DIY ceiling lampshade/light bulb cover

In a hallway i have a bare lamp in a standard light bulb socket fixture on my ceiling, the kind where the light bulb points straight down toward the floor.

I've seen a wooden lampshade or cover type thing for sale that just goes over the bulb, but the cheapest one is 30$ plus shipping so I'm thinking of making one of my own.  Crochet seems like a good possibility.
I'm thinking I might be able to rig up some sort of wire collar/frame around the light bulb that extends outward where yarn could go, or maybe some type of frame that I might be able to attach to the fixture on the ceiling (?)?
I wonder if anyone's done anything similar or has any great ideas?

Hi Tereza,
That sounds like an interesting project!
What about trying some simple basketry? Make a basket with the strands of material wide apart, and line it with (handmade) paper or a silk scarf?
Good luck!

I wonder if you can crochet to a embroidery hoop then attached the hoop by a wire circle over the bulb.

Also there might be a light basket that you you can find that would also work and you would not need to crochet.

We have lantern festivals here with awesome creations made with a light wooden frame covered with paper - particularly something like the paper used for  Japanese shoji screens. The downside of that is that they won't be easy to clean.

I have made covers using commercial metal frames, hand covered with very light drapery fabric. In fact 2 of the table lights in my living room and 1 in the bedroom are made that way. The advantage of upcycling a broken shade with a functional frame is that they're designed to go over a light. Not sure what the odds would be of finding a suitable frame at your local charity shops.

Attaching it to the bulb or fixture is the sticking point, but your idea of attaching it to the ceiling has merit! If you plan the design to accommodate it, 3 or 4 cup hooks in the ceiling that you gently wiggle the finished shade onto, would be what I would try. That also gives you lots of room for making a creative wooden or wire frame to support whatever material you choose to use.

I would make sure there's an air gap near the ceiling. Lights last a lot longer if they don't get too hot, and enclosing them too much will tend to cause that overheating.

Good luck and please post pictures!

So far my limitation is a frame (making or finding), and then I think the form will follow.
We don't have charity shops for housewares like in north America, unfortunately, only for used clothes, otherwise I'd go looking for a lamp.
I have been looking at paper lanterns, which are something I could mail order if nothing else works out.
But walking some serious mileage with the dog lately I do come across lots of weird trash on the side of the road. It's storm season and I'm seeing lots of junked umbrellas.... I'm thinking that may offer a frame solution. Will report back once I find a starting point!!
Thanks for brainstorming with me!!!

Hi Teresa,

When I first moved into my current place, I had a similar naked bulb.

I took a glass candle holder surround and turned it upside down.  Then the base ring went up to the ceiling and I screwed the light bulb in - the ring was supported by the bulb itself.  It was all glass and metal so I didn’t worry about fire (the ring was touching the bulb not the fixture) and it was open enough to not worry about overheating.

At some point I upgraded to a decorative bulb so I don’t have pictures, sorry.  The decorative bulb also might be an option - you need a bulb anyway and they’re sold in hardware stores here.

Jay Angler wrote: 3 or 4 cup hooks in the ceiling that you gently wiggle the finished shade onto, would be what I would try. T

I keep thinking about this, which makes me think there's something promising here. The ceiling is poured concrete, and the fixture is one of those standard socket things shown below, but it's not porcelain so I think it would be easier for me to modify it than to get hooks into the concrete. In fact maybe the frame, if I could find myself some sheet metal, could go underneath the socket (which is screwed flush to the ceiling)?
going to chew this over all day today...

https://permies.com/wiki/207075/Chandeliers-Wheaton-Labs





This general design is something I like a lot.  I have done a lot of fiddling and have a lot of fiddling yet to do.  

The general idea, to me, is to block the light from shining directly into your eyes, but still illuminate what you want illuminated.  I think another bit of wisdom, is to lower the light so it is closer to what you want illuminated.

I used to put reflectors and diffusers inside ....  mixed results there.  Could use a lot more research.  

I like dabbling with houseplants on the top.  Some day the whole thing could simply look like a giant house plant with light bulbs.

thanks for sharing!!
fruit crate is a very interesting idea and one that is accessible at this time of year (I was just at the wholesale market last week and saw a bunch of them). bonus i would get to involve Mr Okava, who has a box full of tools itching to play.... we have a similar situation out on the porch, maybe this can become a group effort/competition?

Tereza Okava wrote: It's storm season and I'm seeing lots of junked umbrellas.... I'm thinking that may offer a frame solution.

I don't think you want a pendant as in this picture, but starting with a salvageable umbrella frame, and covering it with a mix of paper/thin fabric and basket weaving out of local material would certainly have potential.

far too expensive example is from here: https://www.amazon.com/YGZPALH-Inverted-Handwoven-Suspension-Spotlight/dp/B0DJ1XF6M3?th=1