Are you tired of seeing my mason jar chandelier pop up here and on other places in the blog world? Of course I’m not tired of it. It’s thrilling to see my creation so lovingly embraced! But if you are tired of seeing it, is it because you are too intimidated or perhaps don’t have enough time to make it? If so, this post is for you! Today, I am going to show you how to make a Mason Jar Pendant Light. Trust me- you can do this!
Here’s what you will need (all of these items can be found at your local hardware store- I got mine from Lowes):
-mason jar (find these at flea markets or grocery stores)
-drill and drill bit
– lamp cord
-1 keyless socket (sold in sets of 2 though)
-1 threaded nipple (come in packages with multiple sizes)
-1 Hex Nut (come in package with multiples)
Of course most important is picking a mason jar. I hung a beautiful blue (1/2 gallon size) over my sink. I also love the ones with zinc lids!
Step 1-Drill holes through the lid. One in the center and 4 around the outside for ventilation. The ventilation holes are VERY important so that the light does not overheat!
Step 2– Put all the parts together.
-Place the threaded nipple through the center hole in the lid.
-Screw the Keyless socket onto the bottom of the threaded nipple.
-Screw a hex nut onto the top of the threaded nipple and tighten.
Step 3– Fish your lamp cord through the threaded nipple (from top to bottom). . .
and attach your wires. Simply wrap the exposed wire underneath the screws and tighten the screw down to hold the wire in place. Feel the outside of the wires. The one with the ridges should go to the silver screw and the one that is smooth should go to the brass screw.
Add a lightbulb, and there you have it! A charming mason jar pendant light!
And if you don’t like seeing the cord (I certainly don’t) then you can weave it in with a piece of rope for a positively lovely look!
The lamp cord will have a plug at the end. So you can use that or cut the plug off and wire the light directly into the ceiling (over a bar area, sink, or somewhere else!)
If you love this look but hate DIY, this fixture is now available to buy for $75. To order, send me an e-mail.
If you end up making your own mason jar pendant light, please, please send me a photo of it in your space! I would love to see it!
I’m sure my husband won’t like this post! I wanted to do my over the sink light to match my chandelier. I might have to do this one myself…
I made a pendant light using prety much the same technique, but i didn’t use a mason jar. check it out here
http://ambitiouspocrastinator.blogspot.com/2010/10/diy-pendant-light-part-iii.html
Hi there, a bit off topic, but are those concrete counters? Did you make them yourself? Thanks!
~ Carly
Hey Ladies,
Thanks for your comments!
Julie- you can totally make this one. I bet you don’t even need your hubby! 🙂 But let me know if you’d rather order. 🙂
Hey Nikki- Thanks for commenting. Great job with your light!
And finally to Ms. Carly- Yes, those are concrete countertops that Tim and I poured. They are VERY labor intensive, but definitely worth it in the end! 🙂 I am reorganizing the blog this weekend and will soon have a tab for a concrete countertop tutorial if you’re interested! 🙂
that looks wonderful!! I love it 🙂
I just found your blog through yhl and really love your ingenuity! I can’t wait to try these mason jar lights over a bar counter. Thanks for posting!
Thank you so much for posting this….I have been looking for months on ACTUAL directions on making a pendant lamp.
Gorgeous!!
hey kara! i love thsi and am going to try this in my kitchen. what did you do with the rope once it reached the ceiling plate?
I just cut the rope with scissors and then I tied a small piece of jute rope around it to secure things. The jute blends right in!
Hey Kara –
I’m trying to do a similar pendant light with a ceiling mounted pendant kit. I have the light figure mounted… just need to figure out what lids to use for my old mason jars. I noticed in your early step-by-step photos it looked like you were drilling holes in an old zinc lid, but in the next few pics and final pics your light is completed with one of the newer lid/collar tops. Did you have problems with the zinc? Were you trying to drill through the porcelain? Any tips/suggestions are greatly appreciated! Also, with the new lid, have you had any problems with that rubber ring getting hot?
THANK YOU!!!
Thank you for the tutorial!! Here is mine over my kitchen bar.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28194962@N04/5924006127/in/photostream
Hey Kara!
Can you please do a small instruction or something that explains how to cover up the wire with rope?
Thanx in advance
Ã…za
Dana- Hey, sorry it has taken me so long to get back to your comment. It some how slipped through the cracks. I didn’t have any problems with the zinc lids I just have a couple different lids around the house and when I happened to wire this one up I grabbed the “newer” one. The zinc lid I used didn’t have the porcelain underneath. I would imagine you could try drilling through it with a masonry bit or maybe use a hammer to break it up and pull it out. As for the rubber rind on the newer ones, they aren’t a huge problem, but it does take a little extra effort to unseal the jars when replacing the light bulbs.
Aza- The rope I used was made of three smaller strands twisted together. I started at one end and forced the cord between two of the strands and then worked my way down the rope pushing it in the same “seam.” It is a pretty simple process with this sort of rope. See if you kind find some to experiment with and let me know how it goes.
Kara
Could you please advise—if I put a row of these pendant lights using blue mason jars over a large island, do you think it would provide enough light??? Would the new ‘squiggly’ bulbs provide cooler, higher wattage???? I have pint, quart and quart+ size jars and am anxious to do this lighting feature, but am reluctant because of the question of brightness/workability in a kitchen setting. Thanks for your help!!!
Without seeing the space it is really hard to give a good recommendation about the lighting. I would recommend using a lamp or mobile work light and placing the jars over the bulbs to see how it effects the lighting in the space. Hopefully you will be able to tell if you have enough pendant lights or if you need to add more. The compact fluorescent bulbs will definitely be cooler. Both temperature and light color. The color of the light probably won’t make a big difference because of the blue jar. Hope this helps.
Kara,
Lovely look. How did you weave the wire in with the rope?
thanks,
Sasha
We untwisted the rope just a bit to get the wire started in between the strands then just braided all the way through. It is a lot harder to explain than it is to actually do. It is a quick and easy process.