Upholstery Basics: How To Make A Lampshade

Although I’m admittedly a chair addict, they’re not my only obsession. I am a sucker for lamps, and after years of collecting lamps in every size, shape and color, I found myself with a lot of lamps and no shades. The success (or failure) of a table lamp has as much to do with the shade as it does the base, yet there are surprisingly few options when it comes to ready-made shades. This month on Upholstery Basics, we’ll make a custom drum shade to inspire your next bright idea.

Read the full how-to after the jump . Don’t forget to check out Upholstery Basics: Tool Time to learn more about the tools we’re using today. 1. Determine the height and circumference (pi X diameter) of your shade. 2. Cut out a piece of pressure sensitive styrene to the exact dimensions from step 1 (13″ tall X 41.5″ wide). 3. Cut out a piece of fabric large enough to cover the shade with a few extra inches around the edge. Tape the fabric (face down) to the table with painter’s tape.

4. Determine how you’d like the pattern centered on the shade and use the square and yardstick to draw the left and bottom edges of the shade. 5. Check the fabric to make sure it’s free of dirt and lint. The pressure sensitive styrene has a sticky side that attaches to the fabric. Peel off the first few inches of paper covering the sticky side, line up the bottom and left edges with the lines from step 4 and stick the shade paper to the fabric.

6. Continue peeling and sticking a few inches at a time until the styrene is completely attached. Use a flat, hard object, like a plastic ruler, to smooth out wrinkles and air pockets. Use the bottom line as a guide for keeping the styrene straight on the fabric. 7. Lay the lampshade rings on the table and ensure that the rings lay flat to the tabletop all the way around.

Use the edge of the table to bend the rings, where needed, to get them straight and flat to the table. 8. Attach the top middle of the shade to the top ring using a bulldog clip. With the bottom of the shade against your body, work your way around, attaching the shade to the top ring with bulldog clips.

When you get to the end of one side, go back to the middle and work around in the other direction. 9. When the shade is attached all the way around the top, place the shade (top down) on the table and attach the bottom ring to the shade all the way around. When both rings are attached, the rings should be flush to the top and bottom edges and tight to the shade paper with no gaps.

10. With a pencil, mark the edge of the seam at the top and bottom of the shade and make a mark to indicate which side is the top. 11. Remove the bulldog clips from the shade and lay the shade on the table with the fabric facing up. Use the straight edge to mark a line in chalk connecting the marks from step 10. This will be the seam line on the shade. 13. Place the other side on top of the glue and line up its edge with the marked line. Press the seam together.

14. Place a bulldog clip at the top and bottom of the connection and lay weights on top of the seam on the inside of the shade. Allow the glue to dry for 10 minutes. 15. When the seam is secure and the glue has dried, place the shade on the table with the bottom edge up.

Place a thin bead of glue all the way around the bottom inside edge of the shade. 16. Place a bulldog clip on the seam of the shade and place the back of the bottom ring on top of the clip to prevent it from falling into the shade. The bottom ring will have a welded joint. Place this joint to the right of the seam.

Slip the front of the ring just inside the shade and use the bulldog clips to hold it in place. When the front half of the shade is attached, remove the bulldog clip at the seam and attach the back half of the shade with bulldog clips. 17. When the bottom is attached all the way around, flip the shade over and place the top ring inside the shade.