When I first learnt how to make hand-stitched lampshades I was told, “You really should use a thimble – and one day you’ll wonder how you managed without one”. Well, I found them really uncomfortable at first; they made sewing feel really awkward. But now I fret if I can’t find my Nan’s old thimble that was in her sewing box I inherited years ago. It fits perfectly and really saves my fingers from all those nasty pins!
This week I have finally had a go at making paneled hand-stitched lampshades. There are two ways of making them – 1. Cutting fabric to fit the panels and then stitching them together on the sewing machine (on the left in the photo), and 2. Sewing the panels to the frame directly by hand and then neatening off the joins with some kind of braid. Both work really well, but made me realise how important it is to choose the pattern for your panel and fabrics that compliment each other nicely. The second method is definitely more time consuming, but okay if you want something to do while watching TV in the evening. Both involve a lot of pins, thank goodness for my Nan’s thimble eh?!
In fact it’s so horrible and cold I haven’t been out all day (which is very unlike me!) Ah well, at least this spell of hibernation means I have finally started stitching a lampshade I’ve been meaning to make for ages. I bought the fabric a few months ago and have just ordered some bright red velvet trim to put on the top and bottom. This one’s supposed to be for a collection of three big empire lampshades and floor bases that will be for sale on my website. The problem is I always make things I really like so it’s hard to let them go! The plan is to finish this before the Easter holidays and as this cold spell is set to last I’d say for once I will get it done on time! Back to my cuppa and sewing and the radio… 🙂
I finished restoring my big empire lampshade today and I thought I’d put some photos on here to show the before – when it was a really tired, ugly lampshade I discovered in the back room of a local antique shop. To during – from binding the rings and struts to pinning the fabric to the frame to stitching the fabric onto the frame and finally hand-stitching the trim to the bottom ring (no glue or double-sided sticky tape here!)
I haven’t added up the number of hours involved but it hasn’t been quick, that’s for sure. However, as with all these projects, I have learnt a lot and definitely become much more efficient at the whole process.
This is going to be a post full of photos of the various stages involved, just so you get an idea.
First, the before shot:
A very dusty, swathed pink-ish crepe satin cover with a glued on trim at the top and tassels at the bottom – hmmm, no wonder it had been overlooked for so long!
Then during:
The stripped frame – in excellent condition, couldn’t believe my luck!
Binding the frame and struts (nice and easy bit) and finally a choice of fabric for the cover, after lots of deliberation and searching:
Stretching and pinning the fabric to the bound frame, see the pins – ouch! (This was then repeated for the silk lining as the fabric behaves differently):
The next step is to mark the strut lines and then remove the fabric and sew it to the other side using a sewing machine. It is then carefully eased over the frame; hopefully it fits like a glove after a bit more pinning.
Below is a close-up of the lovely streetly stitch used to attach the fabric to the top and bottom rings, comes naturally now!:
Preparing to stitch the tassel trim to the bottom ring, on a lovely sunny day in the garden (you can see the hand-made flip over bias strip I had already sewn onto the top ring):
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And finally:
Drum roll please…. the finished lampshade, phew!:
And a bit more of an urban shot outside
I love it, really pleased with the final result. I may have to decorate a room around it though and still have to paint the base but I think sanding and painting will be a doddle compared to all the pinning and hand-stitching! The good news is I now have my first paid commission through an Interior Designer for a hand-stitched empire lampshade like this. I know what I’ll be doing next week… more details to follow…
This lampshade was most definitely a labour of love. Now it’s complete I love it, but making it wasn’t an easy experience… but then the reward when I finished it was great! When you know what you’re doing these hand-stitched lampshades aren’t actually as difficult to make as you’d think but when you don’t know what you’re doing (or can’t remember exactly how you learnt what to do as in my case!) it can be quite frustrating. I really wish I had made one straight away after the course at Homemade London but I guess I have learnt a lot from my mistakes and hopefully won’t make them again next time. Before I went on the course I really had no idea how these traditional lampshades were made; IÂ thought each panel was attached separately and I remember hating to remove all the pins I had used to pin the fabric to the frame to get the outline.
