Friday 13 March 2009

Even more re-cycling ....

Each year I organise a five day Retreat for the South West Quilters, and this year I invited Jennifer Trollope to show us her technique 'Revelation Burning'. She was using this technique to make a Tiffany Style Lampshade and the requirements included a candlestick style base and a four sided or coolie type shade. I didn't really want a Tiffany style lamp (nowhere to put it!) but I wanted to do the technique, so I raided my loft and found this solid teak base, and I purchased a white coolie type shade from the charity shop. I needed to cover the base before the Retreat, so..............
the first thing I did was rub it down with sandpaper and stick crumpled strips of butchers paper, cut out lace motifs and string over it (in a delicate pattern of course!)
I then painted it with white emulsion, and when it was dry ...
I painted it with copper and brown acrylic paint.
I was now ready to make the lampshade.
This is a pic. of the fabric I used, draped over the shade I bought, and before I 'altered' the base. The 'revelation burning' technique is achieved by layering fabrics, stitching and using a soldering iron to reveal the motifs - in my case the leaves on my fabric. I made lots of seperate leaves to stitch around the bottom of the shade, instead of the beaded fringe the other ladies put on their Tiffany style shades.
It isn't quite finished (it takes me ages .....) I just have to sew the leaves around the bottom of the shade, where you can see the pins. I also touched up the laces on the base with bronze paint

I have to finish it by the end of April to take it to the AGM along with all the others ......

They really did look gorgeous at the end of the Retreat, and every one was very different.
Three of the ladies made me postcards from the fabric they used for their lampshade, by way of a thankyou for organising it ........ aren't they just lovely?
The postcards - and the ladies!
I shall have to show you the postcards in the next posting, I can't get to add more pix. in this post!
PS. I've managed to get them in under ...........

8 comments:

sharon young said...

What a beautiful lamp, Val, I love the the way you've made the leaves hang off it, it's really stylish.

Aussie Jo said...

What a great effect, I love your version.
I will have to go back to spotlight and buy that 50c lampshade i saw!!

Doreen G said...

Absolutely fantabulous Val you sure are one clever lady.

Pat said...

Well done Val, you must all have been delighted with what you achieved.

Genie said...

Lovely work Val
I have done a couple of classes with Jennifer at Serendipity.

dot said...

Val, it's beautiful! When you sent me the pic initially of the lamps grouped together I couldn't really see yours but the photo's on your blog are amazing.

Alis Clair said...

That is just wonderful Val. I love the colours you have chosen too.
The leaves are gorgeous.

Heather said...

What a lovely class to attend, and I love what you have done with your lamp base and shade. Well worth all that effort even if you haven't got room for it!