New VIDEO! How to make giant Yarn Lampshades, Lanterns, and Globes

Ready for a new MADE Everyday episode?
One that does NOT involve sewing??
AND has me wearing a trash bag as my wardrobe?

We’re going to take some everyday items….

And turn them into really cool home decor items!


You probably did this as a kid with yarn and a balloon….turning something soft into hard sculptured shapes. I remember making a large Easter egg once and filling it with fake grass.  There are so many uses for this technique.

But today I’m going to show you how to make perfectly round yarn or hemp globes that will look professional
and unique in your home.  Then use them to decorate a nightstand in the Guest Room….

Or paint them with acrylic paint to get that perfect shade for your space.

Or better yet….turn them into lamps!
We’ll leave a hole in the top and bottom:

And then I’ll show you how to actually get a light-fixture to work in there and stay put.


Ready to get messy?
I know you want a trash bag shirt too.

Just hit the play button below and enjoy….

MADE EVERYDAY with Dana is a fresh new sewing show, where we create fun things using everyday items.
To watch other episodes:
• Click the VIDEO tab at the top or….
• Subscribe to my Youtube channel so you’re updated as soon as the episode goes live.

  1. 1) Shelly Strosnyder

    Oh my gosh…so cute AND clever! I think these will be perfect for my office/sewing room!!! Thanks, Dana!

  2. 2) Kere

    You are so darn cute! What a fun tutorial!

  3. 3) Emilie

    You totally lost me on the clamp. This video is great, but needs more info on that step or a close-up.

  4. 4) Bronwyn

    How do you make the full balls? How do you get the ball out?

    • 5) Dana

      You just cut the ball through some of the “hole” areas in the yarn after it hardens. Of course if you wind the yarn around the ball too tight, this will be difficult….so try to leave some open spaces (as you see on the tan Hemp ball in the photos above). I used scissors to cut the ball; let it deflate; and then cut small pieces of the ball and pulled out the small pieces, little by little. Takes a bit longer to remove the ball but it’s really cool looking when you’re done. A balloon is an easier item to pop and remove (if you use that instead of a ball) but I love how perfectly round the ball makes it, while a balloon can be more of an oval shape. Hope that helps!

  5. 6) Kristen

    I was just thinking yesterday that I want to make something like this. Thanks for doing all the figuring for me—happy to know I already have all the supplies on hand! Woo!

  6. 7) Heidi L

    This is so cool, yet so simple! Thanks for another great tutorial–I’m definitely pinning this!

  7. 8) Marilyn

    Omg! That is so cool. Maybe someday I will make one.

  8. That’s awesome! I tried making yarn balls a few months ago and it was total disaster. But now that I see this, I’m realizing that perhaps I just didn’t use enough yarn and enough glue. What a great idea to use a big ball like that! It makes such a cool lamp! 🙂 Lisa

  9. 10) Lizzy

    They look very pretty! I woul like a new lamp 😉

  10. 11) Kim d.

    Great video, but can you clarify how to remove the ball if you aren’t making a lamp but a full ball? Would love to make them to set on a table or night stand. 🙂

    • 12) Dana

      You cut the ball through some of the “hole” areas in the yarn after it hardens. Of course if you wind the yarn around the ball too tight, this will be difficult….so try to leave some open spaces (as you see on the tan Hemp ball in the photos above). I used scissors to cut the ball; let it deflate; and then cut small pieces of the ball and pulled out the small pieces, little by little. Takes a bit longer to remove the ball but it’s really cool looking when you’re done. A balloon is an easier item to pop and remove (if you use that instead of a ball) but I love how perfectly round the ball makes it, while a balloon can be more of an oval shape. Hope that helps!

  11. Amazing, want to try asap, i probably ask to my daugheter to help me. She’s 4 and i think she’ll love to use a lot of glue 😉

  12. 15) Laurel

    I love this! My daughter is having a fairytale “ball” party for her second birthday. Basically all princesses and balls. I’m making a bunch of these for decorations and then I’m definitely turning them into lamps in my kids’ rooms!

    • 16) Dana

      Fantastic! Sounds adorable 🙂

  13. 18) Karen

    Awesome video… But… I have some constructive feedback: I did this project and it was a MAJOR fail…. Everything was great until I removed the ball and realized that all of the glue had dried between all of the string… creating glue crystals all over. I tried brushing with a toothbrush, wiping with a cloth… there is no way I can get all of the crystals off the inside, and then feel safe hanging a light bulb…plus you can see the glue crystals and it looks crappy. I think what caused this was pouring the remainder of the glue all over the ball at the end …. I would suggest skipping that part!! I was planning on spraying lots of clear polyurethane when all was dry to help harden it. I am going to try this again… but no pouring glue at the end. 🙂

    • 19) Dana

      I’m really sorry to hear that! I’ve made these about 10 times and never experienced that. Yes, please try it again. I wonder if your ratio of glue to water was too heavy on the glue side? Did you mix them about 1/2 and 1/2?

  14. 20) Karen

    Hello !!! I have never let a craft defeat me… 🙂 I will try again… and I will let you know how it goes !! Thank you !!! 🙂

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  20. This. Is. AWESOME. I’d love to make one of those for our bedroom. Thanks so much for sharing, i love your tutorials and clever ideas <3.

  21. 28) Giulia

    Hi, you could say the store name where the light-fixture was bought, for those who can not understand when you talk in video. I’m Brazilian and it’s difficult for me to understand some words. I love this video, it’s one of the best i’ve seen. Thank you!