I breezed through attaching the outer Liberty print fabric and I could do streetly stitch in my sleep now, but I remember from the course the lining was much trickier and easier to get wrong. It’s not perfect but I have now made notes on my notes (!) so I just need to find another frame to practice on before I tackle recovering my big lampshade. I think another trip to a local antique shop is in order!
I’m really looking forward to teaching at my next drum lampshade workshop at Make & Do in Caversham, Reading next Thursday evening (26th April, 6.30pm). Maybe one day I’ll feel confident enough to teach others how to make hand-stitched lampshades too – better keep practicing (how many lampshades can I fit in my house d’you think?!)
It’s been too long since my hand-stitched lampshade course and I’m only just finishing off my next project. Luckily I have some really good handouts from the course but I wish I had made another one straight away! I remembered how to do the outside fabric but really struggled with the lining, taking two attempts to get it right. I know it shouldn’t have been hard but I’ve learnt a few things from the experience.
1. always have a go as soon as possible on your own after attending a course – it might all make sense when you’re there but things look very different when you’re trying to do it on your own.
2. Make sure you get handouts from a course if you can and make your own notes as you go through.
3. Don’t panic, you can always do it again and get there in the end, learn from your mistakes – I definitely won’t make the same mistakes next time!
I’m really lucky I had such a good teacher, Angela from Cocoon Home, who I’ve been able to email for advice and support, thanks Angela!
Close-up of my lampshade
Nearly there now though, I just need to add some trim to the top and bottom to finish it off. If you look really closely you can see the streetly stitching at the front of the lampshade and lethal pins at the back! The fabric is a 100% cotton Liberty print called Boxford A Jersey from the SS12 Whitworth collection. It’s very pretty and floral and colourful and also very me!
I’m hoping to get it done this week now that the boys are back at school and I have some time to myself. I’m going to take them along as examples of my work to the Vintagenie arts, crafts and vintage fair I’m doing next Saturday, 21st April at Park House School in Newbury. I get the feeling I have a busy week ahead!…
Well, I hadn’t until ten days ago. It’s a stitch used a lot in making hand-stitched lampshades and now I have finished making my first one, I can (almost) streetly stitch like a pro! I attended the second day of the bespoke lampshade course at Homemade London on Sunday and I have only just recovered. Not because of sore fingers this time though. It was really good fun again, but also quite intense trying to finish the lampshades and not make any mistakes along the way, I was exhausted by the end of the day. Thank goodness our lovely tutor Angela, was brilliant and calm as well as extremely knowledgeable about sewing and lampshades.
I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will treasure my handmade lampshade (must find a suitable base to go with it now). It felt like we learnt a skill that’s becoming lost in the mass production of everything and I hope I can carry it on. I already have another frame ready to make another one so that I don’t forget how it’s done, you can never have too many lampshades! Hopefully I’ll get a bit quicker this time, these lampshades definitely can’t be made in a hurry!
I had the best day yesterday on the first part of the bespoke lampshade course at Homemade London. It is being run by Angela Constantinou from Cocoon Home who is lovely; a brilliant teacher who is passionate about sewing and making lampshades.
I really had no idea how traditional lampshades were made but after reading the rest of the instructions on my way home on the train it is starting to become clear! All I can say is it can’t be done in a hurry, involves a lot of pins (and I mean a lot!) and can make your fingers sore but the end result is beautiful. I’m sure my fingers will get used to it, I definitely intend to make more in the near future. It’s funny because I always liked the simplicity of drum lampshades but I am being drawn towards the more old fashioned hand-stitched ones. I think it’s a lot to do with the skill and time that goes into making them but it’s also their pretty shape and pom pom trim that I’m hoping to learn how to attach next week!
Homemade London is lovely too, I’d recommend it to anyone wanting to learn a new skill, from bag-making and lingerie to signature scent creation, upholstery and chandelier making. We had a great time, the class was nice and small, everyone was very friendly and keen to learn. Angela even brought in homemade chocolate cookies and lunch was scrummy, as were the cream cakes in the afternoon – we did do a lot of making and didn’t just sit and eat all day, honest! Can’t wait for the second installment next Sunday…
