Lace rawhide onto an old lampshade frame to make your own western-style lamp. Craft expert Karen Napier explains how. Materials:
Old lampshade
Poster board
Pencil
Scissors
Rotary hole punch
Sharp shears or utility knife
Rawhide
Charcoal, colored pencils or acrylic paints
Spray polyurethane
Art-gum eraser
Suede lacing
Clothespins
- Remove the cover from an old lampshade, and trace the cover on poster board to make a new pattern. Set aside the lampshade frame parts to use later when reassembling the shade.
- Mark and punch out lacing holes along the top and bottom edges of the shade pattern. Make the line of holes 1/4" from the top and bottom edges of the shade, and space them 7/8" apart. On the two edges where the shade will overlap, space the holes 7/8" apart as well, but offset the holes on one edge so the lacing will run at an angle (figure A).
- Transfer the pattern to rawhide, and cut it out with heavy-duty shears or a utility knife. Punch out the holes with a rotary hole punch (figure B). The leather is very tough: cutting and hole punching will require a bit of muscle.
- If desired, trace designs onto the rawhide and fill in with charcoal, colored pencils or acrylic paints (figure C). When the surface is dry, protect it with two or three light coats of polyurethane.
- When the shade is completely dry, cut a length of lacing roughly three times the length of the overlapped edge where the shade will be joined. Knot one end of the lacing, and run it through the top hole of the overlap from the back. Overlap the shade, and lace it together with parallel diagonal stitches. Knot the lace at the last hole.
- Cut a length of lacing about three times the circumference of the top edge. Position the top ring from the old lampshade frame at the top of the new shade, and hold it in place with clothespins. Run the lacing through the hole closest to the overlap, and knot it from behind, leaving enough on the end to tie off.
- Whip-stitch around the entire top (figure D), knotting the last hole. Repeat this procedure with the bottom ring.
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