    • 29) Catherine

      She said Home Depot or Ikea….but I could not find them there. :o(

  22. 30) Allison

    Love these! Do you think if I used more yarn so the string was more “dense”, it wouldn’t leave shadows and it would just diffuse the light? I love the look of these, but don’t want the shadows, I’m hoping to make them for some swag lighting to really illuminate my bedroom (unfortunately, I don’t have wiring for overhead lighting in my new apartment).

    Also, do I have to use acrylic paint? I have some leftover paint from painting some indoor walls, and I love that color…

  23. 31) Hansraj

    This video is very helpful for me…it create the New ideas in our mind…I like this most..
    Thanku for providing these …..

  24. 32) Julia

    Hi, I really like how simple it is to make the lamp, but is there any chance to show how to make the same design for a desk lamp?

  25. 33) Emliy

    When you start to pull your yarn from the roll, dont use the one on the outside… this causes you to fight the roll the whole time. If you pull the loose end from the inside, it pulls out even & easy not rolling around of the spool… crochet trick!

  26. 34) Jessica A.

    Hi Dana! I love this video, very easy to understand, and love the visual of all the steps. Quick question please… how much yarn did you use? Like how many feet I guess? I have never worked with yard before, so just wondering what size to get to cover something that large. Thanks!

    • 35) Kelly

      I second this question!

      • 36) Dana

        I’m not sure how much yarn….it varies on the size of lampshade you’re making. Maybe 1-2 skeins? Just buy a few and you should be covered! 🙂

  27. 37) Annie

    Hi Dana,
    It was pretty fun watching the video and learning something new. Thank you for your work. I am gonna try and the same stuff and decorate my home too. Wish me luck!

  28. 38) Kyrie

    I would really love to make one of these!! BUT Do you know anything about this being a fire hazard? I am just wondering how long the bulb could be left running? Just curious! Maybe I worry too much.

    • 39) Dana

      If you use an LED bulb, they stay nice and cool for a very long time and would not be a fire hazard.

  29. 40) Edie

    Try using an inflatable ball: basketball, volleyball, etc… Most balls will have a place where you can use a bicycle pump to inflate or deflate. A beachball might work as well and the rubber punching ball thing; seems a shame to have to destroy a ball every time you make one of these.

  30. 41) Danielle

    I just now tried this and I used black yard. But it’s been almost two days and it hasn’t harden yet. What could I spray on the ball to help harden the yarn? Starch?

  31. 42) Vicky Evangelist

    Hi, I never saw how you got the big open bottom. The video shows you with the small hole but not the bottom,. ??

  32. 43) Catherine

    This looks so cute, and my daughter and I want to make one for her college apartment. However, I am lost as to where to find the light. I have looked everywhere. Home Depot, Ikea, Lowes, etc. The only light fixture I did find that looks like yours requires me to attach my own plug…..an electrician, I am NOT. :o( Any suggestions?

  33. 44) Emmanuelle

    Hello Dana!
    I find it’s a very good idea and I’m planning to try that very soon as I just moved not long ago and I need some lamps. I have a question for you ; do you also make the lamps so they can stand on the night table? How do you do that then? Is it very different than for the big one? Thank you! 🙂

  34. 45) Felipe

    Hi,

    I was wondering… what is the line thickness?

  35. 46) Kat

    Thanks so much for posting this! My husband just made a HUGE yarn light fixture over at http://www.designedhappy.com. Love your site and sewing videos!

  36. 47) Earlene

    I have made a large, apple green one for my granddaughter’s bedroom, and she lives it! I ran into a couple of snags with finding the large washer and cord clamp.

    Any suggestions on sourcing these? I would like to make another for me Daughter, but would really like to do it right.

  37. 48) Dana

    Awesome! I’m glad you made one!
    I found the washer and clamp at Home Depot. They were just in the random nuts and bolts area. It’s was sort of a “rig” my husband and I worked out to keep the light bulb hanging where we wanted.

  38. 49) Brandee

    Thought to share a few things that I found. If you add cornstarch to your glue water mixture it cuts the drying time down to about 5 hours or so and dries harder. You can also use an inflatable beachball instead od having to inflate a bouncy ball all the time.

  39. 50) valerie

    Thanks for the awesome vid! Can you tell me why some recipes call for cornstarch in their mixture, and yours doesn’t? What does cornstarch add?

  40. 51) Jai

    Hi Dana ,love this idea and I just made it.. a few questions. Can you go over the lamp again, I don’t think I used enough yarn and my lamp is not as big as the tutorial. I have to say it was a bit difficult getting started and what a mess. Also, how do you get the glue off your clothes, I was wearing exercise pants and you can still see where the glue splattered. Thanks and keep up on the good ideas. Thank you Jai

  41. 52) Heather Johnson

    Can you tell me approximately how much string/hemp you used on the large pendant light? This is a fabulous DIY? I’m thinking I would like to make a shade but instead of a pendant light using it as a shade to cover a builder basics ceiling light?

  42. 53) teresa heitz

    Good Morning! i am decorating my covered deck Boho style and think these lights will be perfect, waiting on them to dry now. But now i am concerned about how well they will hold up in heat and humidity. Do you have experience with these being used outside( in summer)? Any suggestions on a sealer or a way to make them hold up for me i really want to use them on my deck!! thanks so much for any advise.

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