[completed] pink burlap lamp

Remember this free lamp that I spray-painted black? Well, I've been on the hunt for the perfect lamp shade for it ever since. I tried numerous shades, found ones that I love (but didn't work with the spider style hardware), and ended up returning them all. I found this one (below) at Lowe's, and decided that I liked the shape but not the color. It's a linen color - pretty (but boring) when the light is off, but very tan when the light is one.

untouched lamp shade

So I did a little googling, and found this (very minimal) tutorial, and was instantly inspired. Gorgeous, right? But I still wasn't eager to have a beige lamp. So I decided to check out the burlap selection in Jo-Ann. And lo and behold, I found pink!

I present to you: my new pink burlap ruffled lamp shade!

recovered lamp shade

 I followed the tutorial's basic concepts, but tweaked the process to suit me better. I cut 2" strips of the one yard length of burlap, folded the strips in half, pressed, and then glued the strips onto the lampshade. I only cut the burlap strips when I reached an edge - pre-cutting them didn't work for me because the length I need depended on how I glued down the strip. I would take the small sections left over to fill in the little nooks and crannies between strips. I didn't make the strips all go in the same direction or wave, which I liked. Although I think it would be pretty even if they were all going in the same wave shape.

lit lamp

 Isn't it pretty? It took few hours, but not as many as you'd think. I did it over the course of one evening and an hour or so the next day. I did burn my fingers on my glue gun, but I think it's worth it!

oops

Sadly, one yard of burlap wasn't quite enough. I will have to get some more and fill in this section soon!

This lamp will soon be gracing my new sewing room in my new house!