Shimmering Hanging Wire Lamp

A hanging lamp shade is easy to make at gives so much more variety, and much less cost, when compared to what's available in any store. If you have the supplies, it can be done in half an hour easily.

This instructable assumes normal DIY ability and the use of typical household tools. A wire clipper is handy but if one is not available, most pliers can cut wire as well. (Don't use your best scissors!)

To make this hanging lamp only typical household tools are necessary. Wire cutter or pliers, scissors, tape measure.

Two wire hoops/rims for the lamp shade form are needed. Depending on the country their shape and size might be different to those pictured. One should have an enclosed circle where the lamp fixture is placed.

Wire mesh will connect the two hoops in place of starched fabric or plastic.

Plastic protector in roll (wallpaper or wrapping paper can also be used).

Thin wire is used to "sew" the parts together. Alternatively, a glue gun can be used but might melt the plastic and it tends to discolour with time.

The diameter of the hoops determines part of the size of the wire mesh and plastic covering material needed. We all remember that the formula for the circumference of a circle is C = 2 * π * R. For these hoops of 20 cm diameter, the circumference is then about 63cm.

My ceilings are quite high so I will use a length of 50cm for the lamps. The piece of wire mesh then needs to be 50cm (height) x 64cm (be on the safe side and add an extra cm).

The plastic has to be the same size and again, adding an extra cm is a good idea if not so experienced.

Several lengths of thin wire will be used to "sew" the mesh into a tube and then the tube onto the two hoops at either end.

First, the wire frame should be gently rolled into a tube shape. Be careful to avoid bending the wire so much that it causes creases. If there are points of wire sticking out on the mesh, use some of them to hook the two ends of the wire mesh together. This will help with putting the other parts together.

Next, attach the wire tube to the two hoops. It is only necessary to do this in three or four places for each hoop; they´re temporary to help keep the shape while putting it together.

Once the hoops and tube are connected, it has the stability to make working with it easier. Insert the plastic protection roll into the inside of the tube and extend it around the inside so that it fully covers the tube.

Using the thin wire, "sew" the two ends of the wire mesh together from top to bottom where the ends sticking out hook the two sides. This can be done by hand but when completed it will need to be tightened and for this, a pliers is better than using the hands. Use more of the wire to sew the plastic to the top and bottom hoops along with the wire mesh; that´s all three pieces together at the same, at the top and bottom.

Going down the seam of the wire mesh, check that there are no wire ends sticking out. If there are, fold them over.

Depending on the material used for the shade and the size cut, it might be necessary to trim the material inside the tube.

The hard work is finished. The only thing left to do are check the alignment of the tube, the top and bottom hoops and that there are no bulges or loose ends of wire or material showing. If the material is bulging it is likely because the top and bottom are not parallel. Look thru them both to see if they are not lined up. Usually this can be fixed with just slight tightening or tugging. Bulges can be fixed by putting a pillow or blanket inside the tube and setting the tube on a flat surface for several hours until it has returned to its normal shape.

If the plastic material and the wire mesh were not sewn together. i.e. if they had been sewn in separately, there is the advantage that the plastic can later be removed and replace with a different material such as wallpaper, wrapping paper, fabric or another piece of plastic.