Make A Lampshade From 35mm Slides
How to make a conversation-starting pendant lampshade using 35mm slides.
Have you got boxes of old 35mm slides that need to be scanned and transformed into digital files on your computer— then turfed because you’ll just never, ever look at them on a slide projector screen again? Well, here’s something novel you can do with a stack of them.
My inspiration for this retro-look pendant lampshade came from the infamous credit card dress that a fashion designer wore to the Academy Awards ceremony a number of years ago. The construction method for both items is similar.
How To Make A Slide Lampshade
First, gather your slides together and separate them by theme. I chose flowers for my shade because I needed 48 slides to make it and I had more than enough pictures of blooms. A slide shade with a photographic point of view will hold someone’s attention longer than one made from a jumble of subjects.
Next, purchase a lampshade form; I found my cube at a craft store. Arrange the slides to match the width and height of the form, putting a light pencil dot where the four holes in each slide will go (check the photo to see how I’ve centred them). I used a leather hole punch with a small cutter head to make the holes, but an electric drill with a tiny bit would get the job done too. Link all the slides together with 1/3-inch split rings, a hardware store staple, to make a single panel that can be wrapped around the outside of the form and attached to it with more split rings (again, see photo).
For the electrical component, I found a ready-made socket assembly at IKEA, where they’re used for their pendant shade collections, and I attached it to my shade without a hitch because both my particular elements were standardized. Metal shade forms are also available to fit standard table or floor lamps that have shades. Simply create a long panel of slides at the appropriate height and wrap it around the circumference of the shade form the way you would do with a pendant. —Brendan Power
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Hi, I’ve been wanting to make this lampshade ever since I saw this post, yet I haven’t been able to find a lampshade form. I’ve visited Michael’s and DeSerrs but nada!
Which craft store did Brendan find his cube form? Please and thank you 🙂
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