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- Mar 26
- 3 min
Vintage Inspiration - Lampshade Making Book Review
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
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- Mar 18
- 2 min
Interiors inspiration: The natural trend
It’s been top of the shops for a couple of years and the trend for natural materials in interiors is definitely here to stay for 2021. From string to bamboo and hessian to cork, the natural trend allows you to add interesting textures to a room, that aren’t just pleasing on the eye, but also create a great sense of balance too. It’s fit perfectly with our current need to bring the outside in. The upside of this interiors trend? It slips effortlessly into place due to its mute
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- Mar 16
- 3 min
Shade Carrier Systems explained
If you’ve been making lampshades, using our Lampshade Making Kits you may be aware that they use different method to attach them to a lamp - a standard utility fitting and kits with a duplex fitting, that then need to be used with shade carrier system. Sometimes shade carrier systems can be a little confusing, so we thought we’d straighten the record and explain the difference and the benefits this has for you, as a shade maker. First of all let’s start by exploring the shade
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- Mar 11
- 3 min
Book review - Sewing Lampshades by Joanne Heptinstall
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
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- Mar 9
- 3 min
#memadeshade February Winner
The nights are already lighter and there is a feeling of optimism in the air. We hope you're all feeling a little lighter and brighter too. February's #memadeshade Instagram competition has delivered a whopping amount of entries, over 300, and as always it's great to see such a wide variety if shades using our lampshade making kits. This month's stand out shade is certainly that and @emma_mckie_designs is our deserving winner and her £100 voucher to spend on our website, is a
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- Feb 24
- 3 min
Lampshade Kit Hack #6 - Starry Night Lampshade + FREE Template PDF
Highlighting our professional cutting service in our last blog post got us thinking that it would be fun to explore a DIY version of the same thing and this effective star cut out hack was born! Making shades for a children's room opens up plenty of cool creative ideas and we think kids will love the soft glow of the stars shining through the fabric. The stars are a simple design, the perfect unisex lampshade and with all of our drum lampshade making kits, this can be used as
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- Feb 22
- 2 min
3 creative services for next level lampshades
Pimping your lampshade is easier than you think. There’s the DIY route, that we all know and love, using one of our lampshade making kits with beautiful fabric, sophisticated trims or coloured, metallic or even neon PVC's, to bring your shade to life. Or you could use one of our 3 creative services, to really enhance your shade making and take it to the next level. Pick from designing your own fabric, creating your own bespoke shade dimensions or trying out one of our excitin
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- Feb 18
- 3 min
#memadeshade January Winner
After what can only be described as a very loooong January, #memadeshade is back for 2021! Yey! And we've got off to a great start with lots of fabulous shades, in all shapes and sizes to brighten up our #memadeshade Instagram competition and hopefully provide our makers with new inspiration and ideas for using one of our lampshade making kits. And this month's winner certainly sticks with the theme of 'bright'! This gorgeous fuchsia shade by Lauren of @juniper_and_spice is
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- Jan 29
- 4 min
Lampshade Kit Hack #5 - Happy Holidays Map
Hands up who’s dreaming of a holiday escape? 🙌🏻 We Britons love our holidays - a day by on the beach, playing in the sand and sea rounded off with a fish and chip supper. We thought we’d capture those happy holidays with one of our Rectangle Rounded Lampshade Making Kits and in this DIY tutorial we’re going to show you how to make a lampshade using a paper map. Whilst this project uses regular lampshade making skills, there are a few differences when working with paper, but
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- Jan 21
- 3 min
Light up your lounge - Floor and Table Lamp Kits
If you’ve never had a virtual wander around our website, you’re missing a trick and plenty of lampshade making products you might not have even considered yet. Among the Lampshade Making Kits are a couple of products we feel quite nostalgic about, for their nod to the 70’s and their long thin shapes. Which kits are we talking about? The Floor Lamp Kit and Table Lamp Kit of course! Taking pride of place in every home circa 1975, floor lamps were all the rage and well suited th
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- Jan 15
- 3 min
Book Review - 50 Thrifty DIY Shades by Adeline Lobut
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
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- Dec 22, 2020
- 2 min
#memadexmasshade winner
We're finally at the end of what can only be described as a challenging year and we'd like to say a huge Thank You for your amazing entries to the Dannells #memadeshade Instagram competition, that have kept lampshade making inspiration and creativity flowing throughout the year. With nearly 2,500 entries, not only have you all had a chance of winning, but have helped create a fabulous library of gorgeous lampshades, to help inspire new and existing makers. There really is not
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- Dec 2, 2020
- 1 min
Join us for a LIVE festive Lantern Making Kit workshop on You Tube!
It’s workshop time! After a string of successful LIVE Lampshade Making Kit workshops in #lockdown1 we’re back with a mini festive themed treat! Sam, our Dannells Demonstrator, will show you how to make up one of our festive Lantern Making Kits on You Tube on Friday 4th December at 1.30 pm (UK time) and we'd love to see you there! Our Lantern Making Kits were practically made for the festive season (but can also be used at any time of the year!) and are compact give a rosy gl
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- Nov 25, 2020
- 3 min
Book Review – Make Your Own Lampshades – Elizabeth Cake
Lampshade making doesn’t have to be an off the shelf craft and can be as creative as your imagination will allow, a fact that’s proved over and over again, in Elizabeth Cake’s Make Your Own Lampshade book. Using her knowledge of collecting vintage fabrics and her passion for upcycling and recycling, Elizabeth has put together 35 projects that stretch your imagination and see what’s possible using everyday objects and second hand finds. Think clashing fabrics, cute crosstitch
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