I know that the ones with plastic inside don't last, so I bought many with full metal frames, which have a plasticized material wrapped in a huge series of loops around it. They lasted 20 years. Unfortunately, several now look like this.
I experimented with a little one, and wrapped it with wide lace. It looks pretty good, but you can still sort of see the bulb through the lace. I really need fabric that comes in a strip about 2" wide with non-fray edges. Does anyone know where I can get that?
I'm a little afraid to try to stitch fancy lampshade covers, with layers of fabric inside and out stitched together at each metal upright (although I have quite a few of those, and they are holding up splendidly). I'm hopeful someone can help!
8 comments:
First, that lamp is beautiful. Next, sadly, I have no clue how to sew/craft/construct a lamp shade. I painted one once long ago, but that's as far as my experience goes. I'm interested to see from others how it's done, though!
While I know absolutely nothing about lampshade covering, I do know that the lace lampshade is beautiful!! Good luck on getting the rest done.
I agree, the lace shade is gorgeous, I hope someone comes along that can help you.
I just get cheap ones from Lowes. Works for me.
All my shades are glass like Tiffany ones...I guess I'll stick with those!
I have a friend who makes lampshades and she cuts stencils into them with one of those razor tools so the light shines out in a beautiful way.
I know nothing about making lampshades. I've see a whole array of lamp shades at Target.
The lace shade looks beautiful! Maybe you can get some sheer like-sized ribbon to "underline" the lace and that will take care of being able to see the bulb through the lace.
Did you want the wrapped effect or do you want a slipcover of sorts? If you want a slipcover the shape is a sort of cone shape that you join a vertical seam together, slip over the shade and then turn and glue or handstitch around the support wires on top and bottom. It looks a bit like a bias cut circle skirt in its flat state.
I've made lampshades before but the last one was for a rectangular shaped shade. Either way, it just seems to require a lot of patience and more than one set of hands. The ones I made, I traced the sides of the shade, added seam allowances, stitched all sides to make a sort of slipcover. Then I left enough hem allowances to turn and either glue down or handstitch the bottom and top hems around the frame wires. I guess I don't remember that part since it has been several years and it was for my daughter's first year living off campus in college. If she still owns tha lamp, it doesn't live here for me to go see what and how I did those parts!
Good luck!
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