If you own a boring lamp and would like to make something about it then you came to the right place. Here are some tips on how to make your own silk or rustic lamp shades.

Silk Lamp Shades Photo by Sherry’s Rose Cottage via Flickr

With all the materials assembled for making a silk shade, the first essential is the wrapping of the wire frame. It does not matter whether these wires will show or not, they must be wrapped or painted.

It is possible to paint the entire frame with cream colored enamel, but if one is going to make an ordinary shade it will be advisable to have the wires wrapped with material.

Use narrow silk binding tape of neutral tone or inch wide strips of the material used for the lining. Turn in all raw edges as you wind the wires and sew the ends down carefully with as inconspicuous stitches as possible.

This winding must be done very tightly and firmly, for if it slips it has lost part of its value and will not look as pleasing with home accessories or picture frame moulding.

If you are a novice at shade-making it is well to try out a piece first, and do over a section, if need be, rather than leave it lumpy or loose. Whether the binding ribbon or the cut strips are used, it will be found easier to handle short pieces of one or two yard lengths.

There are two distinct ways of making silk shades, one of which necessitates putting on the lining first, and the other putting on the outside first. The latter is the simpler method on how to make your lamp look new and is probably easier for the beginner. There are also different ways of putting on this outside cover – it may be stretched, pleated or shirred.

The amount of fullness required is the first thing to determine. For very sheer materials like chiffon or georgette or organdie, twice the circumference of the lower ring is allowed. If the pleating and the material are very fine, sometimes three times the circumference is necessary. For taffeta or other heavy silk one and half times the circumference is sufficient.

Allow at least one inch more than the depth of the shade so that you can turn in half an inch at the top and half an inch at the bottom. Sometimes with sheer materials it is wiser to allow more than this – fabrics are apt to be slippery and will pull out of your hand as you are working.

When the material is cut for the right length and depth divide it into six equal sections, provided there are six sections to your lamp shade frame as there usually are. Sometimes there are more uprights for an extremely large frame with corner guards but the same principle is applicable.

Fasten each division point to an upright so that the material is evenly divided around the lower edge of the shade. It is not necessary to sew the final seam before you put it on. For a gathered shade you can shirr it before you put it on, if you wish, or shirr it in sections as you have it pinned. Work on the bottom ring first holding that ring toward you.

Be sure to allow some fullness at each upright wire, so that when you have finished the bottom you will not see where the joints are. Hold the material over the lower wire and take firm stitches sewing right through from front to back, as close to the wire as you can. Use stout thread as these stitches will later be covered and must be firm.

At the final joint fold the upper edge of the material over the lower in a narrow creased seam. This seam must come over one of the vertical wires so that it will not show when the shade is lighted. The material is now sewed to the bottom ring and is ready for sewing at the top. It is done in the same way, dividing the material into six sections and pinning each one in place before you sew it.

Even within these sections it sometimes happens that the material gets pulled to one side, so it is well to hold the shade over a light from time to time to see that the lines are absolutely vertical.

Pull the material over the top ring and sew it firmly as on the lower ring so there will be no loose spots, particularly if used with wooden frames. Do not pull it so tight that the frame will be warped but it must be snug. It is now ready for the lining.

If the outside is to be pleated, divide the material in the same way and pin at the vertical joints; then pin each pleat in place for that section, being sure to allow enough material to make the same size pleat over the joint. When these pleats are all pinned in place sew them down as you did the shirring.

The top ring is a little more difficult for it is probably smaller and therefore the pleats will have to be deeper. Pin each pleat in place and test it over a lighted bulb before you sew it. See that all of your lines are straight up and down and then pull it tight and sew it firmly. This one, too, is ready for the lining.

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