DIY: Pleated Lampshades (With Embroidered Surprises), Budget Edition
For a long while I’ve been eyeing knife-pleated lampshades, wanting a couple of my own. Then I realized I could make one myself with a thrifted shades, a swath of fabric, and not much else. Total cost? About $12 a shade.
Here’s how.
Photography by Mel Walbridge for Remodelista.
Supplies
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Lampshade (I found several at Goodwill for $2 each; it’s okay if they’re a little blemished.)
- Fabric, plain or patterned (a mid-weight fabric that isn’t too thin but also folds well works best; I used simple cotton.)
- Fabric scissors
- Needle and thread or fabric glue (I used Bish’s Original Tear Mender, a US-made instant adhesive; note that this is best for dark and patterned fabrics only, as I learned it shows through light fabrics after a while.)
- Optional: spray starch or homemade starch (1 tablespoon flour mixed with 1 cup cold water) and paintbrush
- Yard stick or ruler
- Clip
- Straightener or clothes iron
1. Measure the fabric.
