Lace lamp/Doiliy Lamp – DIY

We are at our little cottage in Dalarna and we are fixing it up. So we are able to use it even in the winter.
(Dalarna is in th middle/north of Sweden. To me and Jenny it’s north but Sweden is a very tall country so I guess we are not even in the middle).
Anyway it’s great cause I have the time and space  to do lots of DIY projects.
Starting with this lamp.
(It is so dark here at the moment – cant get the photos so crisp that I like).
But the lamp is easy to make an truly a beauty.

First we used a huge baloon that I bought at a party store.

Then you collect all the old Dollys (?) crochet or lace small tablecloths.
I found mine at a flea market.

Paint them with lots of wallpaper glue so they are soaked.

Hang the ballon on a string and put the soaked lace on the baloon. They have to overlap eachother so they will stick together and connect.
I always put on onother coat of extra glue when thay are all on the baloon.
Just to be sure.

Then wait for a while. Maybe a whole night.

Pop the baloon when the glue is dry. And attach a nice looking cord and lamp fitting.
Voilá a new lamp!

Update 1:
Some of you asked how to get the bulb into the shade. I simply cut open a little tear on top.
Later I am going to sew the tear nicely so you won’t even notice it and also connect it to the cord. But I want a big round bulb first and I havn’t found one yet in this little village I am in.
Someone also asked about fire safety. Well, I think if you make the ball large enough that it won’t come close to the bulb it’s ok.
It’s also possible to use a energy saving lamp – they are almost cold. Also the “shade” breaths a lot so it is not going to be to hot.

You mos def want to use a LED lamp or a energy saving bulb because it’s cold and it will not affect the glue either.

I bought a nice looking iron wire in pink but when I opened the box it was red. It will do for now. But I want the pink one later.

Update 2: Problems making the lamp?!
I have had so many incredibly responses to this lamp – thanks!
Many of you have a problem making this. I honestly don’t understand why. It has worked for me every time.
When thinking about it I come up with different ideas/solutions.

1. It’s possible that wallpaper glue consists of different things in different countries. I just bought already mixed glue at a hardware store. Some of you are talking of different kind of molds but unfortunately we don’t have them in Sweden so I can’t give my opinion about those.

2. The balloon. I used a larger, round balloon. In Sweden party stores and some toy stores carries them. The a round and more important a little bit thicker! I mean there is a big difference between balloons and ballons – every kids party has told me that. So make sure you find a hard strong balloon!
Some has used a beach ball but I think it’s to stiff and also hard to get out of the doily ball.

3. For some of you the doilies doesn’t stick to the balloon. I don’t know why.I simply lay them on top of the balloon then made sure the doilies overlapped eachother. You can also do one side – let it dry and then flip sides. Mine stuck all the way around from the start.

4. For some of you the balloon stuck to the doilies to hard. I guess after popping them? For me this was never the problem as well. I just punshed the balloon with a needle and it shrunk by itself. Once it schrunk brining a part of the lace with it (kind of collapsing. Then I blew another balloon inside of the big doilie bal and put extra glue/doilies on top of the shrunken part and the it worked. Some of you used plastic wrap underneath or even some Vaseline. I hope that works.

5. Picking doilies. I used not very thick but also not the finest of treads. When the doilies had to many “holes” in the lace it was harder to get it  stiff. And the overlapping part is important. It makes the whole unit stronger

6. The Bulb. It’s important to use a bulb which is cold. Otherwise it can affect the glue.

7. Next time I make one I think I will use wood glue after the doilies is dry and stiff. Put a little layer of wood glue and use the hairdryer so it hardens nicely. Then I think it will be even harder.

8.Good luck!
I wish I had more answers. You can also go through the comments and see what has worked for different readers!

xxx

Isabelle

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