Top Tips – Lining Gathered Lampshades

As much in vogue today as they were in Victorian times. Gathered shades are great for adding pops of colour to both formal and relaxed room schemes. Gathered lampshades are best suited to small and medium proportions. So easy to make once you know how and only a little hand sewing is required. So you don’t need to use a sewing machine!

First and foremost this blog is meant as a Top Tips reminder guide for students who have been to one of my workshops. It is not intended as a step-by-step guide to replace a face-to-face workshop. I would need to write a book for that. Having said that for anyone reading I hope it proves to be informative, whether you have been to a workshop and looking for memory triggers. If you are interested in coming to one of my workshops or are looking for more information about making bespoke, handmade, gathered lampshades. Enjoy!

There are a variety of fabric choices available today, suited for lining gathered lampshades. My usual go-to’s are tana lawn and a light weight silk. Both are fabulous for diffusing light and 100% cottton lawn can be easily dyed if your project suits. The usual choice for most design dynamics requires something very light weight and I usually suggest natural fibers for a varirty of reasons.

Cut your fabric according to the dymensions required allowing for consideration regarding gimbals. The measurments for this will be in your task nots.

Start in line with the first gimbal and pin one length of lining to the bottom ring on the inside of the lampshade. Continue pinning around the circumference of the bottom ring keeping the lining taut until you reach the next gimbal. Make sure that you turn both ends of lining in to give a neat finish and prevent fraying. Repeat with the all lengths of lining. Overlap the inside edges slightly to prevent a gap at both the top and bottom ring. Pin both top edges of lining to just inside the gimbal slightly overlapping the edges to prevent gaps.

Pleat and pin the top edge of lining to the upper ring. The number and distance of pleats will depend on the difference in circumference between the bottom and top rings. There are a number of creative ways to pleat, giving different affects. A lot of this is personal design prefference as discussed with samples in the workshop. Also a little creative license is required at this pint depending on the exact shape of your lampshade frame.

Once your lining is pinned and you are happy with the arrangement of your pleats stitch the lining to the frame using lampshade stitch in strong, matching thread. Correct lampshade stitch is key to maintaining tensions and something we cover in detail at our workshops. Some of these dynamics are covered in our Lampshade Stitch video.

You’ll need a short piece of bias or ribbon to tidy where the gimbal meets the top ring and hide any raw edges. Thread this under the gimbal and return back over the top ring. The 2 sides should lay neatly edge to edge and can be secured with a few stitches and then trim in line with the lining.

Now you are ready for trimmings …

There are oodles of trimming options. Check out the suppliers list on my website for some recomendation and discounts. Gathered lampshades, depending on the fabric choices can already be quite busy so folks often choose something simple, however the only limitation is your imagination and if you fancy something a little funky then there are lots of jazzy options. Check out the student gallery on this website for some ideas.

Want to have a go? Then come and join …

Jacqueline runs 2-day, bespoke handmade lampshade workshops at scheduled times throughout the year. You can also join a 1-2-1, 2 or 3 day master class by special arrangment. Do come and join us!