Transform an old lampshade into a beautiful English cottage inspired pleated fabric lampshade using only some fabric and hot glue.

For most of this year, I’ve been on the hunt for a brass floor lamp to replace our cheap, old floor lamp we got in college that was falling apart. Recently, I stumbled across one at my favorite thrift store for a whopping $9. Can you believe that? Not only is it beautiful and exactly what I was looking for, but it works and all I had to do was add new light bulbs, shine it up with a bit of Brasso and find a new lampshade!

When I began thinking about the style of lampshade I wanted I was inspired by the English cottage core look that utilizes beautiful simple and dainty florals. My vision included a pleated lampshade made of a white fabric with a blue floral pattern that would be a great contrast to the brass lamp. Before I went out and bought a brand new lampshade, which would have come with a hefty price tag, I decided to check out my local thrift stores, of course, to see what I could find.

Luckily, there’s almost always lampshades available at a really reasonable price, however, most of the time, the lampshades available at the thrift are plain white shades that are stained or just not the look I’m going for. That being said, they often have good bones and can be made over in some way to give them a new life and make them beautiful. Since I’m not afraid of a good DIY project, I wanted to share with you how I created a custom pleated lampshade using only strips of fabric and a hot glue gun and how you can too!

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YouTube Video Tutorial

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FAQs

Where can I find secondhand lampshades?

As I said in the beginning, I love to search my local thrift stores for used lampshades because they’re often super inexpensive and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can also look at estate sales or garage sales too!

What type of fabric is best for lampshades?

The best fabrics to use are cotton or muslin type fabric, in my opinion, but It really depends on the look you’re going for. Typically you’ll want to use a fabric that is lightweight and that will allow light to shine through well, while still being diffused.

Can you use patterned fabric to make DIY fabric lamp shades?

You can use any fabric design you wish. Some patterns may be a little hard to line up and may look a little wonky, so I’d suggest finding a pattern that is repeated throughout the fabric piece. When I was searching for the perfect fabric for this particular shade, I went with a white cotton fabric with a a pretty pattern on it. If you’re looking for a more moody type look, you may want to find a darker fabric to work with. In my opinion, there are no rules!

Do you have to hand sew or use a sewing machine to make a pleated lamp shade?

There are different methods to making pleated lampshades, which do include sewing. However, that process is more time consuming and yields a very similar result as the no sew method in this tutorial. You’ll simply need an iron, fabric and a hot glue gun to achieve that pleated look.

Does this method of making a custom lampshade cover work for a smaller shade too?

This method of creating a pleated lampshade will work for any size. You can use this method for a wall sconce, a small lampshade, a tapered lampshade, et cetera in any size.

How to Make a Pleated Fabric Lampshade

Tools You May Need:

Iron and ironing board
Fabric tape measure
Scissors
Cutting mat and rotary cutter (optional)
Glue gun

Materials Needed:

Lampshade
1-2 yards fabric of choice
Glue sticks

Directions

Prepare the Shade

Start by removing the top and bottom trim pieces of the lampshade and set them aside.

Then carefully begin cutting away the outer layer of fabric from the lampshade, while keep the fabric on the inside of the lampshade intact.

Make the Fabric Strips

Using a fabric tape measure, measure from the top of the shade to the bottom of the shade, then add 2 inches to that measurement. That will be the length of the strips.

Cut the fabric strips 3 inches wide by the length determined in the previous step. For example, my lampshade was 12″ long, so I cut my strips 3″ wide by 14″ long.

For each strip, right side facing down, fold one of the long raw edges over to the middle 3/4″ and press.

Then fold the other long edge over to meet the other side and press. The final strip will be about 1.5″ wide.

Repeat the above step for all the strips you need to cover the shade. You’ll need a lot more than you think, especially if you have a large lampshade.

Apply the Fabric Strips

Using hot glue, ensure the lining of the shade is secure to the metal form.

For the first strip of fabric, add a line of glue to the top edge over one of the metal rods in the shade, then secure that piece to the bottom.

For the next strip, place it about halfway over the first strip and secure it with hot glue. Continue this process all the way around.

Once all the strips are secured and the shade is covered, trim away any excess fabric from the top and bottom or fold them under and glue them to the inside of the shade.

Add Trim and Final Touches

Next measure the length of the top and bottom trim pieces that were removed in the beginning.

Cut two long strips of the same or coordinating fabric that are the length of those two strips and 3 inches wide.

Fold the long side down 1/2 inch and press, then fold the other long side down to meet in the middle and press.

Fold the piece of fabric again lengthwise and press once more.

Add a little glue between the layers of fabric to secure them.

Attach the trim pieces to the top of the lampshade and bottom of the lampshade using hot glue.

Now you’ve turned a plain lampshade into one that’s beautiful and custom for your home!

Notes

How much fabric and the amount of strips you’ll need will be determined by the size of your lampshade.
You can use bias tape to trim the top and bottom or another fabric to give the shade a different look.
If you’ve got extra fabric from a previous project, this is the perfect project to use it on.
If needed, add a bit of glue between the strips to keep them together and neater looking.

Pleated Lampshade

Active Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours

Transform an old lampshade into a beautiful English cottage inspired pleated fabric lampshade using only some fabric and hot glue.

Materials

Lampshade
1-2 yards fabric of choice
Glue sticks

Tools

Iron and ironing board
Fabric tape measure
Scissors
Cutting mat and rotary cutter (optional)
Glue gun

Instructions