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Nov 16, 2022

#memadeshade October Winner - Lampshades by Maggie

Updated: Oct 11, 2023

October's #memadeshade winning lampshade is truly unique! Made by @lampshadesbymaggie

in a beautiful bespoke fabric, its rectangle frames show off its art deco design to the max!


Huge congratulations to Maggie for her beautiful winning shade and we're looking forward to seeing what she makes with her #memadeshade prize, a £100 voucher to spend at Dannells.com.


Setting up her own lampshade making business, born from the need to bring some colour and life to her own home, Maggie clearly has an eye for design and a passion for lampshades, making both hard and soft shades. Read more about her inspiring lampshade making journey below.




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

I'm Maggie and I started 'Lampshades by Maggie' two years ago. I have always loved all things creative and after moving to a new home on the border of the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean, I desperately wanted to inject some colour and homeliness into the house and turn it into a home. Making my own lampshades was the obvious first step as a lampshade can really transform a room. I loved the process so much that I taught myself various techniques and set up a business. I have spent the past year learning traditional handsewn techniques to expand my business.


Aside from making lampshades, I am also a mother to a 6 and 3 year-old old so it can be a challenge to fit the lampshade making in at times, but it's so great to have something to do that I love, aside from looking after the children.


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

I first used a Needcraft kit in December 2020 and have been hooked since then.


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

The shade I entered for the #memadeshade competition is such a unique rectangle shape and is completely bespoke. I haven't made that particular shape with that fabric design before. The fabric was designed by @frankiebenkadesign who kindly added a black and gold version of the pattern at my request. It is by far the most popular design that I currently sell, particularly with men. I like to call it the "Man-shade"!


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

The Needcraft lampshade making kits are so easy to use and top quality. I wouldn't go anywhere else for my supplies. Their customer service is also brilliant and they offer so much advice and support on their website.


Any plans to make more lampshades?

Absolutely! I plan to continue to grow my business and am currently adding traditional handsewn lampshades to my online Etsy shop www.lampshadesbymaggie@etsy.com. Making lampshades is truly addictive and I'm lucky that I have been able to turn my hobby into a successful business.


Take a look at Maggie's range of contemporary and traditional lampshades on her Etsy site below and give her a friendly follow.




October's Most Liked Shades


The depth and breadth of lampshade designs never cease to amaze us and October's Most Liked Shades are a real mix of creative ingenuity! Here's what our makers have to say about their shades:


@racheldaviesstudio First time creating a lampshade! With @c.cosens during her wonderful lampshade making workshop! I used an old tablecloth of my grandmother’s, so I now have a vintage up-cycled piece! Clare’s courses are on @craftcourses. The kit was from @needcraft_


As the nights get longer I get even more time to enjoy the glow of my lampshades bringing the outside in with these Cyanotype prints of autumnal plants. Happy Nights 💙🌿you can see my lampshades at @doddiscombsleigh_art_show_ starting today and in @shpoproc in Totnes.


Happy Halloween 🦇 though I’m not one for spooky stuff and prefer magical 🪄… which is the theme of my latest commission for a pair of large 40cm lampshades in Emma J Shipley ‘Lynx’ linen fabric which features mystical flying felines with wings and peacock tails. Gorgeous in this deeper drum shape with luxury pale gold lining✨


@crafty.robin.restyles This pretty rustic hessian shade with added bow & fringe is one of a couple of new designs I’ve just added to my Etsy shop if you fancy taking a peek 👀! Perfect for cosy Autumn evenings don’t you think? 🎃😊


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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