#print

Jan 19, 2016
2 min

The story of a lampshade designer

Helen, lampshade designer and founder of Moorish Idol found lampshade-making through fabric printing which she began two years’ ago. Having printed the fabric she then needed something to do with it. Enter lampshades! Before starting Moorish Idol, I had a variety of self-employed jobs – jewellery making, transcribing, decorating – and of course I am mum to two boys who keep me very busy! I’ve also been lucky enough to undertake two overland expeditions through North Africa an

12 views0 comments

Jan 11, 2016
3 min

Artist spotlight- Jane Robinson – textile designer

In 2014 I won the City and Guilds Gold Medal for Excellence in Stitched Textiles (Embroidery) for my work on a Diploma course. Since then I have thinking about ways of developing my work more professionally as a textile designer and part of this process is considering ways of presenting my work for sale. I recently attended a two-hour workshop on making lampshades at ‘Sew in Brighton’, which introduced me to Needcraft kits. I used a piece of batik fabric that I created myself

9 views0 comments

Aug 10, 2015
1 min

Lampshade designer Archie mac London and her Camden Market installation!

We shared one of Robyn from Archie mac London‘s videos with you a while back… Remember? We told you she had a big lampshade making project going down for a secret London location.. Well they are up and shining bright above the famous Camden Market! Her brightly coloured prints are eye-catching and exciting and sixty of these beautiful handmade lampshades are now guiding the way for thousands of London shoppers. Go Robyn! Do you have any lampshade projects you’re proud of? Dro

19 views0 comments

Aug 3, 2015
5 min

Scottish lampshade designer tells us her business story

A bright, shiny light-filled Hello to you! I am Kirstie Seonaid MacKay, owner/designer/maker at UrbanRebel Design, a dynamic new design studio based near Glasgow in the West of Scotland. I started the business of making lampshades in November last year after attending a workshop on a dark, wet November Sunday in Glasgow. My first shade was a stunning cerise pink, tartan, Harris Tweed which I named “Happy Harry” because it was lighting up such a dark day! My life long obsessio

74 views0 comments

Jul 3, 2015
1 min

Friday afternoon treat for all you lampshade enthusiasts out there!

Meet Archie Mac London and their wonderfully wacky creations! Robyn of Archie mac London just posted this lovely video on her Instagram and we simply had to share it with you. These lampshade beauties are headed off to a secret London location… More to be announced in the coming weeks so watch this space! Archie’s links are below her fab video so do check out her work and be inspired! What do you think about Archie mac London’s work? Let us know in the comments below! We just

2 views0 comments

Jun 30, 2015
6 min

Announcing Needcraft’s competition winner, Caron Ironside Design- Lampshade designer and scree

Caron not only makes her own lampshades, cushions and more but prints her own Perthshire and 1950s inspired fabrics. Her designs have a mid-century feel using rich and vibrant colours. A background in textile design put Caron on the right footing for her new craft career when, as part of a college project in 2011 as a mature student, she made her first lampshade. Caron has given us her inside story with hints and tips on setting up and running a lampshade business and is the

4 views0 comments

Jun 30, 2015
1 min

Shhhh… Needcraft lampshade competition winner to be announced later today!

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

0 views0 comments

Jun 8, 2015
5 min

Detola and Geek’s Ankara print lampshades are runner up #3 in our Needcraft competition!

We are thrilled to be showcasing these striking African print lampshades as third runner up in our #lampshadebusinessinabox competition ! Tola is lucky winner of a lampshade manufacturing pack to help her on her way with her business! We just couldn’t resist the stunning African wax print designs (Ankara in Nigerian circles) and pro-active, determined nature that Tola approaches her work with, always sprinkled with a good dash of humour! We asked Tola to give us the low-down

11 views0 comments

Mar 9, 2015
5 min

Student workshop packs!

Student Workshop Packs – Lampshade making kits to make bespoke, handmade lampshades. ‘The perfect way to provide a new and exciting creative challenge for your students’ Everything in the box to run your own Lampshade Making Workshop ! Designed for the classroom, workshop or any group making activity these packs contain everything students need to make professional, handmade lampshades using their design of choice. From concept to completion students will enjoy the process of

5 views0 comments