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Nov 16, 2021

#memadeshade October winner

Updated: Oct 11, 2023

We're thrilled that this month's #memadeshade winner is @bridget9696, who has been a regular in our 'Most Liked shades' throughout our Instagram competition! Her winning lampshade is a cyanotype 'Allium', which is beautifully highlighted against its indigo background. Just the lampshade for this time of year it symbolises not only the end of the summer but also reminds Bridget (and us!) of autumn fireworks!


Congratulations, @bridget9696! Your £100 voucher is on its way to you to spend at Dannells.com. We chat with Bridget to find out more about her exciting sun printing process and her creative lampshade making, in the Q&A below.




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

Hi, I am Bridget, a Sun Printer and Textile Artist; I use cyanotype chemicals, plants and sunshine to create sun printed material which then gets made into lampshades. I also print onto paper to make cards, prints and handmade books. I love working with plants that I find on my walks, or grow in my garden. I am inspired by nature wanting to ‘bring the outside inside.


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

I have been making lampshades since the end of 2018 when I first started printing on larger pieces of fabric to make original Fern Lampshades. I wanted to make some for myself for my B&B room as it needed some lamps in there. They looked so lovely I made more and they started to sell quite quickly.


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

This 'Allium Lampshade' was bought by another lampshade maker and I feel so honoured to have my sun printed lampshade chosen to go in her home. The 'Allium Lampshades' have been very popular this year. I love them myself as they remind me of summer, but also of fireworks. I think they are stunning.


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

The Drum Lampshade Making Kits are very easy to use and as I teach lampshade making as well, this is quite important.


Any plans to make more lampshades?

I am always making lampshades now, as they have become a major part of my work. I also run lampshade workshops, where people can come and create their own unique sun printed material then turn it into a lampshade. During the winter I have a large sunbed that gets used for making the long pieces of material. I love to see what people will bring with them to sun print. I get some great gifts of unusual plants and recently I received some fennel flowers, which were very beautiful when printed, showing the feathery fronds of their leaves.


Browse Bridget's stunning cyanotype lampshades, notebooks and prints and give her a friendly follow on her socials below...


Find, like and shop Bridgets's cyanotype goodies below...



Instagram @bridget9696




October's Most Liked Shades


Made from our Lampshade making kits each shade in October's Most Liked Shades, while very different, all follow the theme of nature. We love that each maker has put their own personal stamp on their shade, which is what our kits are all about!


Here's what each maker had to say about their shade on Instagram:


Good morning. Finally made and now available in my Etsy shop vintage fabric lampshades. I think they look Scandinavian and 60s all at the same time. Please see link in bio.


I’ve just finished this commission for a lovely customer. Kirsten had already purchased a set of Coasters and then ordered another set along with a Linen Lampshade and bespoke matching table runner to go in her beautiful new garden room

“I just wanted to say how thrilled to bits I am with the lampshade. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Thank you so much.”


Was so pleased to receive this lovely feedback from the new owner of this linen cotton & merino wool felted lampshade that headed out to its new home last week.


It’s little messages like this that put a huge smile on a makers face, thank you. 🤗🙌🙌


I’ll be doing my first ever market in a few weeks time on Sunday November 7th at @makemore_stuff in the Baltic for anyone local to the Newcastle area! I’ll be selling my lampshades , art prints cards and a few ✨NEW✨ products which I’ll be revealing to you very soon 👀


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 4000 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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