For today’s modern lampshade makers, there are plenty of sources of inspiration, but looking back at the styles, techniques, methods and materials used in vintage books, can literally be a light bulb moment, so we’ve fished out a couple of our favourites from the Dannells library. Lampshade Making History Lampshade making is a craft that has stood the test of time, since the invention of the light bulb in 1879 and its domestic introduction into homes not long after. The Victo

On opening the book, Sewing Lampshades by Joanna Heptinstall, our hearts skipped a little beat. Hit with an array of colourful lampshade images and a foreword from Joanna Heptinstall that oozes confidence in her craft, we knew that we were in for a treat. Time to grab a cuppa and take a seat on the sofa to read, read, read! Joanna Heptinstall was already a trained upholsterer when she stumbled across and old, damaged lampshade that needed some TLC. After plenty of research, s

50 Thrifty DIY Shades is book based around you guessed it.…decorative shades that can be made up of scraps of fabrics, bits and bobs and unusual materials. Packed with traditional lampshades and more quirky upcycling ideas for making shades, there are plenty of interesting projects, and skills, to get your teeth into, or as always to inspire your own lampshade making practise. When reading a book review we always find it interesting to found out a bit about the author and the

Whatever your style, when it comes to home decorating, sometimes it’s nice to make a statement and what better place to do it than to decorate your walls? The great thing is that you don’t have to be an interiors expert or a master crafter to achieve a great look that is sure to be a talking point among friends and family (for all the right reasons). These three projects are super simple, really effective and can be adapted to suit your home scheme. Also, if you are a crafter

Needcraft lampshade making kits are so easy and fun we want to share some of the great work our customers create… with you all! Madame Midnight’s Lamporium We have a HUGE range of lampshade making kits and materials for you to choose from. Everything you could possibly need and more with bucket loads of advice from our experienced and friendly staff and a wonderful community of lampshade lovers and makers! Why not join our social media community to meet other creatives (see t

Wow! What an epic lampshade journey this has been… Our #lampshadebusinessinabox competition has attracted many talented lampshade designers. We’ve been humbled by their stories and the lovely insight into their journeys setting up and running a lampshade business. All recorded here on our blog. The sheer lampshade talent and creativity that’s out there is mind-blowing! Five lucky runners-up have already won Needcraft lampshade manufacturers’ packs and later today we will anno