DIY Ribbon Lampshades

I first did these diy ribbon lampshades for our daughter’s playroom sconces. Now I want to ribbon wrap all the lampshades. lol! Not really, but it is so much fun!

If you’ve ever been in the market for patterned lampshades you will know they can be quite pricey so this is a perfect alternative to add some color and pattern to your lamps.

All you need is a thick ribbon, super glue or hot glue and a clothespin or chip clip.

For the lampshades here in my kitchen I used a thicker ribbon almost like a trim tape style. I’ll link everything at the end of the blog.

Note that when you use a thicker ribbon it will dim the light coming through your lampshade, so I only recommend this for lamps that are more for ambiance not a reading lamp.

I first attach the ribbon to the inside of the shade with some glue. Then I just start wrapping the ribbon around the lampshade.

When you get next to the first ribbon you can decide how close you want the pattern to overlap. Sometimes it will depend on the width of the ribbon or the pattern of the ribbon.

I keep it very tight when I’m wrapping in order to keep the ribbon nice and snug against the shade. I have never measured how much ribbon it actually takes but be sure to get a nice size roll. It all depends on the size of your shade.

After you’ve wrapped it all the way around to where you started you can secure it with more super glue or hot glue. I’ve used both. I like to use a clothespin or chip clip to secure it while it dries just for an hour or two.

It’s such an easy diy it just takes a little patience while wrapping and pulling the ribbon through, but it’s so fun!

The possibilities are endless honestly. I’ve also seen people use strips of fabric as well. It’s just the coolest project to add a little bit of personality to your lamps.