Antique Lamp Restoration Project Finished!

I'm thrilled to share my latest completed lamp with you today. The bead work on this one was an epic undertaking and I think it turned out great!

Current Project - I Call it "The Rhone"

"The Rhone" includes gorgeous beaded and sequined French lace with a hint of silver gracing the lower panel, and an amazing antique metal lace in silver and burgundy on the top panel. The side panels are covered in new French beaded net with a sprawling floral pattern. Beneath the beautiful lace is hand-dyed silk charmeuse in a fade from amber to burgundy to brown. The shade is fully lined in a dark earth-tone. These colors are are also in the Steampunk color palette. Woot!

The Making Process

Here's the 'Napoleon style frame after I wrapped it up. I later realized that the bottom of the shade was going to be pretty dark in color, so I ended up over-wrapping the top and bottom rings in a nice burgundy.

I lined this one in tan so the color of the light would be a bit dark and moody. Hee!

I'm not exactly sure why, but my intent to obtain a fade from amber to caramel turned out great when hand-dyeing the side panels, and I instead got burgundy on the front panels. No worries! I can work with it. Here's the lamp with the silk sewn on.

Here we are after sewing a few lace panels on. The top panel features a burgundy antique lace with silver metal threads, and the remainder of the beaded and sequined laces are from my last trip to Paris. Meters and Euros, everyone! Yes, that is a cat hair, courtesy of Dax.

Next is being on the "bead ledge". Here's a shot of a few master strands I tried on the lamp. I think we all know how I feel about this. LOL!

The Finished Lamp

I think it turned out pretty good! I'm still on the fence about that top finial, but I'll look at it some more and see if I can get right with it.

The beads! Three thousand one hundred fifty pieces in total, of hand-strung Czech glass, metal and crystal beads. Notice how the metalwork on the center bead compliments the pattern on the beaded lace of the side panels? That was fun to do.

Here's a close-up of some pretty stuff. Heh.

Dax is So Freakin' Bored

It simply would not be #NeedleworkMonday without a picture of Dax. Here she is looking bored to death as she hangs her head off the speaker tower. It is springtime here and she wants nothing more than to go outside, which I simply will not allow. She is like a brooding teenager in this picture. Better get her some nip!

Have a great week!

Happy #NeedleworkMonday, everyone!

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All images © @crystalize.