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Sep 15, 2022

#memadeshade August Winner - Jane Ellison Textiles

Updated: Oct 11, 2023

This month's winning #memadeshade takes its maker, @janellisontextiles, straight back to her 70s childhood, with its striking retro inspired orange and mustard colour combination!


Huge congratulations to Jane, who initially made the shade as a bespoke design for her best friend, but luckily had enough fabric to make this one too. We love how it shouts Jane's 'modern retro' vibe! Find out more about Jane, her design style and her eco-conscious business choices, in our #memadeshade winner Q&A below.




Can you tell us a little about yourself and the creative things that you do?

I set up my textile studio in my converted garage at our home in 2015. I was an art teacher for many years in London and the opportunity arose for me to start a textile practice when we relocated to the Kent coast. I now spend my time between work in an Art University and my studio, designing and hand-printing fabrics for interiors - mainly cushions and lampshades.

I'm interested in the art and patterns of the mid-20th Century and this filters into sourcing vintage lamp bases from that period. My style is what I call 'Modern-Retro' using bold colour and abstract shape. I try not to waste anything I've printed so off-cuts are made into smaller accessories - lavender bags and zipped pouches.


Are you a newbie lampshade maker or have you made up a Needcraft Lampshade making kit before?

I started by making a pair of small lampshades in 2019 using 15cm Needcraft drum shade kits, finding the instructions really easy to follow. They were immediately successful and sold at an event that summer. I then progressed to 30cm and 40cm shades and now I use the Stick It Eco Premium Board on a roll and cut custom sizes. I also love the Table lamp kits, these really do have a mid-century feel with my prints.

Image credit: Martha Levy

What do you love about the shade you entered for the #memadeshade competition?

I found the West German ceramic 1970s lampbase in a local emporium and had already made this shade once before for a friend's birthday. I had another piece of the same fabric and made one up this base. The hot orange and mustard print just took me straight back to my childhood in the 70s with its look and style. Plus it was made during our recent summer heatwave and I remember the long, hot summer of 1976.

What do you like most about the Needcraft lampshade making kits?

The kits are simple but the results look really professional. There are many artists and designers creating beautiful and original papers and fabrics for lampshades - it is an affordable way to have something handmade, original and lasting in your home.

Any plans to make more lampshades?

Most definitely! I have several bespoke commissions to do and all the shades on my website are made to order. I want to try making different shapes too...


Find more of Jane's retro inspired screen printed homewares on her website below and give her a friendly follow.




August's Most Liked Shades

A riot of pattern and colour dominates this month's #memadeshadse most liked. Here's what our makers have to say about their shades.


Take us home…..🐅🐅 One pair of lamps available - drop us a message for more details and they can be sitting pretty in your home very soon


I finally got to make the lampshade which I have been dreaming up for the last couple of months, and inspired me to teach myself how to make them. It's from the gorgeous Phoenix fabric from @rosenthal_design who is the most lovely fabric designer and has helped me so much on this journey. I'm so in love with it 🖤


Are you a Teal lover? It’s one of my favourite colours which is why I chose it for my logo 🌿 I’ve just finished making some Cushions and a Table Lamp to take to my lovely stockist @abbot.house in Dunfermline 🌿 I love layering the same colour but in different patterns together. The Table Lamp is printed onto pure Scottish Linen and the cushion on a Scottish Linen Union fabric. Block printed with Eco-friendly non toxic inks they make a lovely addition to your home decor. I have limited supplies left of Scottish Linen as the mill closed down last year so these products are very unique Do you have a favourite colour for decorating your home?… PS If you are interested in buying a Table Lamp please get in touch as they are not available yet online


After nearly 3 months off recovering from surgery I’m back in the room with these lovely shades made to compliment a client's bedroom, a 2 tier silver lined shade with subtle soft tassel trim and 2 small bespoke shaped tapered lampshades to match, so rewarding to work with a client to design something specific


Enter our #memadeshade competition

It's super simple to enter our #memadeshade Instagram competition. Just make a lampshade from any of our lampshade making kits and follow the steps below. And if you want to check out the hashtag #memadeshade for inspiration in advance, we've had over 5000 shades enter since we started! Here's a reminder of what to do...


  1. Simply take a picture of your proudest lampshade from one of our kits and enter on Instagram following the steps below:

  2. Follow @needcraft if you haven’t already

  3. Post an image of a lampshade you’ve made from an @needcraft lampshade making kit and tag with #memadeshade and the type of kit you used i.e 30cm Drum shade kits, Square kit etc.

  4. And any size and shape can be entered so display those drums shades, exhibit your empires and reveal your rectangles – any lampshade from one of our kits counts!

For full terms and conditions click here.


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