Lampshade Makeover

This lamp makeover is probably the easiest one I have ever done, all thanks to Cricut! I have had this lamp sitting in my "not sure what to do with this, but don't want to get rid of it" pile for months, and when I received some iron-on vinyl from Cricut, I knew it was meant to be.

Cricut Iron-On is a heat transfer film that allows you to make accessories and clothing all your own. You can personalize all kinds of home decor, pillows, blankets, wall hangings, and more. You can see what other bloggers are making in the Free Throw Iron-On Showcase.

I bought this lamp for $5 at a yard sale. I liked the different look it had to it, and it is in really good shape. It needed a little tweaking in the hardware, but nothing too drastic. Mostly it was just covered in dust and needed a little extra something. So, there it sat, waiting to be beautified.

The iron-on sheets are made up of two parts: the iron-on film, which will be ironed on to your project, and the liner. The liner is a carrier sheet (think transfer paper) that holds the design in place and protects your iron during application.

I haven't really worked with iron-on products very much, and I was so relieved that the iron-on vinyl is easy to work with. After spending too much time in the Cricut Craft Room, I finally decided on a damask shape from the Damask Décor Cartridge. I measured the lampshade, then arranged four of the damask shape in Craft Room to go on each side of the lamp.

*Like any iron-on product, make sure you mirror your image! Otherwise it will be backwards when you iron it on! The design I used is the same either way, so I didn't worry about mirroring.

To cut the iron-on, place the sheet liner side down on the cutting mat. Cut the sheet with a kiss cut (where you only cut through the iron-on, but leaves the liner intact). Every Cricut machine has a different setting, so make sure to check your cut guide.

I had instructions to cut at 3 blade depth, 2 pressure at medium speed. The design cut beautifully, but it also cut through the liner sheet. Boo. I could still use the iron-on, but I had to arrange the design by hand instead of just laying the liner over the lampshade. So, I would recommend testing a small piece before cutting your designs to make sure your settings are right.

Laying the pieces by hand isn't impossible, it just makes the process take a little longer. Since the design was a bit intricate. I marked the centers of the lampshade, then traced parts the negative portion to mark where the damask shape needed to fit with a water-soluble marker.

1. Set your iron to the Cotton/Linen setting with the steam OFF.
2. Lightly preheat the area with the iron for 10-15 seconds. This really does help!
3. Place your image, liner side UP onto the area. If you don't place the liner side up, it will stick to your press cloth.
4. Carefully lay a press cloth or dishtowel over the design. If you cut through your design like I did, be VERY careful. You don't want any of the pieces to shift!
5. Apply medium pressure with the iron for 25-30 seconds.
6. Flip the lampshade or material over and apply medium pressure with the iron to the back of the material for an additional 25-30 seconds.
   *If you have any parts that didn't stick for some reason or if edges are flipping up, re-iron the pieces or loose edges with the iron tip for 10 seconds.
7. Let cool and remove liner. If you try to remove the liner before it cools, you risk burning your fingers or peeling the iron-on up.

It took less than an hour for me to do this entire project, including the cutting, and tracing, and ironing. I love how it turned out and can't wait to make more projects with this iron-on vinyl!!

Cricut isn't releasing the iron-on vinyl until April 11th, but Artsy-Fartsy Mama readers can get in on their special promotion packs! Get $15 off the Iron-on Bundle, or if you don’t have a Cricut yet, you can purchase the Iron-On Machine Bundle that includes the Cricut Expression, a Tool Kit, and three 12"x19” sheets in White, Teal and Glitter Silver for $199.99 (regularly $319.95).

What would you make with Cricut Iron-On?