Nov 14, 2016

Transform your craft stash into a stylish gift Part 1

I have a big box of random crafty bits that are just begging me to do something with them. My stash is mainly made up of fabric from previous projects that are too big to throw away but too small for a big make and reels of ric-rac and ribbon that I’ve bought because it was going cheap. It’s a rather pretty collection but it’s not doing anything at the mo. So I decided to unleash my inner upcycler and give this colourful pile some life while creating something I’m proud of.

I wanted something fairly substantial to really make the most of my stash and Dannells 20cm Drum Lampshade Making Kits and 20cm Ribbon Lampshade Making Kits are perfect for helping me transform my bits and pieces into special items that are good enough to give away.

Make a quirky lampshade

I’ve been using this fox terrier patterned fabric for funky cushions and had 25cm left at the end of my yard of material. This is ideal as you only need a 22cm x 64.5cm panel to make a 20cm lampshade. Which is exactly what I did.

I chose a kit with a silver panel inside to not only match the silvery grey of the dog’s back but also for the lamp to produce a shimmery light. The easy to follow instructions made assembling the shade a breeze and I was really pleased with the finished piece.

components needed for making a drum lampshade using a Dannells kit

But what about the base? Well, I had an old full beige lamp base that has been languishing in my shed because I liked the shape but hated the colour. I knew it would look really cute with the doggy shade so I gave it a very quick brush of colour with yellow chalk paint, giving the whole table lamp an appearance that would suit both a fun, contemporary home or a quirky retro-themed space.

By upcycling the lamp base and using fabric from my own stash I know I’ve made something unique. I’ve got a dog-loving friend who will just love this and, as I’ve used stuff I already had, I can give her this adorable piece of lighting that really only cost me the price of the kit. I’m thinking of raiding my stash further (and the hardware shops for lamp bases) and using spare floral fabric to whip up some romantic, feminine shades for my vintage loving girly friends.