DIY Project: String Pendant Lamp

This slow, meditative project is an excellent way to brighten up your room. Hanging lights are in vouge this year, but having them professionally installed can cost a lot of money. This project requires just a few materials, some patience, and around $15. Here’s what you’ll need:

 

Materials:

  • Ball or balloon (exercise balls work well)
  • Plastic trash bags
  • Disposable globes
  • Vaseline
  • Wallpaper paste
  • Yarn (around 360 yards for a 31″ ball)

 

Instructions:

Blow up your balloon or exercise ball and secure/tie tightly. Mark a 6″-7″ circle off-center—this will be for your hand when you need to change the bulb. Cover your workspace with plastic trash bags (this will get messy) and put on your disposable gloves. Rub a liberal amount of Vaseline all over the ball; this will prevent the yarn from sticking to the surface once the glue is applied.

Scoop your wallpaper paste into a large bowl. Begin to unravel the ball of yarn, dipping it into the paste to saturate it completely. Working with small amounts prevents the yarn from tangling, but it is more efficient to submerge the entire ball.

Begin wrapping the glue-saturated yarn around the ball, randomly covering as much of the open space as possible. Take care to not cover the drawn circle. Depending on the size of your ball, this will take a significant amount of time. Call a friend, listen to music, or put on a podcast! Once the ball is wrapped, allow it to dry for at least 24 hours.

Once your lamp is dry, deflate the ball or balloon carefully. Once deflated, pull it through the circle opening with your hand.