Here is the lampshade, proudly hung for all to see!
First things first – get some lovely glass beads. I got mine from Hobbycraft, and I bought 2 of the small pick and mix pots that you can buy in there. I also used a pack of smaller glass beads to mix in with them. You will also need some seed beads, thin wire, some jump rings and a lampshade frame.
Lay the beads out in the pattern you want them. I used alternating large and small beads. Take a piece of wire, about 4” in length and create a loop about 1” from the end. Wrap the tail of the wire around the other end, like in the photo here:
Add a seed bead to the wire, then a small bead and then one of the larger beads, followed by a small bead and then another seed bead. 
Create a loop and twist at the other end of the wire to complete your link.
To make the bottom link I looped the wire through a seed bead, then passed both wire ends up and through the large bead, and another seed bead, then I made a loop and twist on the top of the bead.
Join your links together using jump rings. I made 8 large chains, which used a total of 7 beads on each, and I also made 8 smaller chains of 5 beads.Take your lampshade frame (I bought a cheap lampshade for £2 and cut it up to get the frame out). Wire the chains around the frame by creating a twist of wire over the frame.
Continue to add them around the frame until you have used all of your chains.
Position the chains where you want them and wrap the ends of the wire around the frame to hold them in place. Your lampshade is finished.
If you are making a bigger lampshade to the one I’ve made, you may have to shorten your chains as even though my shade is only small, it is quite heavy. I guess you could use plastic beads, however I’m not sure how they would be if the bulb gets hot. I’ve used mine with a low energy light bulb.
I’d love to see photos if anyone else makes one of these.
Sally
xxx
