Your Old Wine Bottles Can Be Repurposed Into A Gorgeous Wind Chime

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Many wine bottles are too pretty to discard once they're empty, but there's no point in letting them collect in a cupboard either. One way to repurpose wine bottles brings cheer to your backyard with a pleasant clinking sound, much like the sound of wine glasses engaged in a toast among friends. Upcycling a wine bottle into a delightful wind chime requires cutting the bottom of the bottle off first, then sanding the cut edge for safety. It's not that difficult to make the cut with a proper bottle cutter, such as a bottle-cutting kit by Home Pro Shop. The blade scores a straight line around the bottle. Using alternating baths of boiling and ice water you can easily snap it along the scored line. It's a much better and more consistent method for achieving accurate cuts than virtually any other. 

Besides the wine bottle and cutter, gather some string or twine, plus objects to use to catch the wind and to resonate against the bottle glass. Optional key rings can be used at the top of the string loop and inside the bottle to keep the bottle from sliding down. 

It's best to remove the label before cutting the glass. Soak the bottle in hot or warm tap water for at least 20 minutes, then peel the label off. Remove any loose bits by rubbing the residue with your fingers or a plastic scrubbing pad, or use a citrus-based sticker remover, then wash the bottle off and allow it to dry. While you're at it, de-label a few more wine bottles and turn them into bird feeders, or use loads of wine bottles for DIY garden edging. 

The goal with any bottle cutter is to remove the bottom inch or two from the bottle, so set the cutting tool to the desired spot, then rotate the bottle as described in the manufacturer's instructions. Some require setting the bottle upright, while others have it resting sideways on rollers. If done properly, you'll see a score line all the way around. 

Carefully dip the scored bottle alternately in tubs of ice water and boiling water until the bottle breaks along the scored line. Place a piece of wet/dry sandpaper in the bottom of a shallow pan with water, then twirl the cut edge of the glass atop the sandpaper until it's smooth. If you do this with both pieces of the bottle, you can save the base for another project. Make a large loop of twine or fishing line, pushing a round wooden bead over the loop. Tie a knot beneath the bead, leaving lots of twine beneath it. The bead and loop go up through the bottle, with the bead acting as a stop within the bottle, though you could use a key ring instead. A few inches lower, tie a wooden toy wheel or even a ring cut from the mouth of a wine bottle to serve as the clapper that hits the glass. Ideally the clapper will align with the cut bottom of the glass for maximum swing and sound. String up colorful beads beneath the clapper if desired. Tie on a flat decorative object so it hangs a foot or so beneath the edge of the bottle to serve as the wind catcher. 

If desired, decorate the bottle with paint pens or glass paint. Hang the chime in an area that catches the breeze. For added harmony, make several chimes, with the bottles cut to different sizes for different notes. For even more DIY decor with a wine theme, make an adorable planter out of a wooden wine box.