Wind Chime Fundraiser
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- Last Updated: Thursday, 19 June 2014 19:43
Wind chimes are not new but have been around for centuries. Historically they were mainly used to amuse children and ward off evil spirits. They became westernized in the 19th century and have been a popular staple in decorating outdoor spaces. Today they are not only used for the wonderful music they emit and the good luck they bring but can be appreciated for the artistic beauty in how they are made.
Through the years, wind chimes have been constructed from found objects such as feathers, shells, rocks, and sticks to name a few. For our fundraising project we are going to construct our wind chimes out of clay.
Clay Wind Chime Components
Clappers
You will need clapper holders (top portion of the wind chime) in various shapes and sizes with ample amount of holes to allow for enough of the pieces to hang and tap each other to make sound. The purpose of the clappers is for hanging. Different shapes of the clapper can lend to the balance and movement of the hanging clappers below. Strip shape, mobile type, ring vertical or horizontal, and arched slab are a few suggestions.
Clappers can be made up of various size, shapes and themes. They can be used individually or have more than one on a line to create additional design interest.
Construction Materials
Fishing line, carpet thread, or heavy sewing thread proves to be the best for stringing the pieces together. Regular thread, string and yarn break over time and should be avoided.
Selling ideas – 3 ways:
- Sell your wind chime creation pre-built. No fuss or decisions for the buyer.
- Sell the string and clapper holders together as a kit and sell the clappers individually, by the piece.
- Sell all of the pieces individually for a custom designed chime. An option would be to have the students construct them for an additional cost.
Pricing
- Clapper holders and hanging kits can be sold for $4.00.
- Individual clappers can be sold for $1 to $2 each depending on the size. Display these pieces by theme and size.
- An average wind chime will retail for approximately $15 each.
What you would need to make your clapper holders and clappers are:
Clay, various design tools like our Designer Stamps, press tools and sprig molds, Mayco Foundations and Stroke Coats®, Crystal Glazes and Elements™ and brushes and straws to make uniform holes in the clay.
Have the students create the wind chimes making individual pieces and or themed pieces using the various clay tools. Make sure the holes are big enough to string. Fire to a witness cone 04. Glaze the pieces using our Mayco Foundations Glazes, Stroke Coats®, Crystal Glazes and Elements™. To avoid having stilt marks on one side of your clappers, you can stilt these pieces by using a bead tree or have students construct a hanger using heavy Nichrome wire that is placed into soft kiln bricks like a clothesline.
Once the pieces are made and ready to sell, display constructed samples along with all the pieces and watch the funds raised come chiming in.
This would be a great history project for the students to learn the history and use of wind chimes and its evolution over time. A sheet on the history of the wind chime can be added to each sale of the chimes.