Our Story

Here at 3Chooks we help you learn the art of lampshade making using straightforward instructions and high quality components so you can create long lasting unique personal homewares.

We start off by giving you our FREE tried and tested lampshade making instructions. Then every couple of weeks you'll receive further training, inspiration, tips and knowledge to improve your skills.

Stick with us and your home will be lit up with cosy, pretty lamps in no time.

 

Founder Anna's Story

Hi! I'm Anna. I grew up in north-west NSW on a wheat and sheep farm where I learned the enjoyment that can be found in making, repairing and repurposing. I'm all about beautiful things with a functional and practical purpose. 

One day about 10 years ago, my sister-in-law Araceli and I decided we'd like to make our own lampshades. We took a trip to a local haberdashery and luck was on our side. We got to talking to the wonderful Mary. She spent over an hour with us wandering around the store, explaining lampshade making, pointing out the tools necessary, recalling lampshades she had made and what she had learnt from the process.

We chose a few bits and pieces and headed home with our stash. Excited, I got to making mine pretty quickly - it was a small bell shape rigid shade, I chose orange fabric and a plaited orange trim to go over all the rough edges. It was a fun process! I called Araceli and sent her photos of the finished shade. She was impressed and had lost interest in attempting her own shade...so the next time we caught up I took all her bits and pieces and made hers too: a narrow cylinder with palm fronds and dark green tassels hanging all around the bottom edge. It turned out really nicely too. 

I had the bug!

I went round the house looking at all the other lamps we had and decided there were a few I could rip apart and attempt to re-make. Fun! Back to the fabric store and I chose some other sweet fabrics and continued on with my lampshade making adventure. 

Soon I was making lampshades for baby shower gifts, birthdays and Christmas. I was getting pretty good at it too! Next stop...custom made lampshades, a market stall, a website, then lampshade making kits and workshops. Of course all the people I was teaching were keen to keep making too so I started selling all the lampshade making supplies and components...a couple of kids, some swings and roundabouts ... and here we are today.

After 14 years of enjoying the lampshade making community, I am on my way to new ventures teaching permaculture principles to kids and adults and running the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail. My lovely friend Una has taken over the business as the new owner and will be enjoying her path on the lampshade making trail.

 

Our products

3Chooks products and packaging are made in Australia by Australian family owned companies. The one exception is the lampshade paper which is manufactured in the UK. As there is no comparable Australian made product available, the lampshade paper we offer is the highest quality product in the world.

We are passionate about using Australian suppliers, supporting the re-use, re-purpose, recycle movement - we encourage you to re-wire beautiful old lamps, re-use your existing lampshade frames where possible, find that fabric you've been saving for 'just the right project' and give lampshade making a go.

 

Learn with 3Chooks

 

We are currently teaching lampshade making workshops in Sydney, Newcastle and Killcare on the NSW Central Coast. Join us for a 3-hour session one morning here at Killcare, you can find upcoming dates and book in here:

3Chooks Lampshade Making Workshops

 

Contact

 

Based in Killcare, on the Central Coast of NSW, Australia, the name 3Chooks was inspired by founder Anna's highly entertaining collection of backyard chickens.

Thank you for visiting! If you'd like to get in touch to talk lampshades please send us an email.

 

3Chooks today

 

Right now 3Chooks is your destination for lampshade making supplies including:

  • Lampshade Making Kits including kits to make gooseneck lampshades
  • Lampshade paper (also known as styrene, adhesive styrene or pressure sensitive styrene)
  • Australian made wire lampshade frames including wire ring sets
  • Simple laser cut bamboo plywood lamp bases
  • Quality Australian craft glue by Helmar
  • Cotton tape
  • Lampshade making instructions
  • Lampshade making workshops 

Plus inspiration, tutorials, tips and tricks and a whole lot more through our blogs, social media, YouTube channel, and regular emails. 

3Chooks also has a growing wholesale customer base including stockists of our Lampshade Making Kits and many makers across the country who are talented lampshade makers in their own right. Enquire here to become a wholesale customer (minimum order quantities apply). 

    To keep up with what's going on here at 3Chooks please sign up to our regular emails - full of tips and tricks, how-to videos, inspiration from other 3Chooks makers, useful ideas, promotions and sales.