Choosing which lining is going to work with your external fabric treatment

THERE ARE TWO MAIN TYPES OF LINING FOR LAMPSHADES: BALLOON OR PLEATED/GATHERED LININGS.

The Purpose Of The Lining In All Cases Is To Hide The Frame And Help Diffuse The Light. While Light Coloured Fabrics Are Generally Used, You Can Have Lots Of Fun Experimenting With Brighter Colours & Patterns Which Will Look Attractive When Your Light Is Off As Well As Illuminated.

A Balloon Lining Is A Smooth Lining Stretched Across The Frame. Silks Can Be Used As Well As 4-Way Stretch Lycras Which Come In Many Colours. A Balloon Lining Will Look Good On All Kinds Of Shade Be It Stretch, Gathered Or Pleated External Fabric.

Below - An Example Of A Pleated Lampshade With A Pleated Lining

Pleated Linings Are Also A Really Pretty Way Of Finishing Off Your Lamsphade. Generally ‘Pleating’ For The Lining Is Much Looser Than You Would Do For The External Face Of The Shade. This Gives A Nice Contrast Between The Two Faces Of The Shade. You Can Also Loosely Gather Your Lining If You Would Like. In Both Cases You Still Need To Be Mindfull Of How Much Bulk You Are Adding To Your Shade As This Will Effect How Much Light Can Shine Through. (A More Fully Fabric-Ed Frame Will Become More Directional Than Diffuse As The Light Will Only Escape Through The Top And Bottom Rather Than Through The Fabric.)

It’s Less Usual To Use A Pleated Or Gathered Lining With A Stretch Fabric On The External Face As The Fabric Treatment Might Show Through.

However, Lampshade Making Is An Art Not A Science And You Should Feel Free To Experiment. You Can Always Peg Your Idea To Your Frame Before Committing To Sewing And Check The Effect!

Finally Some People Dispense With The Lining Altogether And Have Fun With The Binding - Using Ribbons Or Dyeing The Cotton Tape And Making A Feature Of It.

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We Hope You’ve Found This Helpful. Please Feel Free To Get In Touch If You Have Any Questions Hello@Minervaworkshop.Co.Uk. We Offer Troubleshooting Sessions On Zoom And Of Course We Have In Real Life Courses Throughout The Year AND Of Course We Have Our Online Course Ready And Waiting To Help You Too!!!

And Do Send Us Examples Of Your Work As We Do Love To See A Beautiful Lampshade. Or Come And See Us!