DIY Tutorial - How to Make an Extreme Conical Lampshade

To celebrate the launch of our smallest duplex ring yet, we’ve a lampshade making treat in store for you on the blog today - a step by step tutorial to make an on trend Extreme Conical Lampshade!

Our versatile 12.5cm duplex ring is perfect for making lampshades that feature a small top ring and an oversized ring at the base, and by using our ingenious Lampshade Pattern Designer and Template creator, we've been able to easily replicate this stylish shape. And, since we've just added our whole range of duplex lampshade rings to Dannells.com, to buy singularly, you can now mix and match ring sizes to create any lampshade you want!

Single Duplex Lampshade Rings

Only previously available in ringsets along with a plain ring, our Duplex Rings are now available individually, to enable you to create any size or shape of lampshade you want, Ranging from our NEW 12.5cm diameter Duplex Ring, through to our largest size measuring a whopping 70cm , each Duplex Ring compatible with either a Shade Carrier, to use with a table lamp, or a Spider Fitting to use as a pendant light.

What you’ll need to make an Extreme Conical Lampshade

• Template using our Lampshade Designer and Pattern Creator

• 2 metre roll Standard Stick It® Self Adhesive Lampshade PVC

• 1 x 50cm Plain Ring

• 1 x 12.5cm Duplex Ring

•  A spider fitting or shade carrier fitting (dependent on if you are creating a table or pendant lampshade)

• 3 meter roll Tessa 9mm double sided tape

• Rolled Edge tool

• Fabric or covering measuring 70 x 70 cm (we used Cordoba Plain Fabric in Apple)

• Fabric Scissors 

• Tailors chalk or Erasable fabric marker

• Tape measure

• Tape scissors (optional)

• Masking Tape

• Sellotape
  

 NEEDS LINK

How to make your Extreme Conical Lampshade

A note about choosing a covering

Due to the curved shape of the conical lampshade, plain or non-directional all-over prints work best with this lampshade style and it's worth noting that linear patterns will not remain straight. To test your fabric, masking tape your panel seam together and wrap your fabric around in advance of adhering to the panel. Check out our range of full range of plain fabrics, ranging form natural linens to colour popping velvets.

Preparing your template 

1.Using the Lampshade Designer and Pattern Creator, create a PDF template using the following measurements. Please note do not add a kisscut.

2.  Download the PDF and Adobe Acrobat and tile the template, according to the instructions below the Lampshade Designer and Pattern Creator.

Please note: Although the seam is a hidden part of the shade, on angled shades, an anomaly with all computer created templates can result in the seam being uneven e.g. narrower one end than the other. We suggest checking the template before cutting your Stick-It® and adding the fabric. It is easy to add to the seam by process of elimination.

3. Print your tiled pattern join and stick the pieces together one at a time. By drawing a cutting line to bring the red line to the edge of the paper on the overlapping piece, this should make it easier to form a continuous pattern, when sticking together. Cut out the completed pattern carefully, using the red line as your cutting guide.   

4. Position the template onto the backing paper of your Standard Stick It® Self Adhesive Lampshade PVC. Secure with a few short pieces of masking tape.

5. Draw around the template and carefully cut out. Note this is the finished lampshade size, without additional kisscut margins. Cut down the covering to a workable size and press thoroughly. Place your covering face down and position the Stick-It panel on top, with the backing paper face down.

6. Peel back 5 -10cm of the release paper and stick the panel down onto your covering.

7. Smooth down the Stick It® Self Adhesive Lampshade PVC, using your fist or palm of your hand.

8. Smooth out from the middle and press the adhesive into the fabric firmly until all the release paper is removed.

9. Turn over and inspected the right side of your fabric for creases.

10. Turn so the panel is face up, and along the curved edges, measure and mark 1.5cm away from the edge of the PVC.

Pro Tip – Before cutting consider if you would like to add a Folded Seam Edge, using either our instructions on the blog or watch our YouTube video. If you do you’ll need to measure a 1cm fabric margin along one of the short edges and the cut around this. 

11. Cut off surplus covering, close to the short edges and along the 1.5cm on the curved edges.

Insert images – cutting close to short edge and along markers on curves

12. Apply double-sided Tesa tape to one side of the panel edge to stick the seam. Remove the release paper.

13. Apply double-sided Tesa tape to the larger ring of the duplex ring and push the Tesa tape evenly and firmly onto the ring, and repeat for the plain ring.

14. Remove the release paper on both rings. Place the larger ring on outer edge of the PVC, starting at the short edge without the tape. Roll the ring slowly and the panel will begin to lift and take shape.

Pro Tip: Apply only light pressure when rolling to make it easier to finish the shade.

15. Once the plain ring is half way around the outer edge, pause rolling and take the duple ring and position on the inner edge of the PVC. When the small ring is on the small ring is in the same position as the large ring, roll the two together until you reach the seam.

Pro Tip: Ensure when you position the small duplex ring, that the struts do not sit over

the seam.

15. Gently press the seam together from the centre to close. Do not apply any pressure here or you may dent the lampshade.

18. Place the lampshade seam down on a hard surface and apply firm pressure, pressing the tape down.

Pro Tip: For best results use a seam roller.

20. Pinch the fabric over the ring, pulling taut and folding onto the sticky rings

21.Use the finishing tool to push the fabric behind the rings. Push the tool between the gap and swipe around the circumference until you’re happy with the finish. 

22. Enjoy your professionally finished DIY Extreme Conical Lampshade.

Shade Carriers and Spider fittings

To fit a duplex ring to your table light or to use a pendant light, you'll need to use the following fittings:

• Table Light - a Shade Carrier

• Pendant light - a Spider Fitting

Each of these fitting work seamlessly with the lower ring of the duplex fitting, which slips over the shade carrier and which sits on top of the spider fitting. You can read more about how shade carrier and spider fittings work in our blog post here.

In the case of our Extreme Conical Lampshade, we would recommend a shallow 3" or 4" Shade Carrier, to avoid this from being visible below the edge of lampshade.

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