LAMP SHADES

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22661, 16 March 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

LAMP SHADES

Lamp shades may be very decorative and they are easy to make. Here are instructions for making several shapes. First of alk comes the circular shade, which is made from a piece of vellum or strong paper cut as shown in the illustration. Draw out the full size of the shape as in Fig. 2, sloping the lines to form a cone, and then draw a

large circle, using the side of the cone as the radius, as shown in Fig. 3. The circumference is marked off to a length equal to 3 l-7th of the diameter, and the height of the shade is set off from the drawing. Leave a flange so that the two edges can be joined together with paste or glue after you have finished decorating.

There are many ways of decorating the panels; for example,. Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 b6th -show interesting stencilled designs. If you mix up three or four bright colours and paint them on the parchment, allowing the colours to merge into one another a little without forming a definite pattern, you will have an attractive result. By using the same construction as given for the circular lamp shade, either hexagonal or octagonal can be made as easily. Perhaps the most effective shade is the pleated one made from vegetable parchment paper and

coloured in bands as shown in Fig. 2. You will need a long piece of paper for this lamp shade; as a guide to dimensions, a shade about lOin deep, folded in pleats Jin wide, would require a total length of about 85in, but it can be done in three or four lengths and joined together when the pleating is being done.

Although there is no need to draw the lines shown in Fig. 2. the folds can be done without them, it is more satisfactory to indent the lines to make the, pleating easier. The colouring should be done in the flat. The line of bands is a simple way of colouring the shade, but there are many other ways of bringing in colour schemes. Zig-zag

bands or diagonal lines of colour look attractive when done in either harmonious or contrasting colours. When the colouring is finished the pleating should be done as shown in Fig. 3, and then the holes for the encircling cord should be made as shown in Fig. 4. It is better to have two cords, one close to the top and the other about the quarter way mark from the bottom. The cord of silk thread to be used should be threaded through the holes before the pleating is opened out. When the shape has been adjusted to fit. the ends of the cords should be tied.