Antique Lamp & Victorian Lampshade Making Journey

Welcome! Please enjoy the creative journey behind this stunning handcrafted silk Victorian lampshade and antique lamp pairing by Crystal Hayes at Elegance Lamps. This lamp is jewelry for the home, created with an authentic restored antique lamp base, antique textiles, and remarkable handstrung beads.

The Making Process

In frame one, you can see a sealed wire frame that is fully wrapped, locked with stiches, and the interior lining is being sewn to the frame. For this project, I used silk to line the shade for safety because silk is fire retardant.

The second photo reveals progress in sewing silk to the lampshade frame using silk stretching techniques.

Other makers use glue to attach netting to the lampshade as a shortcut. I prefer a professional finish that does not create puckering, as often happens when glue dries. In the third frame I’m sewing antique metal lace netting to the lampshade with a needle and thread.

I design and string all my lampshade beads by hand, one bead at a time. By doing so, the beads match the lampshade perfectly and I don't raise concerns about questionable labor tactics used in the manufacture of prestrung beads sourced from overseas. Frame four reflects a few completed strands of beads I prepared to sew to the lampshade.

I pay careful attention to bead spacing to ensure consistency and cohesion of the bead line. In frame five, I’m sewing the handmade bead strands to the lampshade (with help from my assistant.)

Sewing individual bead strands onto the lampshade takes a great deal of patience and time but the results are truly worth the effort. Frame six reflects progress made with bead strand attachment and the remainder left to sew.

The Finished Lamp

Details are incredibly important when making functional art lighting. The placement of textile designs, bead spacing, and straight seams are a sampling of the details that customers enjoy about the quality of the lamps and shades I create. By responsibly sourcing antique lamps and textiles for my products, I can create one-of-a-kind works of art while ensuring the preservation of historic textiles and the reduction of landfill waste.

Looking for Lampshade Making Supplies?

Check out the Craft & Sewing section on Amazon.com for lampshade frames, thread, fabric, fringe, and various commonly used notions for making lampshades.

Need to Commissison a Special Lampshade or Lamp?

Would you like to request the creation of a bespoke Victorian lampshade or antique lamp? Let’s design something special that fits your unique specifications. Click the button below to get your project started!

Crystal Hayes is a lifelong Seattle resident who gains inspiration from the natural beauty and vibrant arts communities in the Pacific Northwest. She thrives on creative expression resulting in unique Victorian lampshades, vintage lampshades, and lamps that can be used in everyday life. Crystal is entirely fearless when it comes to design, she is a perfectionist at construction techniques, and she proves that customer satisfaction still matters.

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