Introduction: Cat Lampshade Made of Netted Rope

About: My name is Sabina Stan. I am a visual artist based in Romania. I work with rope, paper and recycled aluminium cans and I can do just about anything (figurative or abstract) in the technique I use, which is an …

So, I like cats. :D

When I started making lamps, I figured I could make one in the shape of a cat.

Here you can see how I did them, because I ended up with two. =^.^=

What you need to make one too:

  • rope
  • glue gun
  • scissors
  • wire
  • wire cutter
  • studs
  • spray dye
  • paper and pencil/ printer

I hope you enjoy! :)

Step 1: Draw a Cat

Or print one if it's better for you.
Use an A4 or an A3 paper... depending how big you want it to be.
Remember that the final object will be smaller than your drawing with about one cm.

Step 2: Netting the Rope

See the video bellow:

When you're done netting each piece, glue the ends of the rope.

Step 3: Create Two Cat Silhouettes

Tie the netted pieces together following the cat drawing/print.
You can start building it from the bottom or from the ears, as you please. :)

The shape can be approximate. You don't have to follow exactly the lines, just enough so that the general shape to look like a cat.

Tip: the ears are very important. ;)

Next you have two options.

Option 1:

Step 4: Unite the Two Silhouettes

Tie them here and there using small and thin pieces of rope.

Glue the knots.

Make sure there are enough knots to keep the two pieces together.

Step 5: Place Wire Through the Rope

Place wire on each side of the cat from the bottom to the ears.

On the front, when you get to the head, make a small bump that will be the cat's nose.

Step 6: Dying the Cat and Adding Eyes

This is optional, but I like black cats.

And stars.

You can dye the fabric before or after sewing the two pieces together.

And you're done. :D

Next comes up option 2:

Step 7: Make the Cat Silhouettes Out of Wire

After finishing the two sides out of rope, make them out of wire.

Step 8: Unite the Two Wire Silhouettes

Separate the two wire silhouettes with 1 cm wire (2cm, to have enough to tie it) at the bottom.
Bend it to for a circle .

Add a wire circumference in the middle of the body, of the throat and of the face.

Add a wire from the bottom to the top in the middle of the back and front. (optional)

The face circumference and the front wire should include the bump where the nose should be.


Step 9: Tie the Rope Silhouettes to the Wire Structure

Take each side made of rope and tie it to the wire.
Glue the knots and cut the surplus rope.

If you are not very precise when making the silhouettes, like me, you have to fill in the gaps on the side. :)

I chose to dye the rope before completing the object so I ended up with a two coloured cat.

I could have dyed it again, but I like it like this.

OR

You could just have constructed the netted rope directly on the wire - see the tail.

Step 10: Make the Tail

Draw it - optional
You can just make a long (depending on the size of the cat) conical object.
Make the shape out of wire -also optional, but advisable if you want the tail to stay in a certain shape.
Add the netted rope to the wire.
This time, I constructed the netted rope directly on the wire and I realized that this could also be done for the rest of the cat.

Step 11: Add the Tail

Tie the tail made on the last step to the body of the cat.

Start by knotting the bottom of the tail to the bottom of the cat with the use of small pieces of rope.

Then you can shape the tail however you want.
I like to roll it around the cat.

Step 12: Final Object

Because the body of the cat is empty on the inside and it is not opaque, you can turn it into a lampshde.

It leaves nice shadows. :)