How to cover a lampshade with a simple method and using a glue gun. Cut fabric, fold and glue and before you know it, you’ll have a new lampshade
How to Cover A Lampshade
So, I’ve done a lampshade covering tutorial before, but thought I’d throw it in here again, with my newest project underway. You’ve seen the yardsale lamps I found for the guestroom redo & I spied some fabric that I really wanted to use on these lamps, so that meant recovering my own. That also meant I sure didn’t want to pay much for lampshades that I was just going to recover. So, back to the junk store that I told you about last year..where I found 2 of these beauties for $1 each…just right for this budget. You can see they were in sad shape, but the price was right. The fabric on there was literally falling apart, so I went ahead and ripped it off.
And ended up with just the metal frame. Now, I’ve never covered a lamp with just the metal frame before, but I figured I’d wing it. Since my new fabric needed something to stick to, I pulled out some old white lining fabric I had laying around.
And pieced it together, hot gluing it at the top and bottom of the framing, overlapping it as I went around. I pulled it as tight as I could to get a taut framework for my new fabric.
I snipped off the extra fabric and turned it just under the top and bottom of the frame, pulling and gluing, pulling and gluing (man, does that hot glue hurt!).
It looked like this when I was finished. Nothing pretty about it, but it’s not going to stay like this.
Found this pretty zebra fabric at Hobby Lobby (30% off this week) and picked up 2 yards. Enough to recover the lampshades AND to cover that pretty little Big Lots bench too. I showed you how to make a pattern for your shade before, but here’s a refresher. This is just old wrapping paper that came out of a shopping bag that is pieced together. Lay your shade on it and pencil around the top & bottom (leaving about 1″ above and below) as you roll the shade across it, meeting at the back. This gives you a pattern to follow when you’re cutting out the fabric. I cut out 2 pieces for my shades. I wing things a lot and didn’t even pin this down, just held with one hand and cut with the other. I take shortcuts like that. Did I tell you I’m not a perfectionist. Well, I’m not. 
I missed a couple of pics, but next step is to spray the outside of the shade (on top of my white fabric) with spray adhesive. This stuff works great on a project like this. It keeps that fabric smooth and will help it lay down correctly. So above, I’ve already sprayed with adhesive spray and have started to smooth out the fabric. This part takes a little time, but you can pull the fabric back up and keep working with it until you smooth out the wrinkles. Work your way around until both pieces meet on the back of the shade.
Then you’ll want to turn under one side and glue it down. I also take the iron and run over that seam to help it stay down. I used my glue gun to then pull and turn under the top and bottom edges just like the white fabric that I put on first. Pull and glue until you get it all tucked under the inside of the shade. You’ll have to trim it again with scissors. Doesn’t matter how neat the inside is anyway, that won’t be seen. I used a little fabric glue on the main seam but the glue gun would be fine too. I then added some simple ribbon from Hobby Lobby around the top and bottom of the shades with fabric glue and here it is….
Two finished lamps for the guestroom redo. Total cost: $38 for both lamps. I’d say that’s pretty cost effective, wouldn’t you?
And they are custom lamps, one of a kind…even better! So don’t throw out those old lampshades. Look at them in a whole new light…get it?!
It looks awesome!
I love the fabric you used on your lamp shade. I, too, like to cover lamp shades and I just did one yesterday. I should post a picture. I used some left over fabric from my shower curtain. I like to buy old lamps and refurbish and rewire them. Hubby calls me a lamp freak!
Debbie in Florida
Great tutorial!! I almost threw out two the other day!! Guess I know what I will be doing with them now!
Ok. I have ALWAYS wondered how to do this. You’re awesome… this looks fantastic.
Rhoda, I’ve been lurking on your blog for months (too chicken to comment because you’re so classy) and can I say I LOVE your tutorials?
You do stuff I would never have thought of doing myself, and I never realized how easy it is to recover a lampshade until you showed us.
Thank you so much for sharing your genius.
Wow, Those are gorgeous! I love seeing the stages b/c I might not comprehend it if I started out with just the first step. 😉
fabulous as always
You make it look so easy! Thanks for sharing..Our lamp shades in our living room are starting to see some wear in them, and this would be great!
I’ve never recovered a shade by doing the liner on the outside of the wire before. I’ve always done it on the inside to cover the wires. Have to give that a try.
I love the Zebra! It is so bold, but with the cream and black details it remains dainty. I love it.
I love recovering lampshades. Yours turned out wonderful. I love the zebra print and the pretty embellishment on the lamp itself.
You are such a clever girl! I’ve been wanting to try my hand at lampshade recovering so I’m glad you gave the tutorial again. None of my lamps match my new bedroom stuff but I hate to buy new lamps…I’ll wait to find something “perfect” (i.e. free or cheap or secondhand if possible) and recover the shades if need be.
Can you e-mail me where you found the lining for your bamboo shades in your bathroom? I think that’s the way I’m going for my bedroom windows but they let in too much light and not enough privacy. Were they hard to attach to the shade? Right now the old drapes are up and they just don’t work in there so I’m anxious to replace them with bamboo blinds…
I’m having my yardsale this Sat. and I hope I make some $$. Got lots of stuff! Don’t you need anything?!?!?!?
Judy
Thanks for the tutorial. It looks great in zebra!
The lampshades are totally adorable. I am obsessed with zebra print!
Girl, You are TOO Good! That is beautiful. No longer will I discard a lamp because of the shade! Thanks so much!
Hi Rhoda ~ I love it! It turned out awesome. I printed your tutorial, so that I know what I’m doing next time!
Thanks for the help!
Hugz,
Michele
I’m so thrilled you did this!! I just ripped off some bias trim from my lampshades and it left an unsightly ridge that would totally be noticeable when recovered. Now I’m just going to do what you did and recover the entire wire form first. Way to go!
-Hayley
This is really great! I have such a hard time covering lamp shades. Must have something to do with geometry =) Maybe I can figure it out now that you’ve given me visuals – lol! I found a really cute old one that I’m going to post about in the next day or two. Blessings… Polly
Hi Ms. Rhoda.. I can't imagine what these lamps would cost in a shop now…bunches & bunches I'm sure. You really need to consider doing a book! I'd buy it! 😉 Bo
Rhoda,
This looks great. I love the print on the shades. I actually been wanting a purse with that print, it’s so cute.