Lampshade Kit Hack #9 – Retro Flower Silhouette Lampshade

Using the silhouette lampshade concept as the basis for our latest Lampshade Making Kit #hack, we've transformed a drum lampshade, by adding a hidden pattern to the inside. With a darker or coloured fabric, this will only show when the light is switched on. The striking retro flower design is created using the easy-to-use Olfa Circle Cutter, meaning a perfect circle every time. Have a go at our tutorial and you'll realise that the silhouette concept holds masses of creative possibilities, making your Lampshade Making Kit even more unique!

What you’ll need to make your Circle Silhouette Lampshade

30cm Drum Lampshade Making Kit

Fabric - we opted for White Chic Fabric, but there are 34 more colours to choose from

Black Sharpie or coloured Sharpie set

Olfa Circle Cutter

Offcut of Lampshade Making PVC around A4 size

Scissors

Cutting mat

Ruler

Tape measure

Soft pencil

Scrap paper

How to make your Circle Silhouette Lampshade

1. Make your Drum Lampshade Making Kit up to Step 9.

2. Prepare your Olfa Circle Cutter, by setting the distance between the blade and the compass point to 2cm to cut 10 circles from the Lampshade Making PVC. We used a mixture of Standard and Less Rigid Lampshade Making PVC.

3. Position the compass onto the PVC, ideally on a point where the grid crosses, ensuring you have enough space around the point to cut a 4cm diameter circle.

4. Push the blade downwards onto the PVC and begin to turn, to cut a circle.

5. Gently push the circle out. Continue to cut 9 more circles.

4. Descrease the distance between the blade to 1.3cm and using the same centre point cut the inner ring. Position the compass on the cross point and cut the 2.6cm inner circle.

5. From the 10 circles cut the following:

• 5 x 4cm solid circles

• 5 x 4cm rings

Cut a larger ring setting the Olfa Circle Cutter to 3.25cm for the outer circle and 2.5cm for the inner circle.

6. Measure the length and depth of the PVC panel and find the centre point. Mark gently with a soft pencil. Place the large ring, so the mark sits in the centre of the circle. Draw a short 1cm mark along the inside of the ring on both sides to mark the position.

7. Position the smaller circles and rings alternately around the large ring, for petals. Measure each one to check they are all an equal distance away from the large ring.

8. Once positioned gently mark with a pencil at the bottom of each petal.

9. Starting with the largest circle first, remove the backing paper and place the sticky side up on a scrap piece of paper. Colour in with a black sharpie.

10. Using the position marking place the large circle back onto the Lampshade Panel, sticky side down. Colour in each circle one at a time and stick into position.

Top Tip:

Wash your hands regularly to avoid any transference of sharpie on the panel or the cutouts. Any marks can be removed with a cloth dampened slightly with nail varnish remover.

12. Make up the rest of the lampshade using the instruction in the kit or alternatively watch our instructional YouTube video. Continue to make the lampshade using the instructions.

Shared Lampshade Inspiration

For originally sharing this idea with the Lampshade Makers Facebook group, we'd like to thank Lara of @catwithnotail for being so generous with her unique idea, which we've then taken and shared in this post! See Lara's original idea in our Lampshade Style Guide - Silhouette Lampshade post.

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