Fright Light

Shade Construction

Use the pattern to trim the slipcover (or slipcover sections) to the exact size, centering any motifs as desired. If the slipcover is made of sections, sew the sections together at the sides, leaving 5/8" unstitched at the lampshade upper and lower edges; press open (3). Leave one seam unsewn.

Pin the center back seam (or the remaining seam of the sectioned slipcover) and check the fit on the lampshade. The slipcover should be loose enough to slip over the lampshade, but tight enough to stay on the shade; the hem allowances should extend 3/4" beyond the lampshade upper and lower edges. Adjust the seam allowances as needed and then stitch.

Apply the cording to the shade lower edge. Starting at the center-back seam (or the middle of one side if it's a sectioned slipcover), pin the cording to the shade right side 3/4" from the lower edge. Leaving the first and last inch or so free, stitch close to the cording with a zipper foot. Clip the lip of the cording as needed to fit around curves and turn corners.Trim the cord ends so they abut (4).

Slip a 2" piece of 1"-wide ribbon between the cord ends and the slipcover hem. Wrap the ribbon around the cord ends and stitch the remaining cord in place (5). Repeat to sew cording to the shade upper edge.

If you can't find cording with a lip in the desired colors, use plain cord instead. Attach a zipper foot and move the needle to the far right position. Place the cording along the shade hemline and straight stitch the edge of the cord in place (6).

Apply fusible-web tape to the wrong side of the upper and lower hem allowances. On a cone-shaped shade, notch the fullness out of the lower hem and clip the upper hem almost to the cording stitching (7).

On a sectioned shade, clip the corners at the shade lower edge so they form a miter when the hem is turned up (8). Turn the hem to the wrong side and fuse in place.

...Design Ideas

From the October 2004 issue of Sew News magazine.