DIY: Wine Bottle Light Fixture

Prep the Bottle

• 1

  Screw the bottle into a vise for support while you drill at the bottom. If you don’t have a vise, wedge the bottle securely against a heavy object or ask an assistant to keep a firm grip on it while you drill. Put on your work gloves and goggles.

• 2

  Slowly drill a small hole at the base of the bottle (for the gallon o’ grape light fixture), slowly applying gentle pressure and spraying water on the hole every 30 seconds or so to keep the glass from flying. Take your time and realize that cutting through glass takes more time than drilling through wood. Expect to spend at least five minutes in a constant drilling motion on the bottle. Ensure that the hole is big enough to accommodate an electric cord, which you will slide through the bottle to make your light fixture.

• 3

  Cut off the bottom of the wine bottom (for the pinot pendant light fixture) with the wine bottle cutter kit, also squirting the glass with water while applying pressure to the bottle.

• 4

  Wrap a small piece of sandpaper around a toothbrush and sand the cut edges. Wipe and then rinse the glass shards from the bottle. Remove the label, if you like, by soaking the bottle in warm, sudsy water.

• 5

  Paint, spray-paint or decoupage the bottle, if you like, depending on the light fixture you want to make.

Make a Gallon o’ Grape Light

• 6

  Fill an empty gallon jug of wine about one-quarter full with pebbles, glittering stones, small seashells or other items that will enhance your décor. Create a taller beach scene by putting sand in the jug first and then placing the items on top.

• 7

  Follow the directions on the lamp hardware kit, feeding the cord through the hole at the bottom of the jug and securing the harp in the mouth of the jug.

• 8

  Glue the socket (the piece that holds the light bulb) to the mouth of the wine jug with a hot glue gun. Fill any gaps with small pieces of cork or putty. Attach the lampshade.

Make a Pinot Pendant Light

• 9

  Take the swag lamp hardware kit apart and pull the wire through the bottle's neck and then reconnect the pieces so that the bulb hangs near the cut (open) edge of the bottle.

• 10

  Tie a knot in the hanging wire so that the bulb hangs securely within the bottle.

• 11

  Attach the hook to your ceiling and hang the light from the hook so that it hangs directly straight down as a pendant, or use extra chain to create a swag.

• 12

  Hang the lights individually, such as over a counter or island, or group them in threes at alternating levels.

Make a Classic Cabernet Light

• 13

  Untangle a strand of tiny Christmas lights and plug them in to ensure that they work.

• 14

  Feed the bulb end of the light strand through the hole at the bottom of the wine bottle. Turn the bottle upside down, keep feeding the strand through the hole and fill out the bottle with lights to the best of your ability with a crochet hook.

• 15

  Decorate the top of the bottom with decorative ribbon, plastic grapes and raffia or floral picks.