Skills exchanges are just the best, aren’t they?

A few months ago I spent an afternoon helping a friend sort out her blog.

In return, she offered to teach me how to make a lampshade. She has all the required gubbins and know-how, because it’s one of the things she does.

So yesterday we got together and did just that.

I think the hardest part of the whole process (apart from finding a mutually convenient date for the enterprise in the first place) was choosing which fabric to use…

In the end I went for one of my bought-on-a-whim-because-the-pattern-is-fab-but-oh-dear-what-on-earth-to-use-it-for Crimplene crushes.

I popped a few trims in my bag too, because let’s face it, every lampshade worth it’s salt needs a bit of trim.

Soon, under Ali’s gentle guidance, I was working out measurements (eek!) and snipping merrily.

And not very long after, I had this wonder to show for our joint efforts…

Yes, it is HUGE.

My reasoning was that it’s going on the stairs, over the drop, so nobody is likely to bump their head on it.

And quite frankly, if you’re making yourself a lampshade and you can have it any size you like, why wouldn’t you make it huge?

Ali developed her very own Crimplene crush on my fabric, so I gifted her a bit to reupholster her ottoman with.

And she gave me a frock that she thought might be more my style than hers (or at least, it will be, once I have adapted it slightly…)

When I got home I was straight up the stepladder to hang my new shade.

Never much for DIY, I managed to break the fitting in the process.

Well, you try fitting a shade that size single-handedly!

But after nicking a matching fitting from the attic (nobody will ever know!) I got there eventually…

My shade has a few flaws, the result of my wonky cutting and over-enthusiastic handling of the stiffening stuff. But I’m still very pleased with it.

If you would like to learn how to make a lampshade, Ali runs workshops. You can get in touch with her here.

My shady day was absolutely spiffing.

And so is my new shade. ♥