, 2015 at 11:10am PDT

Supplies you need to make this recycled wind chime

I’ve included the different types of plastic lids I used:

• Measuring cups from liquid cough & cold medicines
• Milk jug lids
• Syrup bottle lids
• Water bottle lids
• Soda bottle lids
• Top from a can of whipped cream
• The top of the wind chime is from a Coffee Mate powdered creamer container

I also used:

• Pony Beads
• Jingle bells
• String
• Needle
• Flat nose pliers, a thimble, hammer and a nail

Ready to get started?

1. Use the hammer and nail to make four holes (like a plus sign) in the large lid. Set the lid aside.

2. Thread needle with a piece of string. The amount of string you use is up to you, it just depends on how long you want your chimes to be!

3. Thread the needle through one bead. Tie a few knots around that bead at the end of the string.

4. Poke the needle through center of the inside of a deep plastic lid, like a cough medicine cup.

5. Pull the needle through, pushing the plastic lid all the way to the end, touching the bead. If you have trouble pulling the needle through, use flat nose pliers. Don’t grab the needle at the eye, it’s weaker there and the pliers will break it.

As you can see, it hangs like a bell :)

6. Add several beads to the string and push them to the end.

7. Add another plastic lid, pushing it to the end.
8. Continue with the above steps until you have reached the length you like.

9. Poke the needle through one of the holes you made in the large lid in step 1.

10. Tie a knot a few times and trim off the excess string. Repeat these steps three more times for the remaining chime strings.
11. To make the hanger, use a hammer and nail to poke two more holes in the large lid, across from each other.

12. Thread a needle with string and tie a bead to the end. Poke it through one of the new holes in the large lid and pull it through the top. The bead will stop it from coming out the other side.

13. Poke the needle back down through the second hole and pull it snug. Pull the string out as long as you want the hanger to be.

14. To keep the hanger at that length, turn the lid over and tie a bead to that string to keep it in place. Trim any excess string.

Totally fun! Hope you liked it. Mine is hanging outside, and the lids will fade from exposure to the sun. It’s still a really fun way to recycle!

More fun recycled lid crafts:

Jar Lid Glitter Bugs

Plastic Lid Monsters

Plastic Lid Ladybugs

Print Project

5 from 11 votes

Recycled Plastic Lid Windchime

Making a wind chime out of recycled materials is a fun project for kids and adults. Using colorful plastic lids that can't go in the recycle bin is a great way to keep them out of the landfill. 

Crafting Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs

Makes: 1 wind chime

Supplies

• 1 large sturdy lid
• Lots of plastic lids water bottles, milk jugs, soda bottles, etc
• A few cup type lids from medicine bottles, lids from hair mousse, whipped cream, etc
• Colorful pony beads
• Jingle bells
• String
• Tools: thimble flat nose pliers, hammer, nail, needle

Instructions

• Use the hammer and nail to make four holes (like a plus sign) in the large lid. Set the lid aside.
• Thread needle with a piece of string. The amount of string you use is up to you, it just depends on how long you want your chimes to be!
• Thread the needle through one bead. Tie a few knots around that bead at the end of the string.
• Poke the needle through center of the inside of a plastic lid.* Pull the needle through, pushing the plastic lid all the way to the end, touching the bead.
• Add several beads and an occasional jingle bell to the string and push them to the end.
• Add another plastic lid, pushing it to the end.
• Continue with steps 5 and 6 until you have reached the length you like.
• Poke the needle through one of the holes you made in the large lid in step 1.
• Tie a knot a few times and trim off the excess string.
• Repeat steps 2-9 three more times.
• To make the hanger, use a hammer and nail to poke two more holes in the large lid, across from each other.
• Thread a needle with string and tie a bead to the end. Poke it through one of the new holes in the large lid and pull it through the top. The bead will stop it from coming out the other side.
• Poke the needle back down through the second hole and pull it snug. Pull the string out as long as you want the hanger to be.
• To keep the hanger at that length, turn the lid over and tie a bead to that string to keep it in place. Trim any excess string.

Expert Tips & FAQs

If you have trouble pulling the needle through the lid, especially the “eye” part of the needle because it is thicker, use a pair of flat nose pliers to help pull it through. A thimble can be helpful in pushing a stubborn needle through as well!

You may be able to thread the string through everything without the needle all together, depending on the size of the hole you make in the lids.