29th project completed - a couple of revamped lamp shades

Hello!

Well number 29 was really quite fun! As promised I have recycled two lampshades using simple decorative techniques,

one to fit the lamp-base I made last week ....

and one for the top of my stairs which was originally looking really grotty and about to go to the bin....

Materials needed.

Lampshade 1

• Old lampshade
• Some left over heavy thread to compliment the colour scheme of the room
• Fabric paint
• Large eyed sharp needle

Lampshade 2

• Old paper shade
• Some left over silk and wool fibres
• Glue (PVA will do)
• Some dried leaves and petals

Instructions - Lampshade 1

1. Using fabric paint colour your lampshade to match the colour scheme of your room this is particularly good if, like mine, the shade is rather faded.

2. Using a large eyed needle and some embroidery thread, stitch long stitches down the length of the shade taking a short stitch inside the shade to move along.

3. Keep going until the shade is completely covered. 

There we have it an easy new look for an old shade.

Lampshade 2

1. Firstly remove all dust from the shade. Then apply a wet mixture of PVA and water with a large soft brush to a section of the shade and start laying down some fibres onto it. Pay particular to any ripped areas.

2. Smooth down the fibres with the brush or your hands.

3. Continue in this way until the whole shade is covered. Leave to dry completely before re-hanging.

21st Project completed - A felted cuff

Hi all, well I have got back at last. As I said in my last post the technology gremlins have been out in force this last week. Very annoying but there we are, i suppose you can't expect every thing to go smoothly all the time!

Here it is, this week's project, a nice fun one......

A felted cuff made using an old coke bottle, some scraps of felt left over from Christmas and some left over scraps and fibers!



Materials used

• An empty 2L bottle of coke (other brands are available!)
• Scissors
• Left over scraps of fabric, threads and silk fibres
• A scrap of felt
• An embellishing machine or needle-felting tool

Instructions

1. Cut the top and bottom off your bottle, then cut up the side of your bottle to open it out.  Cut a strip approx 5cm wide around the bottle. Fold in half and cut so you have two identical strips. Glue one inside the other and set aside to dry. Save the bottom for another brooch?

 

2. Mark out on a piece of felt felt, a strip the same size as your plastic piece plus 5mm all round as a seam allowance . Now lay threads, scraps of fabric or silk fibres / fleece if you have any on top.

3. Using an embellishing machine or needle-felting tool, attach the fibres to the felt and felt in well.

 

4. Cut out and glue to the outside of your plastic strip. Cut another strip of felt which is the same size as your plastic strip and glue to the inside.

5. Now, carefully fold in the outside edges to the inside and slip stitch into place neatly.

6. To make a closure, knot one end of a piece of decorative cord several times and thread between the layers to the outside at one end, repeat at the other end. The cuff can now be tied around the wrist with a bow.

There we have it, a colourful felted cuff join me tomorrow evening for next weeks project announcement - all providing the gremlins have moved on for good!