12 Projects of Christmas - Project #7 Vessel Shade

Beau Wynja

12 Projects of Christmas - Project #7 Vessel Shade 

Purchased at a department store, we modified a wooden vase to function as a single pendant shade.

Color Cord Product You'll Need

Cloth Covered Electrical Wire

Single Port Canopy

Basic Ivory Socket

Flat Top Metal Socket Covers

Metal Barrel Male Cord Grips

1/8 IPS Tubing

1/8 IPS Coupler

Metal Barrel Female Cord Grip

1/8 IPS All Thread - 12" (From Local Hardware Store)

Step 1: Measuring and Taping 
Person holding cylindrical wooden light fixture on workbench
Hands drawing on large wooden cylinder
Person taping base of wood-look pendant light
The close look of Vessel Shade
To prepare for designing the vase with an Aztec pattern, we measured appropriately, taped off portions of the vase and applied the stencil to the center.   

Step 2: Painting

Man creating a Vessel Shade
Man creating a Vessel Shade
Man checking the Vessel Shade
We went around the vase several times with the stencil and then proceeded to tape off the top and bottom and spray paint bold white stripes. 

Step 3: Drilling
Man creating a hole in the Vessel Shade
Using a 1/8" drill bit, find the center of the bottom of the vase and simply drill through it!  Make sure the hole is 1/8" so it can easily fit our Cloth Covered Electrical Cord and DIY Lamp Parts.  Next, we'll build our Single Port Ceiling Pendant!
Step 4: Wiring a Single Port Ceiling Pendant
Light fixture pieces and wrapped white electrical cord on workbench
A man removing the wire cover with Wire Stripping Tool
Hands cutting an electrical wire with wire cutting tool
A man wiring a socket
Socket wiring
If you need step by step instructions on wiring our sockets, check out our video How To Wire Ivory Sockets.  
Step 5: Securing Pendant to Vase Shade
Hands holding brass pieces from a light fixture
Hand holding brass nut with bolt
A man putting the wire in a Vessel Shade
A white cloth covered wire in a Vessel Shade
A man creating a Vessel Shade
A man creating a Vessel Shade
To obtain a secure fit, we used a piece of all thread rod over the cord and threaded it through the hole in the vase.  You can pick up all thread rod at any hardware store.  Our 1/8 IPS DIY Lamp Parts are compatible with all thread, so we gave it a clean finish with some 1/8 IPS Tubing, a Coupler and a Female Metal Barrel Cord Grip.  Finally, we threaded the canopy with our Cloth Covered Electrical Wire and secured it with the canopy set screw.
Step 6: Enjoy your Vessel!
Stunning Vessel Shade
Wood-look pendant light above small, round dining table and 2 chairs
Send us photos of your DIY Holiday Projects and stay tuned, the 8th Project of Christmas is coming soon!
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