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Miniblind Chandelier

Turn old metal blinds into a swingin' chandelier! B. Original host Michele Beshen shows you how.

From "B. Original"
episode DBOR-103

Michele Beschen knows how to turn trash into treasure—like transforming old metal mini-blinds into a hip, retro chandelier. It just takes a few macramé hoops, some hardware and the desire to B. Original.

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Light up your hipster hideaway with this retro chandelier!

Materials:

4 macrame hoops: 2", 3", 7" and 14"
small-link chain
18- or 20-gauge wire
large jump rings, hog rings or wire
pliers or hog ring pliers
metal blinds
hanging light fixture (the kind sold with paper lanterns)
lightweight scrap wood (or heavyweight cardboard)
saw (or heavy-duty shears if you're using cardboard)
spray paint

Figure A

Figure B

Build the Frame

Lay the 14" hoop on your work surface and center the 2" hoop inside it. Connect these two hoops with four equal lengths of chain, attaching the chain with either jump rings, hog rings or wire (figure A). Make sure you keep the small ring centered.
Connect the two remaining hoops (3" and 7") to each other, again using equal lengths of chain. This will help keep the lamp centered when you hang it.
Note: How long should the chain be? That's up to you. You want it to be long enough that the smaller hoop hangs down below the larger one, but short enough for the blind strips to cover the hoop below. For the lamp pictured above, Michele used small-link chain that was 10 links long.
Attach the 7" hoop to the 14" hoop using equal-length pieces of chain held with jump rings, hog rings or wire (figure B).

Figure C

Prep the Blinds

Note: Michele Beschen recommends using metal blinds for this project.

Dismantle your mini-blinds if you haven't done so already. The easiest way to do this is by cutting the strings that hold the blinds to the mechanism, then slipping the blind strips off the strings.
Clean and dry the blind strips.
Cut the ends off the strips 1/8" or less above the existing hole (figure C). You'll use this hole to attach the blinds to the frame.
Spray paint your strips and let dry.

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

Build Your Chandelier

You need to use a circle of wood or cardboard to help secure the light fixture to the 2" macramé hoop. To do this, remove the circular retaining ring from your light fixture. Cut a circle of wood or cardboard that is larger than the 2" macramé hoop, with a center hole that fits snugly over the light socket (figure D).
Fit the wood or cardboard circle over the light socket and insert the socket, pointing downwards, through the 2" macramé hoop. Secure it to the hoop using the circular retaining ring (figure E).
Hang your chandelier's "skeleton" from something—a ceiling fan, closet rod or even another chandelier—for easier assembly. Slide the chains so they make four equal quadrants
Attach your blind strips to the macramé hoops using jump rings, hog rings or wire through the holes in the blinds (figure F).
Tip: Don't crimp the rings or wire too tightly: You want the blinds to slide around for easy adjustment. Put the same number of strips between each pair of chains for balance. You can use a many strips for a more solid effect or fewer strips for a sparser look.