Tinfoil Crochet Lampshade

I wanted to make a new project to participate in a new contest the Tinfoil Speed Challenge https://www.instructables.com/contest/tinfoil/. Since I'm pretty good at crocheting, I got the idea to try crocheting something using tinfoil. I have not found on the Internet that someone has already done this before me. Since I really enjoy coming up with and trying something new, so I really wanted to implement this my idea. I decided that the most advantageous tinfoil would look like a crocheted lampshade. Here is the story of the birth of this new and unique project. I really like the result. Crocheting using tinfoil is a delicate and slow process, but crocheted in this way things look really very impressive.

Tinfoil crocheted things are no longer so fragile, so this lampshade will last you a long time. While using it, you can get rid of dust simply by rinsing it in water.

tinfoil,

double-sided adhesive tape,

a crochet hook 5 mm,

a metal ruler,

a very sharp blade,

a pen,

scissors,

cutting mat (or cardboard / several sheets of paper).

You need to cut the tinfoil into even strips 3 cm wide. You can cut the strips with scissors, but it is much more convenient, faster and better to do this with a sharp blade and an iron ruler (do not forget to put a cutting mat / cardboard or several sheets of paper under the tinfoil).

Using pen mark a cutting line on both sides of the tinfoil at a distance of 3 cm from the edge, or mark this distance on the cutting mat / cardboard.

Place the iron ruler tightly over the cutting line and slide the blade along the ruler. Make sure you get a straight, uninterrupted cut (see photo).

Repeat cutting until you have 65 strips.

Place two tinfoil strips evenly side by side (narrow side).

Cut a piece of double-sided tape and glue it to these two strips by joining them together (see photo).

It is better to connect only a few tinfoil strips (3-4) in this way and proceed to the next step. Attach the remaining strips as needed - when the tinfoil rope ends when crocheting.

Start twisting the tinfoil strips into a tight rope, starting at the edge (see photo).

When you reach the connection, peel off the protective layer from a piece of double-sided adhesive tape and continue twisting (see photo).

Leave the edge of the last end of the rope untwisted for joining the next strip (see photo).

Since even tinfoil folded several times does not have the same strength as yarn, therefore crocheting using tinfoil has its own characteristics.

1. Large loops
Always make large loops so that the hook can easily pass through them.

2. Pull with your fingers
You only need a crochet hook to form the loops, use your fingers to pull the tinfoil rope.

3. Do not rush
Remember that you are working with delicate materials. To avoid breaking the tinfoil rope, do not rush.

4. Joining the torn rope with double-sided adhesive tape
If the tinfoil rope breaks during crocheting, then unwind the ends at the ropes, glue a piece of double-sided adhesive tape to one end, peel off the protective layer, put the end of the other rope on top, twist the tinfoil tightly again.

5. Shaping
Give the correct shape to the already crocheted loops - use your fingers and a crochet hook.

To crochet this lampshade you will need to know how to make chain (ch), single crochet (sc) and finish of crochet. There is already great instructable about it: https://www.instructables.com/Beginning-crochet/

Make a knot with your fingers and do not tighten the knot so that it looks like the first loop. Insert the crochet hook into this first loop to give it an even round shape.

Crochet 42 chains (see photo).

Untie the first knot.

Thread the end of the tinfoil rope into the last loop so that this loop forms, similar to the other loops and connecting the chain (see photo).

Form a loop to continue crocheting.

1 ch, single crochet in every loop.

Finish of crochet.

Prepare 14 tinfoil ropes by connecting 3 strips and 7 tinfoil ropes by connecting 2 strips.

Use tinfoil ropes from 3 strips.

Form a loop at the beginning of the tinfoil rope (see photo). Pass this loop through the loop of the base. Crochet 17 chains.

* Skip one loop at the base and make the same chain from the second rope. Skip three loops at the base and make the same chain from the third rope.

Repeat from *.

Use tinfoil ropes from 2 strips.

Form a loop at the beginning of the tinfoil rope. Pass this loop through the loop of the base between chains that are three loops apart. Crochet 3 chains. Cross the chains on the sides and fix them with a loop. Crochet 3 chains. Cross the chains on the sides and fix them with a loop. Crochet 3 chains.

* Form a loop at the beginning of the next tinfoil rope. Pass this loop through the loop of the base between chains that are three loops apart. Crochet 3 chains. Cross the chains on the sides and fix them with a loop. Crochet 3 chains. Cross the chains on the sides so that they also cross with other adjacent chains, fix with a loop. Crochet 3 chains.

Repeat from *.

1st round: connect all the chains by single crochets.

2nd round: sc in every loop.

To keep the bottom well in shape, braid the lower loops with a tinfoil rope.

To keep the top well in shape, braid the top loops with a tinfoil rope.

Add a mount for the lampshade and enjoy the work done.

This lampshade has become strong enough so that in the process of using it you can get rid of dust by rinsing in water, which makes its use quite practical. As a result, you have got a very light, impressive, unusual, unique, practical lampshade made from such an inexpensive material as simple tinfoil.