Pretty Handmade Lampshades

Yarn Lampshade

A yarn lampshade is an ornamental idea to make an ordinary light into a pretty piece. Buy a bare metal lampshade frame, or alternatively, remove the fabric from an old lampshade. Wrap your desired colored yarn around the frame, making sure to purchase enough yarn beforehand to cover the entire lampshade frame. Cotton and silk yarns work best, as they are smooth and easy to wrap around the metal frame. Use a low-wattage bulb in your finished yarn lamp, of approximately 40 watts.

A handmade paper mosaic lampshade is a simple, appealing craft to make. Choose a central image that you would like on your lampshade. Trace around the image using mulberry craft paper, and then cut it out. Stick the traced image onto the lampshade using craft glue, using your fingertips to gently press down the paper and rid it of any air pockets. Cut out small triangles from a different color of mulberry craft paper and randomly place them around the image, so that the rest of the lampshade is covered in a mosaic. To finish, brush a coat of craft glue over the surface of the entire lampshade.

A lampshade decorated with crepe paper stripes is an easy, charming and pretty item to make for use in your home. All you need is a roll of crepe paper and craft glue. Spread a square of craft glue, about 1 1/2 inches in height and width, at the bottom edge of the lampshade. Secure the loose end of the crepe paper roll onto the glue, making sure that that the paper does not go over the edges of the shade. Carefully wrap the crepe paper around the shade, overlapping as you move further up towards to top of the lampshade. After the whole surface is covered, cut the paper from the roll and secure the end to the shade with glue, again, making sure that the paper does not go over the edge of the lampshade.

A lamp with a button lampshade is a cheerful, textured and pretty addition to a home, and can be made to suit a variety of different styles. To create a quirky, fun appearance, choose a selection of buttons of different sizes and colors. Pearl and metallic buttons make a more sophisticated, stylish look. Secure the buttons onto a plain lampshade using hot glue. You can choose to scatter them around randomly or place them carefully in lines for a more elegant appearance.