The Complete Guide To Making Lampshades - Jane Warren

Discover how to create beautiful, bespoke lampshades, from simple drum shades to traditional hand-sewn designs.

Complete Guide to Lampshade Making by Jane Warren brings together practical instruction and creative inspiration to help you explore the craft of making your own lampshades. With easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials, expert techniques and useful tips, it offers guidance for both first-time makers and those ready to tackle more intricate styles.

Whether you want to make a shade to complement your décor, give an existing lamp a fresh look or develop your lampshade-making skills, this book provides plenty of ideas to get you started. Inspirational photography and clear illustrations support the instructions, helping you understand the construction process while discovering possibilities for your own designs.

Explore a wide range of lampshade styles

From the clean lines of a drum shade to the texture and detail of gathered and pleated fabric, different lampshade styles can bring very different qualities to a room.

Jane guides you through projects ranging from simple hard lampshades to more complex, hand-sewn traditional designs. This variety makes the book a useful companion as your confidence grows, giving you opportunities to build on familiar methods and try something new.

Follow the tutorials to explore how each style is constructed, then draw inspiration from the finished shades when choosing materials and planning your next make.

Understand sizes, frames and fittings

A successful lampshade begins with choosing the right components. Alongside the making tutorials, the book explains lampshade sizes, frames and fittings, helping you become familiar with the practical details behind a finished shade.

This guidance provides a useful foundation for beginners and a reference for experienced makers exploring a different shape or construction method. Keep it close to hand when planning a project, selecting components or refreshing your knowledge before you begin.

Get creative with fabrics and papers

Your choice of covering is an opportunity to make a lampshade truly your own. Colour, pattern and texture can all influence its character, whether you are creating a subtle addition to a room or a bold decorative feature.

The book explores how to use an assortment of fabrics and papers, encouraging you to consider different materials for your projects. Combined with Jane’s techniques and tips, this guidance helps you develop your ideas and enjoy the possibilities of bespoke lampshade making.

Inside, you will find guidance on:

• Simple drum hard lampshades — explore a versatile style and build your making skills.
• Traditional hand-sewn shades — progress to more detailed construction techniques.
• Gathered and pleated designs — introduce texture and decorative detail through fabric.
• Sizes, frames and fittings — understand the components involved in planning your shade.
• Fabric and paper coverings — explore materials for different creative effects.
• Recycling and remaking — discover ways to rework and repurpose old lampshades.

Give old lampshades a new chapter

Making a lampshade does not always mean starting from scratch. The book also includes techniques for recycling, remaking and repurposing existing shades, opening up possibilities for pieces that need a refresh.

Whether an old shade no longer suits your décor or you want to explore its potential for a new design, these techniques encourage you to look at it with fresh eyes. It is another way to put your skills into practice and bring your personal style into your home.

Contents

Part 1: Hard Lampshades  

• Materials and getting started
• Making Hard Lampshades  
• Further Idea and Techniques for Hard Lampshades  

Part 2: Soft Fabric Lampshades

• Materials and Techniques
• Traditional Tailored Lampshades
• Gathered and Pleated Lampshades
• Further Ideas for Soft Lampshades
• Trims for Lampshades

A reference to return to throughout your making journey

Packed with creative ideas, inspirational photography and clear illustrations, Complete Guide to Lampshade Making is a book to browse for inspiration and consult while you work.

At Dannells, we consider it an essential addition to any lampshade maker’s bookshelf. As passionate supporters of lampshade-making skills and craftsmanship, we are offering Complete Guide to Lampshade Making at cost price to Dannells customers.

Meet the author, Jane Warren

After training in soft furnishings and design, Jane Warren founded The Lampshade Loft. Her lampshades have appeared in a range of prestigious settings and leading interiors magazines.

Alongside her own making practice, Jane regularly runs workshops, teaching others how to create a variety of lampshade styles. She is also a valued contributor and key member of our Lampshade Makers Facebook Forum, sharing her knowledge with the wider lampshade-making community.

Related Products

To enhance your lampshade making experience, take a look at our diffusers, metallic lining upgrades, digital print options, cellophane wrap and wattage labels.

See related products below.