How Lady LaSalle Covers a Parasol

[Lady LaSalle]

Ok, I'm going to try this for all of you. This covering parasol thread is going to be on how to take one of those cheapy baby/wedding shower parasols and up-do it. Now keep this in mind from the start-----if there is a short cut, no matter how strange or far-fetched it may seem, I'M USING IT!!!!! This thread may also be short lived. I'm not promising anything, but I'll try. I am cutting out embroidered diamonds again tonight, so I'll do all of the pictures tomorrow. So here goes:

Step 1: Go get a cheapy parasol. This one is similar to the one that I got.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-White-Ruffled-Umbrella-Parasol-Blue-Trim-NICE_W0QQitemZ280124020238QQihZ018QQcategoryZ1464Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Step 2: Take the thing apart. By this, I mean take off all of the fabric by seam ripping the tacking threads which holds the fabric onto the metal skeleton of the parasol. Keep the rufflely thing that goes up by the parasol's finial----don't throw it out. You'll need that for later. Now you should have one giant piece of fabric. Carefully, remove the ruffle or trim from around the bottom (if there is any to start with). You can cut a length of it and use it as a template to get the right width for your new ruffle. Some people keep the entire length, iron it out, and measure it to get the exact amount of fabric that they will need to re-ruffle the parasol. I just wing it. Now carefully remove one of the triangular pieces of fabric. I say carefully because the stiches on my parasol were almost as tiny as the seam allowance and I almost ripped the fabric several times. You now have your pattern to cut out the fabric that you are going to recover the parasol with.


I'm adding an additional step in here for all of you artistically inclined individuals. Remove the plastic finial from the top of the parasol and, in my case, the hideous big white curved handle. Why do this you say? Well, like I said----this step is for the artisitc creative types. After you remove the white plastic finial, you are left with a hollow metal spike/tube, or at least that is what was under my plastic finial. I am cutting mine down almost to the top of the parasol skeleton, then I'll be gluing in a screw upside down with the threads of the screw pointing skywards. This is because I am then screwing my porcelain Blue Hen onto the screw creating my new parasol finial. I will be then drilling out the center of a wooden dowel rod and regluing the metal that was covered by the big ugly plastic handle inside of it. I will be painting mine white. Now I have a pretty white wooden handle. I may also be drilling a smaller hole in the bottom of the dowel rod, then inserting a blue glass drawer knob. If I'm lucky and my specialty lumber place is open this week (they keep weird hours), my dowel rod may even be all carved like the rung for a chair. We shall see. In any case, doing little things like this personalize your parasol making it uniquiely your own. No one will have one just like it.

[Boss Lady]

Ooh! I've been hoping that someone would do a class for this. Thanks LL. Looking forward to the rest of the instructions, and photos of course!!

[Sarah Bernhardt]

LL,
This is great, I have a couple that need recovering. I look forward to seeing the process.:ty :ty

[Lazy K]

Thanks LL. Where's the pic?:waiting :waiting :tap :waiting

I have a question about parasols that have no cover. I just bought one with an ivory handle and I'm not sure how to come up with a pattern. I have Millicent Rene's book "Victorian Parasols" which has 8 patterns. Has anyone ever used them?

[Clancy]

Wheres the pictures LL, im visually impared, i need pictures with words to understand!

[Lady LaSalle]

Here is the individual parasol piece to make your pattern off of.

[Lady LaSalle]

And here is the piece that I cut. As you can see, it is wider and longer. That's because my seams are bigger than the manufacturers! LOL!!! I am also doing a heavy hem, or thicker, because I'm adding chainette fringe on the edge and I want a nice sturdy hem to hold it.

[Lady LaSalle]

This is the railing that I bought. The dark marks on it are the cutting lines for hubby. The "handle" will taper nicely at the bottom.

[Fannie Kikinshoot]

Wheres the pictures LL, im visually impared, i need pictures with words to understand!

Me too!! I'm a visual learner!!!:sailor

[Lady LaSalle]

Here is the parasol skeleton with all of the ugly plastic removed.

[Lazy K]

Was the handle easy to get off of was a sledge hammer involved?

[Lady LaSalle]

Was the handle easy to get off of was a sledge hammer involved?

Husband cut the plastic with a dremmel. Once the initial cut was made, it literally fell out of the plastic handle.

[Lady LaSalle]

You should now have 8 triangles (in my case). I started by sewing them together down the long side. Before I sewed piece #1 and #8 together, I serged around the top and the bottom edges. Then I sewed #1 and #8 together. Now for a test fit. Hmmmm.............not too shabby.

[Lady LaSalle]

And here is the inside. I've checked and all of my seams line up with the ribs of the parasol, and that is a good thing! Some heavy duty masking tape allows me to do the test fit without actually having to tack the fabric in place. I love short cuts!

[Lady LaSalle]

Now is when I am embellishing my parasol. Sewing on trim and more gold triangle appliques that spell out D-E-L-A-W-A-R-E, and then the fringe on the hem. Taking a break for a moment. Hello Dolly bars and a Coke for some energy!

[Madame Olive Yew]

Yahoo!!! Lady LaSalle is doing a parosol class:tban :tban :tban


THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

I feel a summer project coming on!

