Lamp Makeover

I walked by this lamp the other day and couldn't believe how long I had let it go on being this ugly.... It needs a makeover...

Lamp Before

I think I might have everything it needs.  A can of flat black spray paint, painters tape, Fabric to cover the shade ( surely I can find something in all that fabric I have). 

I set out that very moment to paint the lamp. First I wiped it down with a cloth... (Note: do a really good job of wiping it down it seems I missed a spot that I had to go back and sand and paint again because it had some goo or slick something on it probably left over from some toddler mishap). I used the painters tape and taped off the socket and the cord so I the over spray wouldn't get on them.

Ready to paint

                                               

Then after the little goo mishap I sanded that spot down and painted it again.

Now the lamp shade.  Sorry I don't have a before of the lamp shade except for the ugly before picture at the top of the page. I soon found out that it really needed help while I was looking at it the binding around the top and the bottom of the shad just fell off in my hands.  Well, that helps...  At first I had decided on using burlap to cover the shade.  So, much for the fabric stash.  I don't have any burlap YAY! off to shop for fabric... When I got to hobby lobby burlap happened to be on sale! (another YAY!), except they don't have the natural color I wanted.  So, I looked around and decided on the unbleached natural muslin.  I am going to just cover over the existing fabric on the shade.

I put the lampshade on freezer paper and traced it while turning the shad so I would have the shape I needed to cut the fabric.  I went back and added a half inch to both the top and the bottom so I could turn the edges in when gluing it on the existing shade. I cut out the freezer paper pattern and ironed it on my fabric so it wouldn't slip around while trying to cut the fabric.

freezer paper pattern ironed on muslin fabric

I cut out the fabric and removed the freezer paper.  Using fusible tape I ironed a hem on one edge (just the edge that would be on the outside. I was covering the raw edge where I started with the finished hem.  I used my scissors and made a little snip every two inches in the fabric that would be on the bottom of the shade(I did not make the snip more than a half inch long because that is what is going to be turned under) .  I did the same snips in the fabric that would be around the top of the shade but I did them every inch.   Next, I broke out the glue gun.  I glued down the raw edge from the top of the shade to the bottom.  I then folded under the fabric on the bottom (between two of the snips I made )and glued it on the inside of the shade. I proceeded with this until the bottom was completely glued all the way around the shade.  I then started with the top. While gluing the top I smoothed the fabric and pulled it tight while gluing it so it would look nice.  Sorry no pictures of this step.  I did a lot of mumbling dirty words under my breath while getting hot glue burns on my fingers...  Here is the shade on the painted lamp.

painted lamp and recovered shade

                                     

unbleached natural muslin covered shade

Humm... It still needs something.  Off to the craft closet to see what I can find to help the shade out. Ah Ha... twine, in the natural burlap color I originally wanted.  Get out the hot glue gun again... I wrapped the twine around the bottom of the shade several times gluing it as I went.  I did the same around the top and then I went back and added the twine flowers.  What do you think? 

finished lamp

close up of finished shade

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