DIY Lampshade

I'm a DIY girl, if you didn't know.  So, when I couldn't find a lampshade for my desk to suit my classroom décor and style, I decided to buy some fabric and do a little DIY.  Here is the final product, then you can read on if you're interested in how this project was completed.

This summer my number one goal school-wise was to finally get my desk area organized.  I have a large teacher desk, but still it seems like there's always stuff piled everywhere.  I purchased an inexpensive Closet Maid shelf to aid in giving me some vertical storage. 

Then, I purchased an inexpensive lamp from Target with a plain white shade to cover and personalize.

 

These are some of the basic tools you might use... measuring tape, cutting mat, hard-edged ruler (for straight cuts), and a rotary fabric cutter.  Scissors do the job nicely, too.  ;)

The first step is to measure around the shade.  I purposely chose a shade that was shaped like a cylinder and not a cone.  That way I could cut a simple rectangular piece of fabric and it's much easier.  You'll need to measure the height as well.  I added about an inch or so to those measurements to overlap around the shade and to overlap along the top/bottom edges.  I just mark the measurements with a sharpie on each edge, then line up the ruler with those marks, and cut.

 

 The next step is to adhere the fabric to the shade.  I purchased a can of spray adhesive.  Any brand will do.  Go to a well-ventilated area (outside) and spray the entire outside portion of the shade. 

Wrap the fabric around the shade, being careful there are no bubbles and it's nice and smooth.

I used Aleene's Tacky Glue to adhere the edges down.  I think there are better products for adhering fabric, but this was all I had at the time so I went with it.  It works fine, it just gets the fabric a little "wet" until it dries.

Once that was done, I wanted to finish off those inside edges so they didn't look frayed and uneven.  I applied more Tacky Glue and ran a strip of black ribbon around the edge.

The last step was to add a decorative ribbon trim around the bottom.  I love red, so red it is!  I love the little pom-poms, too.

Here is that final pic again.  I am loving the way it turned out and I'm feeling great about my desk organization to start off the new school year!