Guest Post Revamped Lampshade by Charm Bracelet Diva

Even though she goes by Charm Bracelet Diva, Kathleen does a lot of fun home decor and salvage projects.  Take a peek:

I'm so excited to be guest-posting here today at CHEAP CHIC HOME !

I'm Kathleen from Charm Bracelet Diva.  I absolutely love blogging, and sharing my creations.  Charm Bracelet Diva is where I share my love of all things vintage, shabby, chipped, Goodwill~ed (I think I just created a new word!?) and repurposed.  My blog started out as a jewelry blog, but it has since grown to include DIY crafts and home decor as well.

Here are a few of my projects:

Ballard Designs-inspired Gilded Chalkboard

Pottery Barn-inspired Book Bundles

Vintage Watch and Charm Necklace

Pottery Barn-inspired Candles

Monogrammed Flour Sack Pillow

Vintage Charm Bracelet

I hope you'll stop by soon and see what it's all about!

Today I'd like to share with you a tutorial on re-vamping a lampshade.  If I can do it, you can, too.

Materials

• basic lampshade (mine is drum shaped)
• fabric of your choice
• spray adhesive
• fabric glue
• large sheet of craft paper 
• sharp scissors
• pins
• optional: glue gun

BEFORE:

Okay, so we start off with my $4.00 Club G.W. drum lampshade.  You expected anything less?  {In case you're not familiar with "Club G.W." it stands for Club Goodwill.}  I bought it with the express intent to revamp it, but once I got it home I didn't think it was that bad.....the green was a bit eeccch, but the paisley pattern, well, I liked it.  But the show must go on, so I headed on over to Jo-Ann's and picked up some French script fabric at 50% off ~ score!  I used Waverly's "Pen Pal", 100% cotton.  For your reference, the lampshade was 13 and a half inches across the top and 15 inches across the bottom.

Once you've got the lampshade and the fabric you'll need to test the two together.   By that I mean you need to place the new fabric over the shade and turn on the lamp.  Can you see the light?  Is it dark or bright?  Mine was dark! Uh-oh.  Sooooo....I proceeded to X-acto knife that silk lining right outta there, hoping it would make the light shine through a bit brighter.  It did.  Of course I saved the lining for something else!

You probably already know how to trace the shade onto the paper.  Basically, you roll the shade across the paper while tracing it, at both the top and bottom edges, with a pencil.  My paper was 54 inches long and 30 inches high.  I allowed the paper to actually roll along with the shade, and stopped when the shade was completely covered by the paper.  Then I marked that point on the paper as the finish point.

Now flatten out the paper, extend both the top and bottom lines by one and a half inches each and draw a straight line between them.  Now cut out your pattern and pin it to the fabric. 

Then cut out the fabric. I made sure to overcut the pattern by one inch all the way around so that I'd  be able to create creased, finished edges on both the top and bottom of the shade.

I then used the spray adhesive a bit at a time, meaning I only sprayed a bit of the inside of the fabric at a time.  Then I carefully placed the fabric against the shade and rolled it along, spraying as I went.  I'll admit that I found it a bit difficult at times and even had to hold the lampshade between my knees at some points to get the fabric on there just right.

Once the shade is fully covered, fold over the final edge of the overlapping fabric to give it a finished look and then glue it down with either fabric glue or a glue gun. {Hint:  glue gun works best here.}  Try to make sure it overlaps a bit so that if the fabric shrinks after it dries you'll still have the shade fully covered.  Also, you'll need to fold over and glue down with fabric glue {or glue gun}the excess fabric on both the top and bottom edges.  

To recap.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I have to admit that this was my first lampshade re-do.  Overall I'm pretty happy with it.  But I will leave you with these tips.

Tips

Tip 1: Check the shade/fabric combo for the opaqueness factor.  In other words, will it be too dark once you cover the shade with the new fabric?  Adjust accordingly.


Tip 2: Iron your fabric. 


Tip 3: Have a friend (or husband or trustworthy child or sister or neighbor) on hand to help you with the tracing. It's kind of hard to both trace and roll the lampshade at the same time.  (Not to mention taking photos while you're doing it!)


Tip 4: If you end up having any excess fabric along the top and/or bottom edge after having glued the creased fabric down, cut it off!  It will show through when the light is turned on!
Tip 5: If using a patterned fabric make sure it's not upside down!  Not that I ever did anything like that....wink wink.


Tip 6: Make sure you have enough fabric on hand so that if you make any mistakes you can start all over again. {Or, just see tip number 5.)

Tip 7:  You can also change things up by changing out the finial.  You know, that little decorative thingy at the top.  It's so easy yet it can really make a difference.  I changed it out here from a dull brown wood one to a delicately detailed antique brass one.

Okay, so there you have it.  Thanks for playing, and make sure you stop by and say hello!  I'd love for you to follow me, and maybe join in on one of my Club G.W. parties.  The first one is coming up soon!  I mean, we're all in the same club now, aren't we?

And thanks, Kim,  for the chance to post on your awesome blog!

xoxo

Thank you, Kathleen.  I think her lamp shade looks like it came from Ballard's Design.  And her Club G. W. sounds like the perfect idea and, well, "Club."  Please keep us posted on the details of your new link party, Kathleen!