A beautiful decorative lamp shade begins with a good frame. The lamp shade frames underneath the silk, fringe, or beadwork determine the shape and proportions of the finished item and how long it will last. In traditional Victorian-style shades made by hand, the frames are made of wire. LampShadeLady’s Mary has been teaching this traditional craft for years, and she starts by selecting the proper wire frame for the project at hand. Whether a beginner or more experienced shade restorer, learning about lamp shade frames is perhaps the most important thing to learn before even cutting the fabric for making decorative lamp shades.
Why Lamp Shade Frames Are the Real Foundation of the Craft
We can get so caught up in the beautiful silk fabrics, luscious trims, and gorgeous bead fringe used to create a lamp shade that we overlook the most important component of the entire lamp shade – the frame. The lamp shade frame provides the foundation or base upon which the rest of the lamp shade is created. A poorly made lamp shade frame with uneven ribs or wrong proportions will be clearly visible even through the most exquisite stitching. A good frame, however, allows the fabric to fall beautifully and gather as a Victorian style lamp shade should. The lamp shade frame also establishes the scale of your finished lamp shade – the overall height, top-to-bottom diameter and number of ribs required to create your decorative lamp shade.
Even if you decide to use new lamp shade frames instead of old ones, a lot of experience can be gained from restoring them for your decorative lamp shades. In a few seasons of restoration work, building new lampshades from their wire frames will become easier to manage.
These wire frames can look quite old and may even have some rust, but they can be cleaned up nicely and often can be reworked into new lampshades. The old materials can be carefully removed from the frame, and new fabrics and trim added. Many experienced lampshade makers have started out by restoring old frames to learn how to make new ones. There is a lot to be learned from antique frames and the process of reworking them into beautiful new lampshades.
Choosing the Right Lamp Shade Frames for Your Project
When it comes to creating decorative lamp shades, the shape of the wire frame is extremely important in order to create the correct silhouette for the lamp. The shape of the frame also needs
Some decorative lamp shades are made with special frames; for example, an Infinity shape frame would be used for a tall, thin candlestick, and a wider crescent or bell shape frame would be used for a heavier, more ornate lamp base. The number of ribs the frame has is also important; the more ribs there are, the easier it is to make a smooth curve in the shade and to get an even gather when stretching fabric over the frame. Victorian lamp shade frames normally have six or more ribs for sizes above the smallest.
For someone who is new to making lampshades, it would be best to start off with a medium size frame (8-10″) as these are large enough for you to get good results with but small enough for you to complete in a reasonable time. It’s also a good idea to measure your lamp base before you purchase any lamp shade frames, as you will need to know the harp height, base width, and overall proportion of your lamp in order to choose a frame that will look good when the lamp shade is completed and placed on the lamp base.
From Frame to Finished: Building Decorative Lamp Shades by Hand
Once you have your frames, it’s time to begin making your decorative lamp shades. We explain how to make Victorian style lamp shades in a series of steps. These include: making a binding for the frame of your lamp shade; inserting a lining into the lamp shade frame; stretching and pinning fabric into the lamp shade frame; and finally trimming the edges of your lamp shade with trim, lace or bead fringe.
Building your decorative lamp shades by hand means you can go in almost any direction with your design – the frame sets the structure of your lamp shade, but then you can dress it up with the choice of fabric and other trimmings to create the style of Victorian sugar shade, soft floral tulip shape, or classic crescent design that you desire.
Shop Lamp Shade Frames and Kits from LampShadeLady
LampShadeLady also offers individual lamp shade frames, as well as lamp shade kits that are bundled together with materials and supplies to complete a decorative lamp shade. Some examples of these lamp shade frames and lamp shade making kits include:
Lampshade Frame Package — This set of 3 small metal lamp shade frames is perfect for any crafty person to practice making different styles of shades. The frames are for an 8″ Infinity shape, a Small Crescent shape, and a Betty style frame. Each of these shapes has its own set of rib measurements to create different styles of decorative lampshades.
