It didn't take me long to make use of the lilac lampshade I got from a charity shop earlier this week. I was really excited about this pattern when I spied it in a back issue of Let's Knit magazine (Issue 39, February 2011). The pattern is available here on their website, you just need to register with a username and password. It looked like a rather complicated knitted lace pattern but it did state it is "easy peasy" and that anyone who can knit and purl should be capable. As I'm always keen to teach myself new skills I couldn't resist giving it a go and this was the result:
Here is a picture I've taken of the one in the magazine:
The lampshade used in the magazine was pretty small at only 14 cm high, whereas mine was 22 cm so I had to make some adjustments to the pattern to make it fit my shade, which I just increased by 50% which was reasonably srtaightforward to work out. As my lampshade had some colour in it I chose to work with pale cream yarn to keep it reasonably neutral. The Let's Knit one has a cream lampshade base and has used a greyish yarn.
After a shaky start with the pattern and a couple of restarts I eventually got it going. The pattern did involve a lot of concentration as when I let my mind wander for a second I did manage to somehow gain / lose a couple of stitches on a pattern row so I did have to keep counting to check and I did have to unpick a row or two a couple of times. Once the piece was large enough to fit round the circumference of the lampshade I joined up the ends whilst casting off to create a tube. This could then be stretched over the lampshade. It was then secured around the top and bottom with the help of a needle and thread.
Your lamp shade turned out beautifully! I am so inspired! So good visiting with you today. =)
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