Guest #12 at Wantobe Quilters Here is Amanda -Covering a lampshade - with fabric!

Hi everyone!
My name is Amanda Murphy and I'm so happy to be invited to post on Madame Samm's blog!  In my day job I am a surface and textile designer.  I've also designed a lot of quilts.  My line of quilt patterns just launched this spring at Quilt Market and is available at Fat Quarter shop and other retailers.  All the patterns feature Veranda, my most recent fabric line for Robert Kaufman.  It starts shipping this month!

This is actually my first of three posts and I'll be talking about accessories.  Once you have finished making a beautiful quilt it is so fun to make some other items to coordinate and give a more finished look to your decor.  Recently I repainted my daughter's room in her favorite light aqua color.  Because this was a surprise, I didn't have time to sew bedding but used this beautiful Amy Butler set.

Several of the quilts from my pattern line work well with this room, most notably Town Square.

We went on a mad search for a fun lampshade but was unable to find anything that we really liked.  Luckily, I had a little Veranda fabric leftover and so today I'll be talking about (drumroll, please)....

Covering a lampshade with your favorite fabric! 

You will need:

• 1 simple lampshade (I used an octagonally-shaped one I bought from Lowe's for under $20, but the same principles would apply to any shape)
• enough flat trim to cover all the edges
• some pom-pom of other fun trim to hang from the bottom of the shade
• enough fabric to cover the lampshade (usually 1/2 yard is enough, but you can get a pretty good idea by loosely wrapping it around the shade)
• fabric glue

First, make a pattern for each side of the shade using scrap fabric.  Since I had an octagonally-shaped shade, I needed a pattern for both the wide and narrow sides.  (If you have a straight cylindrical shade, you obviouly don't need this - just measure the height and cut a strip long enough to wrap around the shade...)

Next, place these patterns on top of your lampshade fabric and cut out enough pieces for all side, ADDING IN 1/4" SEAM ALLOWANCE.  Press these pieces.

I chose to apply the wide sides first, and finish by adding the narrow sides.  Turn under the tops and bottoms of the wide sides 1/4" and press.  (Since the edges of the narrow pieces will overlap the edges of the wide pieces, there is no need to turn under the sides of the wide pieces.)

Run a line of glue along the bottom and top of one wide side of the lampshade.  Run more glue along the side edges for that panel.  Press your fabric to the shade.  Make sure you have a smooth finish.  Continue until all of these sides are applied.

Turn under the sides of the narrow pieces 1/4" and press.  Turn under the top and bottoms and press.

This time you'll want to apply the glue to the seam allowances of these pieces, rather than to the lampshade itself.  Press the narrow panels onto the lampshade.

Running another line of glue down each vertical edge, apply your flat trim to the sides of the shade.

Run a line of glue around the top of the shade and apply the trim all the way around, overlapping the trim at the end.  The trim we used has a bit of dimension, so we did not turn it under, but just applied a bit of extra glue at the end to secure.  Secure the trim with office clamps and let dry.

Hang the lampshade on the lamp, loosely screwing on the top so that your can still turn the shade easily.  Apple the pom-pom trim on the bttom of the shade in the same manner you applied the trim on the top.  If desired, apply a line of flat trim right above the pom-poms.

To further individualize you shade consider using contrasting panels of fabric.  For cone-shaped shades you can cut 6 pieces that cover a little more than 1/6 of the shade, and apply trim where the fabrics meet.  Wouldn't that be cute in plaid or checks for a boy's room?
I hope that you enjoyed learning to make something to go along with your beautiful quilts and pillows.  Thanks again to Madame Samm for having me.

I believe the folks at Robert Kaufman have donated some Veranda yardage for a giveaway today!

Until next time (when we'll actually use a sewing machine)... happy sewing!
Amanda

Editors note:   OH my Amanda you do brighten up a spot....thank you sew much for being
our special guest today and for bringing along your newest collection called Veranda! 

click on photo to enlarge...

Giveaway today is for QUILTERS...

and my will you be loving this...

This is Amanda's newest line called VERANDA

and yes Robert Kaufman sent plenty of her collection....

such great sponsors..

( this is only some of it...more to giveaway in the near future)

and they were cut into 1/2 yard BUNDLES

And today being it is such a special day we will have 3 winners...

Each winner will get 6 yards of 1/2 yard cuts....

and someone will win this Colonial

basket filled with everything you will ever

need and also some Famore Applique

scissors..I would have to add here

probably my most used scissors...

( take a peak at sidebar for more detail)

How to win..

Hurry go to Amanda's blog and be 

her new follower( let us know) 

(her gadget follower button is now up)

If you cannot see her followers gadget, refresh her blog

a couple times that seems to work...

 please tell her  how much you would love to win this..

 please leave her a comment.

Be a follower here...oh yes, you do want to be....11 more weeks

of giveaways..just saying...

Look at what you could create! Wow!

Thank YOU Amanda, Robert Kaufman,

Colonial Needle, Famore Cutlery

and YOU for being here...YOU are why 

we do this...

Anything URGENT just put that in your subject

line..I will reply....

madamesamm@cogeco.ca