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    • Jun 18

Find a Summer Lampshade Workshop

Develop your lampshade making abilities this summer by mastering the art of creating stunning hard or soft lampshades under the guidance of a skilled tutor!


Choose a UK lampshade making workshop from our wide selection and begin to learn, or build your knowledge and skills, to create hard drum lampshades or intricate gathered, pleated, or tailored soft lampshades. Not only will you leave with a beautiful lampshade by the end of each workshop, but you'll have lifelong creative skills too!



Hard Lampshade Making


Hard lampshades are a fun, creative way to enter the world of lampshade making, and many professional lampshade makers offer skill filled workshops, that teach you the insider tips and tricks to making professional quality drum lampshade in just a few hours.


Here's our picks of summer hard lampshade workshops in the UK:


Drum Lampshade Making at Gilhoolie


Dates: 25th June, 11th July, 25th July, 21st August

Duration: 2 hours

Tutor: Julie Gardener of Gilhoolie

Location: Maidenhead, Berkshire


Workshops description:

Make your very own professionally-finished drum lampshade in a 2 hour workshop at my home in Maidenhead, Berkshire. All materials included, just bring 0.5m of your own fabric to make into a beautiful lampshade. Homemade cakes and plenty of cups of tea included as well as lots of tips on lampshade making.


I can also show you how to make lined drum lampshades or kids lampshades using comic books – just let me know what you’d like your workshop to cover and I’ll tailor it to suit you.




Drum Lampshade Making at Twin Made

 

Dates:  31st July & 22nd August

Duration: 2 hours

Tutor: Charlotte Peacock at Twin Made

Location: Cardiff

 

Workshop description:

Join us for a Twin Made Workshop to create a bespoke roll top lampshade. During the lampshade making class you'll learn to make a 30cm drum lampshade. You will need a light to medium cotton/cotton mix fabric, as it is easy to work with and always has great results.


Link to book: Drum Lampshade Making 



Drum Lampshade Making Workshop


Duration: 2.5 - 3 hours

Dates: 20th June & 10th July

Tutor: Rachel Rowe of Grace and Favour

Location: Bovey Tracey, Dartmoor

 

Workshops description: 

The course is suitable for all levels of competency and there is no sewing required. In this small group class, Rachael will guide you through each of the steps at a gentle pace, ensuring you have all the time and support needed to create a beautiful lampshade. The course will last for approximately 2 1/2 - 3 hours and will include some light refreshments. There are 2 steps to access the building and a long flight of stairs (23 steps) to access the toilet facilities.


During this small group class you will learn how to make a 20cm or 30cm diameter shade in a choice of beautiful fabrics (or you can bring your own!).





Soft Lampshade Making

Whether you're a seasoned lampshade maker, keen crafter or just fancy learning a new creative skill, attending a soft lampshade making workshop means you can learn the basic foundations of soft shade making, alongside the skills needed to make either a tailored, gathered or pleated outer cover. Unlike hard lampshade making, there is much sewing involved, so get your needles and threads at the ready!



Gathered Lampshade Workshop


Dates: 10th & 17th August 

Duration: 2 days

Tutor: Jane Warren of The Lampshade Loft

Location: Clothkits, Chichester, West Sussex

 

Workshop description: I

In this two-day workshop you will learn all the skills needed to make a wonderful, gathered lampshade, and will be able to go on to make more for yourself or to make them professionally. You will be taught how to:

 

Skills:

  • Gather your fabric, heeding pattern and positioning - you will learn two methods for this

  • Hand sew this onto the frame (you need no previous experience but a love of or big interest in hand sewing is key!)

  • Make a balloon lining and position this into the frame and hand sew in place

  • Make your base and top ring bias trims and (yes you guessed it!) hand sew these into position




Box Pleated Lampshade Workshop


Dates: 13th & 14th July and 1st & 2nd August,

Duration: 2 days

Tutor: Moji Salehi of Moji Designs

Location: Brighton


Workshop description:

Immerse yourself in a weekend of creativity in Brighton as you learn the art of crafting stunning hand-sewn lampshades. In this 2 day course, you’ll explore the intricate process of creating box pleated lampshades, complete with linings and matching trim.


Renowned for their captivating three-dimensional design, box pleated lampshades seamlessly blend elegance, versatility, and timeless appeal. This sought-after lampshade comprises two components: an empire hardback shade serving as the base, and a box pleated loose cover designed to sit atop the base lampshade. The removable loose cover offers versatile functionality, allowing you to adapt the lampshade to suit your space.


