Make a Shade for a Wineglass Light
Wineglasses make unique and pretty candle holders. They can be customized even further by adding a paper "lamp shade". Here's how you can make your own unique wine glass lamps.
Contents
Steps
Creating the Shade
- Measure the distance across your wine glass opening at its widest part (i.e. the diameter) with a compass.
- Add 3/4th of an inch (19.05mm) to that diameter. This will be your initial arc.
- Mark the long edge of a sheet sheet of paper at a point approximately 1/3 of its length. Legal paper works the best, but you can get by with an 8.5 x 11 (21.5 x 28cm) sheet of paper if you are careful.
- Place the protractor along the edge of the paper with its center over the mark made in the previous step.
- Mark a 110 degree angle. Angle it away from the longer section toward the shorter, 1/3rd edge of the paper, forming an obtuse angle.
- Draw a line through the two points. Extend it to the opposite edge of the paper.
- Draw a dashed line 1/4 to 1/2 an inch (6.35mm to 1.27cm) beyond the first line. This will be the "flap" or "lip" used for taping or gluing the edges of your shade together.
- Use your compass with the measurement from the glass opening to draw an arc from the center point of your angle on the paper.
- Determine the height you want the lamp shade to be. Open the compass to the height measurement and draw a second arc, using the same center point. The distance between the two arcs will be the height of your shade.
Fitting the Shade
- Cut along the lines you have made. Cut the two arcs, and then cut outside of the "flap".
- Curl the paper to line up the two straight edges. Overlap them slightly before fastening with tape or glue.
- Set the shade over top of the glass opening with the wide end down to test fit. At this point, you can decorate the shade as you wish:
- Use hole punches to allow direct light through.
- Draw designs on it.
- Scallop the edges.
- Put stickers on it.
- Your imagination is the only limiting factor!
- Enjoy your new lamp shade!
Tips
- Practice with plain paper and make a template before you try this with expensive paper.
Things You'll Need
- Wine glasses you want to use as candle holders
- Paper – this can be nearly any type of paper, such as grocery bags, old calendars, magazine photos, scrap-booking paper, etc., – all work equally well, so be creative
- Scissors – these can be patterned or straight, whichever you prefer
- Glue or tape to fasten the edges of your shade together prior to use
- Compass, protractor and ruler for scribing the arcs and lines
- Hole punches (optional)
- Stickers (optional)
