My project this week is “by request.” I made the first one of these back in 2009, and it was later included in Garth Johnson’s creative reuse book. Since then, I have had many requests for a detailed tutorial. But it was the very polite e-mail I received from Jael last week that finally tipped the scales. Thanks, Jael!

The only parts required, besides the top and bottom lamp shade hoops, are aluminum can “stay” tabs that have been bent and cut with pliers. No wire, string, glue, or other fastener is required. The one shown here is 7″ in diameter and 8″ tall and consists of 16 rows of 34 tabs each—544 tabs in all. They can, of course, be made bigger or smaller as you please, and the “chain mail” technique used to join them can probably be used to produce other forms.

Make: Projects — Pop Top Lamp Shade

More:

• Make: Projects — Re-purposed Power Supply Fume Extractor
• Make: Projects — Bottle Cutting
• Make: Projects — Self-Disinfecting Toilet Brush