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To elevate your lampshade making we're excited to introduce our new series of lampshade #Hacks that you can apply to our lampshade making kits or lampshade materials. Throughout the series we’ll show you simple tricks, creative techniques and #hacks to transform your lampshades, arming you with plenty of new skills to up your lampshade making game!
First up is our mini tutorial on how to finish your seam using a folded fabric edge. Commonly seen on lampshades on the high street, this is an easy skill to master with a little know how and an off cut of Stick It Lampshade making PVC and can be easily added to our professional lampshade making kits.
Follow the steps below to learn how...
What you’ll need:
Needcraft lampshade making kit - we used a 30 cm Oval shade
2 blocks of 3 x 1 cm of Stick It Lampshade making PVC 2 pieces of 3 x 1 cm
Scissors
Ruler
Fabric marker or pencil
How to create your folded fabric seam edge
1. Make your lampshade according the kit instructions, by applying the PVC to the fabric.
2. Before cutting around the fabric as instructed, peel the backing from one of your 3 x 1 cm block of PVC and stick to sit just above the top right hand corner of your PVC panel. Note that the short edge of your block must line up with the short of the panel so they are flush. Taking your ruler measure 1cm from the short edge and mark.
3. Continue along the length of the short edge and join the marks to create a 1 cm seam allowance.
4. Draw along the top edge of the block with a line that meets the 1 cm seam allowance. Repeat on the bottom block.
5. Take your double sided tape supplied in your lampshade making kit and run a line from below the kiss cut at the top of the panel to just above the kiss cut at the bottom of the panel.
6. Cut around the panel along the long edges and cutting along the fabric marker/pencil guideline you’ve drawn.
8. Gently remove the blocks from the fabric and the kiss cuts by carefully folding back, lifting and removing each strip. This step is on the original instructions sheet too. Remove the backing tape (this will be red) and starting in the centre fold the 1cm seam allowance of fabric over onto the tape. Smooth out towards the top and bottom edges of the shade.
9. Using the double sided tape, tape onto the fabric overlap starting just below the top edge of the PVC panel to the bottom edge
Dannells' Top Tip - If you are using a thicker fabric you could use Seamstick tape which is stronger and purpose made for heavier fabrics.
10. Continue to follow the instructions that come with the lampshade making kit. The next step will be applying the double sided tape to the rings. Make the shade up to the stage where you tucking the fabric in.
11. Start tucking in the fabric from the seam line at the inside seam i.e. not the side with the tab.
12. When you reach the tab, pull the tab tightly over the edge of the frame towards the PVC and hold in place with your thumb (this is to prevent the fabric from being 'baggy').
13. Using your finishing tool start to push the fabric tab under the frame from the folded edge where your thumb is positioned.
13. Continue until all of the fabric tab is pushed under the frame then repeat on the opposite side of the lampshade.
Tutorial Update
If you prefer to watch and learn check out You Tube video on how to create a folded fabric seam as above, with our in-house Lampshade Demonstrator, Sam. Simply click on the play button below!
Show us your shade
Don't forget that you can enter our monthly #memadeshade Instagram competition, by sharing your shade made from a Needcraft lamspahde making kit. For mopre details read our blog post here or find us on Instagram @needcraft.
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