How to Make a Pendant Lamp
Pendant lamps are lamps hanging from the ceiling. There are hundreds of different styles, and they are available from inexpensive chain stores such as Target all the way up to high-end designers, and can cost anywhere from $10 to $10,000. But before you go shopping online or in brick-and-mortar stores, consider making your own pendant lamp. All you need are a few household items, balloons, crochet thread, and your grade-school papier-mâché skills, and you'll have a retro pendant lamp that is sure to be the center of attention.
Things You'll Need
- 1 "punching" balloon
- Ceiling hook
- Crochet thread
- Liquid spray starch
- Hanging lamp cord and socket
- Lightbulb
- Pin or sewing needle
- Scissors
Instructions
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1
Inflate the balloon as big as you want the pendant lamp to be. Make sure the balloon is a round shape, not oblong. Tie it off.
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2
Take one end of the crochet thread and tie it to the bottom of the balloon near the knot.
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3
Wrap the crochet thread around the balloon at different angles. Make sure the thread is pulled close against the balloon, but the balloon remains spherical.
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4
Cover the whole surface of the balloon with the crochet thread. The last few inches of yarn should be near the knot at the bottom of the balloon.
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5
Cut the yarn and tie it around the balloon's knot.
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6
Spray the starch over the whole surface of the thread-covered balloon, making sure the thread is saturated with starch.
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7
Hang the balloon up to dry for a couple of hours. Make sure it it totally dry, then spray it with a second coat of starch. Hang it up to dry for a second time.
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8
Make sure the thread-covered balloon is dry. Use the needle or pin to pop the balloon. Remove the balloon pieces from the thread globe.
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9
Cut a hole where the bottom of the balloon was, and insert your light fixture into the thread globe, with the cord from the fixture extending from the hole.
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10
Install the ceiling hook where desired.
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11
Hold the globe upside down, with the cord coming out of the top. Hang the light fixture by the cord onto the ceiling hook.
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Tips & Warnings
Punching balloons are round. If you can't find these, you can use a regular balloon but your lamp may not be perfectly spherical. Use a lower watt lightbulb to prevent overheating. Lower the bulb into the middle of the globe so the globe doesn't overheat.
