DIY Rolled Edge Fabric Lampshade

Making your own rolled edge lampshade is not as difficult as one might imagine and only takes around 1 hour. This is the second lampshade I have made for my home and I love that I can choose a fabric which compliments my home decor and neutral color schemes. I’ll show you how to make your own in this step by step tutorial below!

Living fabric lampshade
Materials for DIY Rolled Edge Fabric Lampshade

You will need:

  • 30cm lampshade rings (for top and bottom)
  • Self adhesive panel measuring 95 x 25cm
  • Strong double sided sticky tape (suitable for fabric)
  • Cotton fabric measuring 100 x 40cm
  • Scissors
  • Craft Knife
  • Ruler
  • Tucking Tool

(You may wish to purchase a lampshade making kit, which usually has all of these items included).

Place the fabric right side down with enough room to flatten the entire length. Smooth out any creases. Prepare your self adhesive panel by using the craft knife and ruler to score a 1cm border on each long edge.

Place the fabric right side down

Position the self adhesive panel on top of the wrong side of the fabric and mark the corners with a pencil. Here you should take note of the design of the fabric, especially if there is a pattern to match up.

Lampshade DIY adhesive

When you are happy with the position, peel back around 10cm of the backing to expose the adhesive panel and stick down in line with your pencil marks. Smooth to reduce air bubbles. Slowly begin to pull out the remaining back paper and smooth the self adhesive panel onto the fabric.

Cut the fabric from fabric

Then cut the fabric around the panel. In the end, I trimmed this to around 0.5cms.

Cut the fabric around panel

Snap back the scored edges along the long side of the self adhesive panel and remove the strips.

Take the both rings

Take both rings and cover them completely in the double sided sticky tape.

Colorful tape rings
Add a strip of sticky tape

Add a strip of sticky tape on one of the short edges of the fabric, to stick the join when you are finished.

Remove tape from backing

Remove the backing from the double sided sticky tape on both of the rings.

Place rings next to the long edge

Place your rings next to the long edge of the backing as shown. Here you need the now sticky rings to adhere to the fabric.

Roll the fabric around the rings

Carefully roll the rings along the fabric to form the lampshade shape. Make sure the rings are sticking evenly to the fabric as you go. Here it might help to have an extra pair of hands!

Lampshade formed from fabric

Once your lampshade is formed, remove use the double sided sticky tape on the short edge of the fabric to secure.

Now toll the fabric over

Now roll the fabric over the edge of the sticky rings and use the tucking tool to hide the raw edge. Trim any frayed areas of fabric.

Lampshade ready to hang

Now your lampshade is ready to hang!

Neutral lampshade design
DIY Rolled Edge Fabric Lampshade