Skills:

  • Master the construction of an empire hardback lampshade

  • Learn techniques of template design and edge rolling for a flawless finish

  • Learn the art of sewing a box pleated loose cover with lining






New Traditional Lampshade Making Workshop


Dates: Sunday 30th June

Duration: 1 day

Tutor: Jo of Lume Lighting

Location: Brighton


Workshop description: 

During this one day course you will learn all the skills you need to make your own bowed empire traditional soft lampshade. Traditional lampshades are made in a very different way to drum lampshades, and involve stretching fabric over a frame and then hand sewing in place. There is no hard lampshade backing used, just fabric, which is why they are called fabric soft lampshades. 

This workshop is run by Jo from Lume Lighting, who has been making lampshades for 9 years.

 

Skills: 

  • Taught how to bind your lampshade frame using cotton tape

  • Learn how to stretch your fabric over your frame so that it sits nicely against your frame

  • Hand sew your fabric onto your frame- Make your own bias binding

  • Bind your lampshades either in bias binding or trim

 



Traditional Hand-stitched Lampshade Making Course


Dates: Saturday 24th & 25th August 2024

Duration: 2 days

Tutor: Charlotte Campbell from The Charlotte Campbell Collection

Location: Shoreditch, East London


Workshop description:

Join us for this jam packed two day weekend course learning to make a hand sewn, lined ‘parachute’ shaped lampshade with trim. Run by Charlotte Campbell of @TheCharlotteCampbellCollection


Skills:

  • Learn how to template for lining and outer fabric for your shade

  • Master the art of the lampshade stitch

  • Learn about the fabric ‘bias’ and maintaining tension without distorting your pattern

  • Leave the course with a lined parachute lampshade with trim, all hand sewn





Pleated Lampshade Making with a Lining  


Dates: Thursday 18th & Friday 19th July

Tutor: Expert Tutor at Minerva Workshop

Duration: 2 days

Location: North West London


Workshop description:

Soft lampshades are currently enjoying a revival of interest. Traditionally made using plain fabrics, they are now being created from an array of fabrics. You will learn all the skills you need to make your own pleated lampshades, fully lined and finished to a high standard. You will then be able to go on to make more shades, either professionally or for your own use.

 

Skills:

  • Binding your lampshade frame (a straight sided empire frame 25cm base measurement).

  • You will learn how to bind your frame

  • Measuring and making a pleated lining for the lampshade from cotton or linen

  • Pleating your fabric, and attaching and hand sewing it onto the frame

  • Hand sewing your lining onto the frame

  • Making and attaching bias binding for your lampshade

  • Completing any hand sewing your outer gathered fabric onto the frame

 




Handstitched Gathered Lampshade


Dates: 20 & 21 July 2024

Duration: 2 days

Tutor: Aimee of Aimee Alice Payton

Location: Wallingford, Oxfordshire

 

Workshops description:

Over two full days you will handstitch your own beautiful, gathered lampshade. I have lots of beautiful silk and cotton fabric but please feel free to bring your own as well and we can see if it will be suitable.


Skills:

  • You will choose and prepare a suitable frame for this technique

  • Create gathers with traditional techniques

  • Make a balloon lining

  • Finish your shade with a handstitched bias edge

 




Gather Pleated Lampshade Making Course


Dates: Saturday 22 & Sunday 23rd June

Duration:  2 days

Tutor: Jennifer Fraser of Jennifer Fraser Lampshades

Location: Edinburgh

 

Workshops description:

Learn the professional skills along with plenty of tips and tricks form expert maker Jennifer Fraser in her class in collaboration with @sinclairesedinburgh.


Skills:

  • bind the frame

  • make and insert a balloon lining

  • calculate fabric quantities

  • gather and pleat your fabric directly onto the frame

  • sew lampshade stitch

  • make and apply bias trims

 




Become a Lampshade Making Tutor


As a professional lampshade maker, workshops and courses are an excellent source of secondary income. If you’re considering teaching hard lampshade making, not only do we supply Lampshade Making Kit Workshop Packs, but you can also find plenty of useful resources and advice on our blog.


Our Lampshade Making Kit Workshop Packs are specially designed for the classroom, workshop or any group-making activity and contain everything students need to make professional handmade lampshades using their design of choice and are available in the following sizes and panels.


Alongside the professional lampshade making materials, each pack contains clear and comprehensive instruction sheets with colour photographs to support each student and we can also supply PowerPoint presentations and videos for additional support.


Once you’ve purchased a Lampshade Making Kit Workshop Pack, check out our educational blog posts on, How To Plan and Run A Lampshade Workshop, How to Promote your Lampshade Making Workshop with Dannells and use our Lampshade Workshop Directory and Calendar to promote your workshop or courses.



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