Lamp Shade cover Redo Tutorial

First I have to tell you I am by no means a expert in sewing.  I can do the basic stuff, and I have made costumes for my kids in the past, but usually they don't turn out the way I want them too!  I have very little patience with a pattern.

I have had these lamps for about Mmmmmm 17yrs!  I am really sick of the early 90's look of the fabric.  So the first step was taking the cover off.

See how ugly that fabric is?  I LOVED it when my friend first made them.  They were gorgeous and I was a newlywed who was clueless about stuff like that.  That is my lamp shade next to the fabric.  See all the lovely pleats?  I didn't want them there anymore, so I ripped them off too. 

Here's what it looked liked as I was ripping it off.  I admit I was a little scared that I may be ruining the shade, but I was willing to take the chance.

After the pleated stuff was off, then I picked the fabric.  I chose some Amy Butler fabric. 

Isn't it perdy?  Now, the next step I didn't take any pictures of, but I measured
around the lamp shade and took my fabric and kind of eyed it (like I said, I don't have a lot of patience and I am not a perfectionist). 

I liked the style of the old lamp shade cover, so I just copied it.

I sewed 2 basting stitches (don't backstitch) around the top (where the ruffle will be, about 1/4 inch apart) and on the bottom (about 1/4 inch).

Oooo, not a very clear picture, but I thought I should take one of me on the sewing machine!

This is what the 2 basting stitches look like.  Remember not to back stitch! 

Here is what it looks like after I pulled the gathers on the top.  It takes a while, and I am not a pro at gathers, so it took me like an hour....I didn't want to break my threads and have to start over!

Next, I pulled the cover on top of the shade and hot glued it in random places.

For the Rosettes, I just ripped strips (about 8 or so inches long and 2 inches wide) of a coordinating fabric.  I didn't include how to make a rosette, but there is a great tutorial HERE.

Next, I sewed a little pucker in 3 places around the cover to glue my rosettes too.

Here's what it looks like after you sew the pucker.

There is the finished rosette glued on. Cute, right?  I didn't include how to make a rosette, but there is a fabulous tutorial HERE.

There is my new lovely lamp shade cover!  I have more pictures to show you of my lamps new color!  See the black lamp?  It's not black anymore:)

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Burlap wrapped pillar candles with Rosettes

I have had these candles for a while now sitting on top of some pretty white pillars I bought at Salvation Army.  I like the candles, but they were so plain, and had marks all over them.  I just didn't like the way they looked!  So, the other night, I went to work making them cute!  I used some brown burlap, and fabric I had sitting around.

I cut around the shape of the candle and hot glued the ends.  Then I ripped a piece of fabric a little smaller than the burlap, so the burlap would show.  I hot glued the fabric on the ends.

Next, I made a cute rosette for each candle and hot glued it on each one!  Fabulous!!  I love how they turned out and I think they look sooooo much better.  I will show you the before and after pictures:

Before:

Can you say B-O-R-I-N-G?

After

Oh, so much better!  You likey?

This only took me about 30 minutes to do.  I love fast cheap crafts! 

Hope your having a great week!

I am linking to these parties:
Shabby Nest

Lovely Handmade Flower Tutorial plus a handbag!

I started school this week, and WOW it is kinda hard!  I already have lot's of homework, and I am just taking 3 classes!

I have already missed surfing the internet for cool blogs, but today I had to  take a few minutes (more like 1 hr.) to check out some super cool blogs.  Well here are 2 I found, and I LOOOOVE these blogs!  Please go check them out!


This tutorial sounds really easy!  I love the cute little silky flowers she makes.

These aren't the exact flowers she made, but they look just like them!

Here are some ADORABLE chunky Rosette Flowers you can make by following a tutorial at Freckled Laundry.  I love that name Freckled Laundry!  Her tutorial sounds really easy too.  Here is a picture of what Rosette flowers look like:

Super cute huh?  I want some!!

You should go check out these tutorials.  I am going to try and make these sometime soon (can it count as homework?).

Oh, and you have to check out Suzanne's blog Just another Hang up (love it!) and see her adorable bags with lovely Rosette flowers on them.  She even does a tutorial on how to make the bags!  I SO have to try this....

I absolutely fell in LOVE with these cute bags!

So many fun things to make and so many talented people out there, but soooo little time....