I needed a new light for my studio and so I decided to make my own. The best part is, I didn't have to buy anything to make this. I already had all the pieces! And except for the light kit and maybe an embroidery hoop, you probably have everything too!
HOW TO MAKE A DRUM LIGHT
Materials needed:
Wooden Embroidery Hoop (Mine was a 14in oval but you can use any size you want)
Wire Hanger
Light Kit (I got one super cheap at IKEA)
Thin Wire (I repurposed wires from an old Cell Phone Charger)
Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Cute Fabric
Ribbon
Light Bulb
Embellishments!
Step 1. Make a ring to fit around your light kit. Snip the top of a wire coat hanger and use your pliers to manipulate the wire into a circle that will fit around the threaded part of the light kit.
Step 2: Seperate the two peices of the embroidery hoop and remove any screws or extra hardware. If needed, hot glue the hoop together where it splits to open.
Step 3: Tie the wire circle made in step 1 to the hoop on all 4 sides with the wire.
Step 4: Prepare your fabric. Cut a strip of fabric that is as tall as you want the shade and as long as the circumference of the hoops, plus a couple of extra inches. If you need to, sew two pieces together to get the length you need.
Step 5: Hot glue the edge of the fabric onto the top hoop.
Make sure you start at the back if there are no seams in your fabric, and start on the side if there is a center seam. I forgot to check mine and ended up with a seam in the middle
If your hoop is like mine, when you get to the backside where the hunk of wood is, snip the top and glue the fabric under the wood. Make sure you leave a couple of inches of fabric at the end for finishing.
Step 6: Line up the fabric on the second hoop and hot glue the bottom of the fabric around the second hoop.
Step 7: Once you get to the end, using fabric glue or hot glue fold the extra fabric over. . .
. . .then fold it over again (to hide the rough edge) and glue it down.
Step 8: Trim the top and bottom with cute ribbon.
Step 9: Cut two more pieces from the wire hanger that are the same length as the height of your lamp. Hot glue one on each side on the inside of your lamp to reinforce the light and to keep it straight and sturdy
Step 10: Embellish!
I added fabric flowers made from silver satin. ( And they hid the unsightly seam that was on the front. )
Lastly: Attach the light kit to your new creation and hang according to the light kit directions.
Enjoy your one-of-a-kind custom lighting!
