Apr 26, 2023

DIY Tutorial – How to Make a Professional Rattan Lampshade

Updated: Oct 9, 2023

Adding texture, natural tones and old school simplicity to interiors everywhere, rattan is the hot trend in homewares right now. And we couldn’t resist using this versatile material to show you how to make, what we know best – a rattan lampshade!

Our detailed step-by-step tutorial makes putting together your own DIY Rattan Lampshade a breeze and by using our professional Dannells Lampshade making supplies, we’ll guarantee the finished lampshade will be as high quality, if not better, than the rattan lampshades you’ll find on the high street. And, we share the know-how on how to make a statement rattan lampshade in any size!

What you’ll need to make your Rattan Lampshade

Self-Adhesive Textile Tape - Black

Trimmits 25mm wide Bias Binding - Black

Fabric glue - (we used Gutterman HT2 textiles glue)

3 metre roll of 9mm Tessa Double-Sided tape

20cm Lampshade Ringset

Rolled Edge Tool

Rattan piece (see size below)

Pencil

Scissors

Tins of food or sewing weights

Before you start

Working out the size of your DIY Rattan Lampshade

Decide on the size of lampshade you’d like to make by selecting your ringset from our range, starting by measuring the diameter of your lampshade rings and calculating the circumference, using Pi.

Depth – choose a depth that suits the diameter of the lampshade rings, considering the flexibility and weight of the rattan too. For example, a deeper shade may need extra support at the seam.

Our rattan was cut for a 20cm diameter ring (circumference 62.82cm), measuring 21cm deep, therefore our rattan measurements were:

Length - 65cm

Depth - 21cm

Prepping your materials

Roll out the rattan and lay it flat for at least 24 hours, to remove any curl which makes the rattan easier to work with (we placed ours under a piece of wood loaded with evenly distributed heavy books).

How to Make a Rattan Lampshade

1. Cut the rattan to your desired size (remember to add 2cm to the length). Where possible cut at the edges of the ‘squares’ to prevent the rattan from fraying. Carefully cut away any unwoven rattan at the edges.

2. Take a length of Self Adhesive Textile Tape, 2cm longer than the length of the rattan and fold so the long edges meet.

3. Peel the backing away on one half, to the centre line and position the rattan, front down onto the tape

4. Remove the folded back backing paper. Fold the remaining half over the edge of the rattan. Trim any overhang away to the ends and then repeat at the bottom of the shade.

The Self Adhesive Textile Tape will act as a solid base for attaching the rings to the rattan and also prevent the pattern of the rattan from showing through the application of bias tape.

5. Repeat on the short edge, trimming the overhanging to create a neat corner.

6. Apply 9mm Tessa Double-sided Tape on the front of the shade, on top of the Self Adhesive Textile Tape at the top and the bottom of the shade.

7. Remove the backing paper from the double-sided tape. Run a thin line of fabric glue along the centre of the tape for extra adhesion.

8. Open out the top edge of your matching Trimmits 25mm wide Bias Binding.

9. Leaving a 2cm overhang at the edge of the rattan, match the lower folded bias tape edge to the bottom edge of the Self Adhesive Textile Tape, positioning this on top. Push down gently along the length. Repeat on the bottom edge.

10. Trim back the bias tape overhang, so it's flush at the untaped short edge, both the top and the bottom.

11. On the bias taped seam edge facing towards the inside of the shade, adhere a length of 9mm Tessa Double-sided Tape, leaving the backing paper on.

12. Cover both rings in 9mm Tessa Double-sided Tape, making sure the ring sits equally between the edges of the tape.

13. Pinch the rings around the tape so as much of the ring as possible is covered.

14. Lay the rattan on a clean flat surface with the right side down and position so that you can position the rings at the non tape covered short edge. Remove the backing tape from the rings.

Place the rings simultaneously onto the Self Adhesive Textile Tape on the wrong side of the rattan. The bias tape should be laying open at each side. Sit the rings 2-3 mm away from the top and bottom edges of the shade.

TIP: When positioning the utility ring (the ring with the fitting) ensure that the spoke doesn't sit on the short seam edge.

15. Roll the rings towards the short covered edge.

16. Stop rolling approximately 10cm away from the covered seam. Remove the backing paper from tape on the inside seam and again add a thin layer of glue.

TIP: Position your scissors next to the ring to stop the shade from rolling.

17. Bring the open seam towards the rolled lampshade and press gently along the seam edge to secure.

18. Turn the lampshade on its side, gently pushing the seam to secure using either your hand or a seam roller.

19. If your inside seam isn't sitting flat add a line of glue to stick in place.

20. Open the bias tape and gently pull the raw edge over the ring, gently pushing it under the ring to adhere to the tape. Repeat on the other side.

TIP: Be careful not to pull the bias tape too much as this will distort the line of the bias on the front of the shade.

21. When you reach a spoke, pull the bias tape over the spoke and cut directly above the spoke into the tape, being careful not to cut beyond the ring.

22. Starting at the inside seam gently use the Rolled Edge Tool to tuck the excess bias tape under the rings.

23. When you reach the seam, trim back the bias tape to 1cm and fold over, then continue to tuck in to achieve a neat edge. Repeat on the opposite edge.