- Mar 2, 2022

DIY Tutorial - Parchment Fluted Lampshade

Updated: May 29

Making your own lampshades means the sky is your limit in terms of the materials, design and shape you opt for and today's Parchment Fluted Lampshade is no different. Using our Perga Natural Parchment Lampshade Material combined with a French Drum Frame, we've created this modern lampshade with a unique construction from a DIY template, using some simple maths. Follow the step-by-step tutorial in the post to make your own version and reward your efforts with a contemporary pendant light or table lampshade with a real difference!

What you’ll need to make your Fluted Lampshade

Perga Natural 148cm Parchment Lampshade Material

Scissors

Single hole puncher or belt punch

French drum frame - we used a 25cm diameter frame

Double-sided tape - we used 9mm wide tapes

Ruler

Sharp pencil

Firm cardboard for template

How to make your Fluted Lampshade

1. Start by measuring the following on your frame: diameter of the top ring and diameter of the bottom ring.

2. Use the following formulas to work out the size and shape of the flute template.

3. Start your template by drawing a straight line onto the firm card. Measure out your top ring measurement along the line.

4. Mark exactly halfway along the line for the top ring measurement.

Measure and mark the length of the flute down from the halfway point marked.

Divide the base ring measurement by two. Line up this measurement on the ruler, with the bottom of the length line. Mark the start and end of the base measurement and then draw in the baseline.

5. Join together the top and bottom lines at the sides.

6. Measure and mark a line at 0.5 cm from the long edge and draw a line. Repeat on the opposite side. Cut out the template.

7. Lay your template onto your frame. Position so the overhangs at the top and bottom are equal and mark the position of the rings onto the 0.5cm line on the template. These are your hole punch markers.

8. Punch out the holes and cut a diagonal line towards the hole, so from below the hole at the top and above the hole at the bottom.

9. Attach your template to your frame to make sure all your measurements are correct.

Lay the template onto your parchment laminate and draw round carefully (a sharp pencil will help with accuracy here). To save waste fit the templates together facing alternate ways.

10. Cut out the flute pieces carefully. Make sure they are all exactly the same size – this is crucial to achieving straight lines at the top and bottom of the rings. Punch the holes and cut in the diagonals on each flute piece.

11. Run a strip of double-sided tape along the right-hand side of each flute between the holes. Cut the ends at a diagonal to get the tape as close to the hole as possible.

13. Join the first four pieces together making sure the holes line up accurately.

14. Attach the first set of four flutes to the right of a strut, using the strut to support the left-hand side of the flute. Continue to add the flutes in groups of four, working around the frame, making sure they are equally spaced out.

15. After you have attached all 16 flutes, take the double-sided tape off the final flute and stick it into place.

16. From the inside of the frame squeeze together the two final pieces or clip together to ensure a secure bond. Finally, check that all of the flutes are equally spaced out and adjust any that aren't.

Top tips for making a fluted shade

If you're making several fluted lampshades, use your cardboard template to make a template made from any Lampshade Making PVC, which will be more durable.
The smaller flute you create, the narrower the tape needs to be and we stock 3mm, 6mm and 9mm tapes. Choosing the right width can help prevent the tape from showing between the flutes on the shade.
If you'd like to add bias tape or Self-Adhesive Textile Tape to the top and bottom of each flute, do this before joining the flutes together.

Pick a parchment

As well as our Perga Natural Parchment Lampshade Material, we have a fantastic range of parchments that would look equally as good for our Fluted Lampshade design. From our marbled Nimbus Light Parchment to our Gold-flecked Washi paper, each will bring different qualities and diffusion of light. Read our blog post Lampshade Inspiration - How to use laminated parchments, for a more detailed description.