Expert to Beginner

Covering a Lampshade with Fabric Tutorial

Adding fabric to a lampshade is easy and one of my favorite ways to personalize a space.

What you will need:

1. Lampshade
2. Fabric (about 1/2 yard per shade - 54" width fabric (maybe less) - I would use a heavier weight fabric, this is a duck cotton which worked well - an indoor/outdoor fabric would work even better because of its stiffness
3. Craft glue
4. Tape (to temporarily hold fabric until glue dries)
5. Ribbon for trim

I started by cutting the fabric the exact height of the shade

Start at the seam on the shade, apply a thin layer of craft glue on the edge and adhere the end of your fabric


Use tape to hold in place (make sure to press down hard because you will be pulling tight!

Go around the shade pulling tight and applying tape at the edges to help hold in place (it is helpful to have another pair of hands to help hold in place)


When you get to the other end - fold the end and iron to get a crisp line - apply a thin layer of glue and use tape to hold in place.


I used bias tape for the trim - normally I use ribbon but couldnt find any that I liked - so decided to give this a try! When selecting trim, make sure to bring a sample of the fabric to hold underneath to make sure you cant see the fabric through the trim.


Trim any excess fabric off of the edges of the shade with sharp scissors


Starting at the fabric seam - place the trim slightly under the fabric fold - working in small sections, apply a thin layer of craft glue to the edge and then apply the trim slightly past the fabric to hide the edge - pull tight and tape as you go to hold the ribbon until the glue dries - when you are at the end, fold the trim under the pressed fabric fold and glue in place.

Reattach the shade and you now have a one of a kind lamp!


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