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DIY Project, Lighting
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Contemporary Drinking Straw Pendant Light
DIY Project, Lighting: This Contemporary Drinking Straw Pendant Light is a fun and
fairly easy DIY lighting project that is sure to add great texture to your
contemporary room. It's also sure to be a great conversation
piece! After all, who would have thought that such humble
materials as drinking straws could look so great!?
Please read the helpful hints section before beginning
this project.
Skill Level:
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Project Cost:
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Approximately $40 |
Materials:
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1. 1 roll of metal hardware cloth with 1/2
inch grid (found in the home improvement store with the "chicken
coop" wire),
2. Wire lampshade ring with washer top in
the diameter of your choice,
3. 22 gauge craft wire (most hardware cloth
is wrapped in wire. If this is the case, you will not need
additional wire),
4. 1500 drinking straws (number will vary
depending on size of shade),
5. Pendant light wiring kit (sometimes
called a swag light wiring kit. Light socket may have to be
purchased separately).
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Tools & Supplies:
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1. Scissors,
2. Pliers,
3. Sidecutter wire snips,
4. Lots and lots of patience!!
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Instructions:
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1. Remove old lamp shade fabric from the wire
hoop. You will only need the top hoop.
2. Begin wrapping the hardware cloth around the
metal hoop to form a drum shade. Secure with craft wire.
3. Once you've wrapped the hardware cloth all the
way around the hoop, overlap the cloth about 1 inch, and use your side
cutter wire snips to cut off the excess hardware cloth.
4. Using the craft wire, secure the hardware cloth
where it overlaps to create a drum lamp shade form. (A drum shade
has the same diameter on top and on bottom.)
5. Using your side cutter wire snips, cut
the shade to the desired height.
6. Prepare your straws by cutting them in
half. There's no need to be perfect with this step. The
slight variations in length will add a textural quality to the finished
shade.
7. Begin inserting the straws by folding
each one in half, and from the inside of the lampshade form, push the
straw through to the outside of the shade, making sure that the straw
wraps around the wire of the hardware cloth.
8. Continue the process until all of the
wires are covered by a straw. Each 1/2 inch opening will end up
with 4 straws through it.
9. Finish the very top row, and the very
bottom row, with a double layer of straws.
10. Finish the light by following the instructions on
the pendant light kit to wire the lighting.
11. Hang the light, and enjoy!
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Helpful Hints:
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1. This project is not appropriate for small
children. The hardware cloth can be difficult to work with, and
when it's cut, it leaves sharp edges that can injure children (and
adults!).
Please handle the hardware cloth with caution.
2. Due to sharp edges on the finished product,
please keep this lamp shade out of the reach of children. It
should be hung in an area where it can be enjoyed, but not touched or
handled.
3. Keep in mind that your finished shade will be
about four inches larger in diameter than the hoop size you started
with.
4. When inserting the straws, it's easiest to
start in the middle of the shade and work up towards the top. When
you have half of the shade completed, flip the shade over, begin in the
middle again, and work up towards the top.
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Variations:
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1. For a more mature, contemporary look, use one
color for the entire shade. White or translucent straws create a
beautiful contemporary shade, but you can also use red, blue, etc.
2. For a child's room, use multi-colored neon
straws (as shown in picture above.
3. For a mature, contemporary look with a bit more
variety, mix translucent and white straws.
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Have you tried this project? Share your
work with us!
Have you made this Drinking Straw Pendant Light, or one
like it? We'd love
for you to show off all of your hard work!
There are so many different possibilities with this
project, and we'd love to see what you've come up with.
Simply use this form to share your project with us.
And please...share a photo of your work!
What Other Visitors Have Created
Click below to see contributions from other visitors...
Reader Submission--Blue Straws Pendant Light
The light is 16 inches long and 6 inches in diameter (inside measurement). I made this for my son's room. I'm going to attach some vellum to the inside ...
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