Vintage lamps, easily found at flea markets, antique stores, and even in grandmothers' attics, can become new again. Attach fabric to old or inexpensive paper shades for a quick and easy project. Or use basic hand-sewing skills to gather a skirt of fabric to camouflage a plain shade. Follow these steps to transform a lampshade of your own.
CHENILLE SHADE
Step 1: Lay fabric right side down on a cutting surface. Place the shade, turned on its side, on the fabric, and mark with a paper clip where the shade touches the fabric. Roll the shade over the fabric until the paper clip has reached the fabric again. (This measures the circumference, which determines the width of the fabric.) Cut fabric with a 1/2-inch allowance. Measure the shade's length, and add 1 1/2 inches to determine the length of the fabric. (Note: This measurement process will work only with a drum-shaped shade.)
Step 2: Place fabric right side down on a large piece of paper in a well-ventilated area. Lightly mist the back side of the fabric with spray adhesive. Put the shade on the fabric, allowing a 3/4-inch overhang at the top and bottom. Roll the shade over the fabric to adhere it.
Step 3: Fold under the allowance where the ends of the fabric meet vertically, allowing the folded edge to overlap the raw edge slightly. Hot glue the folded edge in place to create the seam.
Step 4: Fold top and bottom edges of the fabric to the inside of the shade, and attach with a glue gun.
