Make your own lovely lampshade
There are some perks of spending a rainy Good Friday indoors. It meant that I could dedicate time to the little creative projects I’ve got on the go. A few weeks ago, I attended the Knitting and Stitching Show in London, and among a delightful mess of wool and thread, I stumbled across some really lovely printed fabric. I picked up two metres of my two favourite prints, not really knowing what I’d use it for, but sure that I would find a purpose for them. After another little browse I saw some lampshade making kits, with absolutely everything you would need to make your own homemade lampshade and all of a sudden, I had found a use for my lovely fabric. (I had a little trawl of the internet to see if the same lampshade kit I bought is available online and it is – here.)
These lampshades are really quick to make, relatively cheap (around £10 – £15 depending on how expensive a taste in fabric you have) and a bright, cheerful fabric is a great way to freshen up an old lamp or personalise a new one. I chose this lovely floral print with kissing rabbits in a pale green to revive an old bedside lamp. There are only ten steps to making your own lovely lampshade but they are a little complicated so read through the instructions before you begin.
1. Get your materials ready
The kit will (hopefully!) supply everything you require but just incase – you will need:
Fabric scissors (not included in kit)
Length of your chosen fabric (not included in kit)
Double sided sticky tape
Wire structure in two parts – top and bottom.
Roll of thick sticky backed PVC that makes the main lampshade structure
Perforated triangular tool
2. Make sure, if you are using a printed fabric, like I did, that you line the pattern up so that it will run in a straight line around the lamp.
3. Stick the fabric to the sticky backed PVC
Lay the fabric pattern side down. Peel the stick back layer approximately ten centimetres.
Press the sticky surface firmly down onto the fabric, ensuring that the pattern is lined up how you’d like it.
4. Roll the sticky backed PVC out on the fabric, peeling back its protective layer and keep pressing it firmly down to ensure the fabric is fixed well and without air bumps.
5. Peel off the perforated edge from the sticky backed PVC. The PVC provided will have two perforated sides, peel these both back to reveal a strip of the fabric, either the side of lampshade’s main structure.
6. Add a strip of double sided sticky tape to the shorter length of your PVC enforced fabric
7. Now attach double sided sticky tape round both wire structures, curling it round the wire. Peel back the protective layer from the double sided sticky tape and be sure not to put the wire structures down where they can get stuck to anything.
8. This step requires a lot of concentration, and maybe two pairs of hands! Once you’ve peeled back the protective layer from the double sided tape, it’s time to attach the wire structure to the PVC enforced fabric. Roll each wire structure carefully onto the edge of the PVC, leaving the fabric border free. Roll it along until the PVC is in place around the wire structure.
9. Secure the PVC enforced fabric in place
When the PVC enforced fabric is rolled all the way round your wire structures peel back the protective layer of your previously placed double sided sticky tape and press it firmly into place.
10. Push the excess fabric border around the wire to add the final touch. Each lampshade making kit will come with a perforated triangular tool as shown in this picture. Once the PVC is attached to the wire structures, use this tool to tuck the excess fabric round, leaving completely covered wire structure with no scraggly or frayed fabric and adding a final, professional touch to your homemade lampshade!
Ta da! The finished piece…