Shade Slipcover

Now that you made your lamps and shades, it is time to add another layer of fun!
I wanted to be able to change up the look of the lamps so I decided to make a shade slipcover.
You will love how easy this is and how you can whip it on and off in mere seconds. You will feel like a decorating superhero  but without the the phone booth or the annoying tights!

I love the modern look of the dry erase poster board but what do you think of the drop cloth slipcovers?

This is something that you could make for each holiday, season or week...depending on how ADD you are.

I used left over drop cloth, hooks and eyes, and some covered buttons to make my slipcover.  

My shades are 11 inches wide so I cut my drop cloth 12 inches wide and then washed it so it would fray.  If you do not want frayed ends, still cut it 1" wider but hem it. I would use iron on Stitch Witchery so that it lays flatter than sewing it in place. Iron it and then wrap it around your shade.

Clip it in place and mark where you want the overlap to be on the top and the bottom.

Since drop cloth can be used on either side it will not matter which side you mark. If you use regular fabric mark it on the wrong side so it doesn't show on the finished product.

Lay it out like so on a flat surface

Fold over the the other end to just cover the opposite end

Now I made my covered buttons, see here for a full tutorial. You might like two buttons per shade....

I thought three looked tidier

I used an adjustable hook and eye for the top and a regular one for the bottom. You can add one in the middle if you like. I sewed the eyes in place because they would be underneath the overage. I hot glued the hooks in place after I repinned to make sure of exact placement. It is pretty hard to stitch and not have the stitches show.

Place on your shade and turn it on.....

Remember you can see everything once the light is on?  Take off the slipcover and trim back the bottom portion. You can also fray the end that has the buttons on it if you like. I liked so I frayed.

Whip it back onto your shade. Personally, I love the frayed edges and the buttons.

Now give your tights a snap or someone close to you who won't mind..... 

Always being renewed,

Please see the link party page to see where I link arms with those blissfully beautiful bloggers that host every week. So gracious they are along with these other sweet ladies!      

 

 

Lamp Shade Tutorial

So today we are going to hook up the lamp bases I made with some shades. I bought the bases naked hoping I could purchase some large shades on the cheap but the thrift stores are not cooperating. I managed to find a great tutorial at The Rooster and the Hen and then tweaked it a little. 

Recap of the lamps:

they went from this: primer over brass

to this: 

to this:

to this! For $34!

Please visit  here to see how the bases were refinished into a crackle mercury glass like finish. Then come on back and get your shades done!

For one shade you will need: 

1 large embroidery hoop ( I used a 12x20 oval )

1 sheet dry erase poster board

1 wire hanger (unbeaten of course)

needle nose pliers

glue and glue gun

ruler

4 wood skewers

Here's the skinny on how to make your own shade:

Separate the embroidery hoop into 2 hoops and remove the wood pieces that hold the nut and bolt.

Staple the hoop back together using a stapler. I stapled both sides and then hammered it to make it secure. I pulled on this to make sure it held! It did so either this will be good or I am a total wimp. You make the call.

Cut your dry erase sheet in half. This is 22 inches so your shade will measure 11 inched high. Remember that number because you are going to base all construction off of the number 11.

Attach 2 skewers to each hoop at the same spot using your glue gun. I measure 7 inches off center for each skewer. This needs to be even because when you have shades, things do not show when the light is off, but they sure as heck do when the light is shining through. 

Using your ruler, line up the two hoops to be 11 inches apart when set up like above. Now secure the skewer to the other side of the hoop with your glue gun. Make sure they are straight.

And level! Remove sticker on hoop.....

Cut your hook off of the hanger and cut the wire into two equal lengths. 

Bend in half

then continue bending until you get a loop at the top Use your needle nose pliers to make the loop flat.

Bend up each end of the wire 1/2"

Position your wire in the middle of the side of the oval. I used the markings on my table as a guide to make sure the loop was in the middle of the oval and also centered on the side of the hoop. Make sure the bent ends are facing up. 

Hot glue in place and repeat on the other side

Hang on the lamp to make sure it is enough stability. Now just hot glue the dry erase posterboard to each side of the  shade skeleton. I forgot to take pics here so I am sorry. Be careful here as you will have some overlap where the two peices will meet. I measured where half was and cut them to fit first. The seams should be on either side or you will see it when the light is on.  

 Okay rememebr how I told you that things will show when the light is on.....I was so diligent in making my skewers straight that I forgot to put this facing the back.

So live and learn and enjoy your spankin' new shades. Now you can leave them this way or you can cover them with material. I am going to bring you another tutorial on how I covered them in a day or two. Lots of laundry....

Always being renewed,

Kim

Please see the link party page to see where I link arms with those blissfully beautiful bloggers that host every week. So gracious they are along with these other sweet ladies!