ruffles lamp shade & tutorial.

I've been wanting to create a fun lamp shade for our guest nook, and was finally able to do so a couple of weeks ago.


{Here's how}


You'll need:


a lamp shade {the thrift store is a great source if you're not wanting to gamble with an expensive store bought one}


some fabric of choice {I choose linen}


hot glue


scissors


sewing machine



First cut your fabric into strips that are at least twice as long as your shade is round, or as long as you can cut it. I cut mine about 2 1/2 inches wide.


Then with a sewing machine make them into ruffles by sewing a large stich down the middle and and then pulling one end of thread so they ruffle up.


Next begin to hot glue the ruffles onto the shade. I began at the bottom and made sure I began my ruffle at the shades seam. Also make sure you let your ruffle's edge over hang on the lamp so you don't see the shade's edge.
Continue to add ruffles until you reach the top of the shade.
Here is how the bottom and top will look with an overhang.
I cut my fabric as long as I could when I made the strips but it still didn't reach all the way around so I ended up with this. Just simply cut pieces long enough from an extra ruffle and glue in place to patch it up, this is the back so no one will see.
And here it is.
A detail of the semi-frayed edges {this is why I choose linen, plus I love the texture of linen}.
And how it looks with the light turned on, it's still a little dark but it's mostly for looks in this room.


A sneak peek of the almost finished gueast nook.


So there you have it. I'm not goona lie, the ruffles did aggravate me a little, maybe linen isn't the easiest to pull thread through I'm not sure but it did take a while. After that it was a breeze. If you create one of your own please share!


~Meg


{linked to the parties above}

Comments

Susan said…
You did a great job on your lamp shade! I love the linen!
I absolutely love it! Reminds me of
something expensive from Anthropologie! Well done!

Jane
Flora Doora
Kim said…
Love the beautiful lamp shade!! Your instructions are so good, I think I might try to make one...wish me luck!!
LOVE LOVE the lamp shade! Great job! Stopped by from Under the Table and Dreaming. Martina
Unknown said…
I love this Megan! I agree with Jane, it looks like something from Anthro...
Jeannie said…
This turned out great! I've been trying to figure out what to do with a GW lamp I bought...this might be it!
Abby said…
Beautiful work! So very pretty!
AsylumTanya said…
I have always been timid about covering a lampshade. That really is crazy! I should just jump in and try it! Thanks for your inspiration!
Anonymous said…
I am definitely going to make one! Fingers crossed it turns out as well as yours...I am NOT a sewer:(
Jessa Smith said…
This is so cute! I'm hoping to make a pink one for my niece's nursery!

~Jessa
www.jessajill.blogspot.com
LOVE IT! I just might have to try this. I am NOT a sewer and for some reason thought making ruffles was much more difficult. Thanks for including such detailed steps.

~Melissa
Unknown said…
I just love this!! You did a fantastic job on this! I am so going to do this. Thank you for sharing.
Cheers!
Cyndy
Amanda said…
The lamp looks wonderful! I love the wall behind, is it covered in book pages?!
Jennifer said…
So pretty! Love the ruffle accent! Visiting from Chic on a Shoestring.
Jen
Scissors & SPatulsa
d e l i g h t said…
I love this shade! It inspired me to do one similar to a shade I've had for quite a while. I really like what you have done to the wall behind the shade as well. Hope you share that soon. Found you at SNS.
aggieam01 said…
Holy cannoli, this is beautiful!!! You did such a great job and the texture is so perfect. Thank you for sharing this.
Whit said…
That is beautiful. I love it and have to make me one. I want to make them for our master bedroom but my hubby doesnt love the idea of having one on his side so maybe just on my nightstand :)

A mommy's life...with a touch of YELLOW
tyandwhitneyulrich.blogspot.com
thanks for the inspiration! i've just picked up the sweetest crystal lampstick and this would look perfect on top :)
CoopDeVilla said…
I am going to give this a try. Just one stitch down the middle. Bet I can do that. Great post and tutorial. I just re-did my bedroom and can't get the lamps right. I think new lampshades would help.
Anonymous said…
I LOVE this! I actually have it on my blog right now as a project to ispire/rip-off for my office redo!
I LOVE this! Oh my goodness! It is so beautiful! I am your newest follower and would love it if you would check out my blog and follow me too! Thanks!
-Nikki
http://chef-n-training.blogspot.com/
Kristen Pare said…
thank you for sharing!! LOVE! I've been trying to find the perfect shade for our LR and this is it :)
This is adorable!!! love it! :D
Working Mama said…
I had a thought....do you think you make ruffles with elastic in a strip of fabric (like you make an elastic waisted skirt?)? and then just put them over the top of the shade & skip the hot glue??? As long as you don't make the elastic too small it wouldn't squeeze the shade.
Hi Megan! I just adore the ruffles on the shade - adorable! Love the book page treatment on the wall too...just saw the room post and it looks fabulous! Thanks so much for linking to the Sunday Showcase party - I greatly appreciate it. I am a little behind commenting...but I have featured this last week. Hope you have a wonderful week ~ Stephanie Lynn
Patios clotures said…
Wow! What creativity, you did a great job on your lamp shade. I completely like it. Thanks!
patio design
I think I'm going to try this this week on a lamp in my bedroom. Thanks,
good luck with the move!
d e n i s e
Erin said…
This is so pretty--and I feel like even I could handle making those ruffles! Yours looks professional. :)

I found self-adhesive shades at Joann Fabrics for $4 on sale and with a coupon, so that's another alternative to a thrift store!

{Visiting from the CSI Project! :)}
Love the ruffle happiness... Awesome job...
Megan said…
That is very cute! The book page? wall paper is very cool too!
Kathy C. said…
I found this link on Pinterest...thanks for sharing the tutorial. Very cute. I think I might try this on a couple of lamps in my home. I am thinking a heavy white muslin..we'll see how that works out. ;)
Anonymous said…
This is cute! An easy way to make those ruffles is to change the tension on your sewing machine to the highest (mine is 9) and set it to the longest stitch, a basting stitch, (mine is 4) and it will ruffle the fabric for you. =)
Unknown said…
Love this! I re-posted on my blog: http://homemademodern.blogspot.com/2011/11/craft-of-week-ruffled-lampshade.html
Gonna try it out and let you know how it works for me. Thanks for the inspiration!
Elizabeth said…
Love this idea! Thanks for sharing! I am going to make one for my girls' room (in pink of course). An easy way to make ruffles is to sew it with elastic thread, it gathers the fabric by itself, so you don't have to pull it through with just the strings (I am a lazy sewer...). Hope that tip might help!
Unknown said…
Here's my version...thanks for the great tutorial! I linked up to your site on my blog here.
http://homemademodern.blogspot.com/2012/03/copycat-craft-ruffled-lampshade.html
Unknown said…
You did such a great job! Thanks for the inspiration. I would recommend putting in your instructions to set their seeing machines to the longest stitch setting for making the ruffles.
Unknown said…
Sewing machine not seeing lol sorry

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