Transform an ordinary lamp into a stylish addition to any room. Choose fabric to match the pillows on your couch, the pad on your window bench, or the throw on your bed. Get creative and choose a fun, unique tassel—if you have a young cowboy in your life, use a piece of leather or a strap of a belt. For that little girl into pink hues, try using a silky ribbon embellished with a pair of ballerina charms. Whatever the room, whatever the look, make it your own with this easy project!

You will need

• Lamp
• Fabric
• Lining fabric
• Decorative cording
• Sewing machine
• Sewing thread
• Iron
• Pencil & marker
• String
• Paper

 
Prep Work:
 
Measure the lamp
• To create a pattern for the cover-up, measure the lamp being decorated.

• Determine the lamp measurement (a+b+c) for the fabric cover-up: Measure from the neck of one side of the lamp base, down (a) and across the base bottom (b) and up the opposite side of the lamp (c).

• To the lamp measurement, add 7 inches for the ruffle and the seam allowance and 11⁄2 inches for the casing. This takes into account the full diameter of the cover-up (below).

• For the lining and face fabric, purchase squares of fabric the size of the cover-up diameter. If the fabric is narrower than this diameter, you will need to piece it.

Create a Pattern
• Cut a square of craft paper to the size of the cover-up diameter. Fold paper in half, and then in half again, to make a smaller square. (Photo 1)

• Tie a piece of string to a pencil. Measuring from the pencil, mark the string at half the cover-up diameter. Hold the string mark on the folded corner of the paper and draw an arc. (Photo 2)

• Carefully cut along the arc through all the layers of paper to make the cover-up pattern. Unfold the paper and press it flat.

Making a Fabric Cover-Up

STEP 1: Transfer pattern to fabric; cut out. Repeat for lining fabric. With right sides together and raw edges aligned, stitch fabrics together with 1⁄2-inch seam, leaving a 6-inch opening. Clip curves close to seam.

STEP 2: Slipstich openings closed. Turn cover-up right side out and slipstitch opening closed. Press flat. Position lamp in center of fabric and mark electrical cord placement with marker. Make a 11⁄2-inch buttonhole at placement mark.

STEP 3: Machine stitch. Starting at the center, use half the lamp measurement to mark the first casing circle with pencil and string. Make second circle 3⁄4 inch beyond first. Machine-stitch over both casing lines.

STEP 4: Thread string. Cut small opening in lining fabric casing. Cut 36-inch piece of string and attach one end to safety pin. Thread safety pin through casing around entire circle. Pull string through small opening in lining fabric. (Photo 3)

STEP 5: Cover lamp. Position lamp in center of fabric cover-up, pulling electrical cord through buttonhole. Pull cover-up over sides of lamp so that casing fits around top of lamp base. Pull string taut and tie to secure.

STEP 6 :Position ruffles and gathers. Tuck casing string ends to inside. Adjust fabric so that gathers lay smooth and flat around lamp. Position ruffles so that lining and outside of cover-up alternately show. For finishing touch, tie ribbon or decorative cord around outside of casing.