Victorian Beauty Lampshade Kit — This is a complete Victorian Style lampshade kit. The frame for this lampshade is a 10-inch wire frame that can be used to make a wide variety of Victorian-style lampshades. It includes: Seam binding for attaching seam binding to the top of the lampshade for hanging the shade, Lining material, 1-inch-wide lace to trim the top and bottom of the lampshade, 1 1/2 yard of silk chiffon of your choice, 3 feet of French scroll trim, 6-inch beaded fringe, and 2 ribbon rosebud accents.
Flower Tulip Lampshade Kit — Handmade wire lamp shade frames are used in this soft Tulip-shaped lamp shade. Made using silk chiffon fabric, this floral Victorian-style lampshade kit includes the matching lining, seam binding, and the oval ribbed framework, which is completed with lace, trim, and 6″ beaded fringe.
Lampshade makers who want to explore making different shapes of Victorian lampshades can look at the Victorian lampshade frame catalog page, which shows all the different shapes of frames that Mary makes to order. Each frame is made individually, and there is a three-frame minimum order. There is a three- to five-week wait for the frames to be made.
Caring for and Restoring Vintage Lamp Shade Frames
If you look in the attics of old homes or in the antique stores, you can sometimes find old lamp shade frames made long ago. If they have not developed any rust, are not bent, and the top ring is still strong, you can probably make beautiful lampshades out of them. Old fabric and trim need to be carefully removed before you start to make your new lamp shades. If there is any glue or leftover thread from the old fabric, it will show up on the new material that you use.
Restoring old lamp shade frames to use again is also a lot of fun to do. Many crafters find that a season of working with old shades to restore helps in learning how to make a lamp shade from scratch using new wire frames. They have learned how to make and handle different shapes of lamp shade frames and how they behave when stretched.
When working with wire lamp shade frames for your decorative lamp shades, whether you are making new lamp shades or restoring old ones, the frame is the foundation for the entire lamp shade. The wire frame provides the structure for your new lamp shade, and all of the materials used to cover it will be affected by the wire frame’s shape and size.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are lamp shade frames made of?
Most lamp shade frames are made from lightweight metal wire, typically steel, shaped into ribs and rings that form the shade's structure before fabric is applied.
2. What size lamp shade frames should I buy for a table lamp?
For a standard table lamp, a medium frame in the 8 to 10 inch height range is usually the most balanced choice, though the right size depends on your specific lamp base and harp height.
3. Can I reuse old lamp shade frames?
Yes, as long as the frame is still square, rust-free, and not bent. Many crafters restore vintage lamp shade frames rather than buying new ones, since older wire frames are often sturdier.
4. How much fabric do I need to cover lamp shade frames?
The amount depends on the frame's height, diameter, and rib count. Larger or more heavily gathered decorative lamp shades will need more fabric than a simple, tightly stretched design.
5. What is the difference between lamp shade frames and a finished decorative lamp shade?
Lamp shade frames are the bare wire structure. A decorative lamp shade is the finished product after lining, outer fabric, and trim such as lace, fringe, or beading have been added to the frame.
6. Do lamp shade frames come in different shapes?
Yes. Common shapes include crescent, bell, tulip, and Infinity-style frames, each producing a different silhouette once fabric is applied.
7. How long does it take to build a decorative lamp shade from a frame?
For a beginner, building a decorative lamp shade from a kit typically takes a full weekend, depending on the complexity of the trim and fringe work involved.
8. Are custom lamp shade frames available?
Yes. LampShadeLady's Victorian lampshade frame catalog offers custom-built frames made to order, with a three-frame minimum and a three- to five-week build time.
9. What tools do I need to work with lamp shade frames?
Basic supplies include a needle and thread, a pincushion, scissors, and a measuring tape, which are not included in the kits. The kits include the decorative wire lamp shade frame, seam binding, lining, lace, silk chiffon, and trim and fringe, according to the kit design.
10. Where can I buy lamp shade frames and kits online?
LampShadeLady offers individual lamp shade frames, complete kits like the Victorian Beauty Lampshade Kit and Flower Tulip Lampshade Kit, and a custom frame catalog for crafters who want to build their own decorative lamp shades from scratch.