DIY chandelier shades

     As I said in my earlier post, I've been getting my deck back up and running. My gazebo chandelier shades were (notice I said were) at one point supposed to be white...I think. Instead they were green and nasty! I decided to take my car washing bucket, put a little bleach water in it and throw in the fabric shades. I guess here's where you're expecting a before and after picture. Wrong! After about 30 minutes I go to check on my, what should be white by now, shades, and O M G! The shade covers are gone and I'm left with these clumps of greenish/white fabric goo. Not what I had envisioned...at all! I looked around the Internet and see them as cheap as 5.88 for white (blah!) and I'm noticing the prices going higher, and higher, and..okay you get the idea. Next...check Pintrest for DIY shades. Yes! They'll have them there...they have to! I run to my computer...type in DIY chandelier shades as quick as my fingers can go and BAM! Not one post that can help me.
     I walk away, discouraged, and take a small break. Small may not be the word, more like a few weeks. Okay, a few months. I sit here, bored out of my mind and decided to try again. Still nothing. I mean, the ones on Pintrest are adorable, but they're made of paper. Paper put OVER an actual shade. That doesn't help me as I  have to put these bad boys outside in the elements. Nope, I've got to come up with something. That's when the idea came rushing in. So here's my step by step DIY chandelier shades made of fabric.

 

This is what I had to start off with. Not pretty, but they had potential.

 

Here's Step 1. I had a queen bed skirt I no longer needed but have kept forever. Here's where it comes into play. I measured the amount of fabric I would need and cut it.

Step 2. Iron your material before you think about doing anything! The first one I did looked a mess, and getting glued on fabric off of metal is not as easy as you'd think.

Step 3. Carefully hot glue the top around the metal, then go on to the bottom. It's easier to pull the fabric tight on the bottom where you have more room.

Step 4. Hang your shades back up and enjoy! This by far was the easiest and my favorite step.

 

Total cost of this project-FREE

It took me a few hours to complete, but I'm extremely happy with the results. The deck looks beautiful at night lit up with these shades.