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    • May 19, 2022

#memadeshade April Winner

Updated: Oct 11, 2023

April's #memadeshade competition has a real buzz about it (pun intended!), as this month's winning shade is made by the talented Liz of @loveyourhome.uk from a pretty Angel Strawbridge honeycomb fabric, featuring bees.


And Liz's talents don't stop at lampshade making! Running a small interiors business from home, she can turn her hand to many interior crafts and we're sure her prize of a £100 voucher to spend at Dannells.com will come in very handy for her future projects. Congratulations Liz!


Read on to find out more about Liz, Love Your Home and her lampshade making!




Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and the creative things that you do?

Hi, my name is Liz, and I run a small interiors business called ‘Love your home’, from my home in Worcestershire.


I make and sell light shades and cushions, and occasionally refurbish furniture when I spot a bargain! I love DIY, sewing, making my own blinds, curtains and décor for my own home. Searching for vibrant fabrics and papers is a real obsession (my cupboards are now choc-full of fabric and paper!). More recently, I have started looking for remnants, vintage, vegan and recycled materials, to develop a more eco-conscious business. When I’m not making light shades, you will find me teaching, assessing, running an Airbnb and working in retail.


Are you a newbie lampshade maker or have you made up a Needcraft Lampshade making kit before?

I started making lampshades a few years ago when I visited the high street to buy new curtains and shades for our ‘new’ home. But I went home – empty-handed and a bit disillusioned - as I just couldn’t see anything I liked in my (sadly, very low!) budget. Fast forward to doing some internet research, and upholstery course or three, visits to funky fabric shops, and a few Dannell’s lampshade making kits later…..and I was hooked!


What do you love about the shade you entered for the #memadeshade competition?

The shade is so simple, as it lets the gorgeous Angel Strawbridge ‘Honeycomb’ fabric do all the talking! The fabric is very pretty and the bee and honeycomb pattern lifts the spirits and reminds me that summer is on the way! The fabric diffuses the light beautifully with a white Dannell’s lining.


A little bit of care and thought is needed when using light fabrics with a geometric pattern like this one; the material does need a good iron to start, with careful positioning of the honeycomb shapes to ensure good symmetry. Just one fraction of a millimetre ‘out’ would be noticeable and make the shade look 'wonky'.

What do you like most about the Needcraft lampshade making kits?

The kits are perfect for beginners and experienced makers alike. It is so straightforward to follow, and the accompanying video tutorials on the website are great when you get started. They are also useful for experienced makers too, for when a standard shade size is required. The flat cardboard boxes that the kits arrive in can also be reused to sell and mail forward other craft items.

Any plans to make more lampshades?

Yes, I am currently working on making some floral soft lamp shades for a client who is having a new bedroom scheme, as well as making some standard lined drum shades with Orla Kiely wallpaper lining for a client’s new kitchen/diner. Also in the process of making some new designs, so I’ll be looking back on my lampshade making books, which I bought from Dannells a couple of years ago, to check processes! It's good to keep learning, and trying out new methods.



April's Most Liked Shades


Lampshades from far and wide have infiltrated this month's' Most Liked Shades', in a range of styles that reflect the different styles of the countries they were made in and their customer's unique tastes in fabric!


At Twilight, I make hand-made lampshades in different styles and shapes. ⁣You can see selections at the shop and at #salkavalka in Nykøbing Sj. ⁣ You are of course also welcome on Fregatvej 3 in Nykøbing Sj. opening hours can be found here on notice and otherwise you are welcome to make an appointment on 30260579⁣


Lovely Lampshade, created during a Sun Printed Lampshade workshop. Material made using precious pressed flower memories of times past from 1996. Found in an old flower press whilst cleaning out. Every Lampshade tells a story what would yours say?


A recent bespoke order that I adored making! 🐘🐘🐘

This pic doesn’t do them justice but these are ENORMOUS! They are 45cm diameter drum shades. So big I can only make this size with double-width fabric! 🤩🤩

For anyone who didn’t know, I am often asked to use client's own fabric and I absolutely do/can. 👍👍 If I can help make a room come together with a bespoke lampshade for a new and upcoming project you have going on please do get in touch. ⌨️📞⌨️📞

Happy Thursday!! 😁🍷😁🥂


If you want to add chic, colourful and exclusive accents to your home - Daiktų studio chandeliers are just for you!


Enter our #memadeshade competition

It's super simple to enter our #memadeshade Instagram competition. Just make a lampshade from any of our lampshade making kits and follow the steps below. And if you want to check out the hashtag #memadeshade for inspiration in advance, we've had over 5000 shades enter since we started!


Here's a reminder of what to do...

  1. Simply take a picture of your proudest lampshade from one of our kits and enter on Instagram following the steps below:

  2. Follow @needcraft if you haven’t already

  3. Post an image of a lampshade you’ve made from an @needcraft lampshade making kit and tag with #memadeshade and the type of kit you used i.e 30cm Drum shade kits, Square kit etc.

  4. And any size and shape can be entered so display those drums shades, exhibit your empires and reveal your rectangles – any lampshade from one of our kits counts!

For full terms and conditions click here.



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