About me

I am fanatical about making hand stitched lampshades - I make them to commission, and also to my own design. Although my lampshades are hand sewn, using traditional techniques, I would describe myself as a contemporary lampshade maker. 

Lampshades allow me to indulge my passion for textiles, and my love of colour and pattern. They are also a brilliant way to introduce textiles into an interior design scheme and, alongside other soft furnishings, can play a vital role in bringing a room design together.

I’m a self taught sew-er (sew-ist?) and a firm believer in the therapeutic benefits of working with your hands. For me, the process of hand stitching a lampshade is very satisfying.  I spent a year studying for an upholstery diploma at The Traditional Upholstery School, where I also learned to make lampshades and very quickly realised which skill I preferred.

  • Tailored

    Made using a single layer of fabric, carefully cut to fit the shape of the lampshade, and then stitched into place. Traditionally, these shades were made using silk. However, they can also be made using a much wider range of fabrics, and offer a fantastic opportunity to experiment with shape, colour and pattern.

  • Gathered

    These shades are best suited to lightweight fabrics, such as Indian cotton, cotton lawn, silk or muslin. The fabric is cut and manipulated into soft vertical gathers around the frame, before being stitched into place.The lampshade is lined to give a soft glow, and finished with bands of trim around the top and bottom.

  • Pleated

    Similar to gathered shades, but the fabric is formed into crisply defined pleats, each one the same as the next. This style can look very simple and classic, but can be transformed into something a little more dramatic with the right combination of fabrics (whether on the outside or the lining) and trim.