[Clancy]

Yehhh pictures, i can visualise now.... sounds kinda saucy actually

May have to make a pink and grey one for my dress....

[Fannie Kikinshoot]

Okay, I no longer have an excuse not to do this. I've had the parasol pattern from Shooting Star for over a year now.....just need to do it. Once I'm back from HOW this is going to be on my "To Do" list!
Thank you LL!!!:kiss :kiss

[Madame Olive Yew]

Any idea of the yardage one would need? I know it will vary depending on the size of the parasol, but a rough idea please?


:ty

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

That size parasol probably dosent take a 1/2 yard just for the cover then a little more for ruffles or ruches ect.

Are you lining this parasol LL...?

Greeneyed ( its looking good! But you know I am gagging over the serged seams...) Gypsy

PS...every parasol I have ever seen has unfinished seams is all...I am teasing her. For what we do and a reproduction parasol why not? I know she feels it is more secure that way as well.

[Lady LaSalle]

Any idea of the yardage one would need? I know it will vary depending on the size of the parasol, but a rough idea please?


:ty


If Josie is making it, 1/2 yard. If I'm making at least 1 yard. I need extra screw-up yardage just in case. You will also need more depending on how you want to trim it----ruffles, ruching, etc.

[Lady LaSalle]

That size parasol probably dosent take a 1/2 yard just for the cover then a little more for ruffles or ruches ect.

Are you lining this parasol LL...?

Greeneyed ( its looking good! But you know I am gagging over the serged seams...) Gypsy

PS...every parasol I have ever seen has unfinished seams is all...I am teasing her. For what we do and a reproduction parasol why not? I know she feels it is more secure that way as well.



Nope, not lining it. And I am the Queen of Serge! I hate unfinished seams. Looks like heck!

[Madame Olive Yew]

:ty LL & GG :ty

Note to self, buy extra fabric for dress projects to start making matching parasols.

[Lady LaSalle]

Husband is working on the parasol frame in his mind right now, hopefully in actuality tomorrow. Even though he only needs to glue a screw in the top and then drill a hole for me in the dowel, he is going to make sure that this parasol will stand up to 60 mph wind gusts and won't be able to be bent even by the Man of Steel. He's in Build a Better Mousetrap mode, but in this case it involves my parasol. The cover is done, trim and all. I'd like to see if it completely fits, though. :tap

[Victoria Rose Hyde]

This is a really cool class:tban :tban

[Clancy]

Whats taking your hubby so long LL??? I want to see it finished!...:lool

[Lady LaSalle]

That's what I keep asking him. He says he'll get to it, and besides "it's not like you don't have any other things to sew"!:tap

[Lazy K]

That's what I keep asking him. He says he'll get to it, and besides "it's not like you don't have any other things to sew"!:tap

Doesn't your hubby realize that YOU may have other things to sew but WE want, NEED to see the parasol finished NOW? Please explain this to him. I'm sure he'll get it done today

[Bloomin']

Wonderful class Lady LaSalle, thank you so much!!!!

Yes, please tell your wonderful hubby that we are not the kind of women that are used to being kept waiting!! :)

[Accurate Allie]

YAY!!! I have been wanting to see how to do this for soooo long, thank you so much LL!!!

:ty :ty :ty :ty :ty

I can't wait to see it finished :waiting :tap

[Lazy K]

Just wanted to bump this back to the top so Mr. Lady LaSalle knows we're still waiting:tap :tap :tap :tap :waiting :waiting

[Miss Ruby]

:bump :bump :bump :bump

[Kitty Phann]

Ok, Mr. Mayor it is your turn!

[Ida Hands]

And I thought there was something new.

[Tatted Lady]

Me To!!!!

TL

[Victoria Rose Hyde]

So did I. :tban :tban :tban

[Yankee Belle]

LL ask hubby if he wants to be invaded by an angry mob of women. Then he may get if done. If he is anything like mine he will just about break his neck to run away. Into his workshop that is.:tban

[Sweet Violet]

Cool class LL. But you seem to have let class early and without the proper closing to said class!!!

[Tatted Lady]

What kind of patterns were on the "handles"???

I'll get hubbie to turn some on his lathe.

And how (tall)?

TL

[Lady LaSalle]

Miracles will never cease!!! He's making it today!!!:tban :tban :tban

[Lazy K]

Yippee!!!!!!!:tban

[Lady LaSalle]

Ok, he has some final fitting to do then I need to paint it and he has to glue on my glass knob and finial. Then I can sew on the cover. :tban


Should I tell him that I have another one that needs fixing???!!!!:rofl :rofl

[Madamekat]

:bump

:waiting

So what's the latest? This is such a great class and I can't wait to see your fabulous handle!

[Lady LaSalle]

I'm waiting too! LOL!!!! I hate it when his gunsmithing interferes with my sewing!:rofl

[Tatted Lady]

Well..... we're waiting.

I have an old umbrella to take apart.

Need to know how long the handle should measure,,, from top tip to bottom of the handle????

Or do we just fit the height of our hats.:rofl :rofl :rofl

[Drusilla]

Yes, unless you want to walk around with your arm extended over your head!:lool :lool :lool

[Drusilla]

Actually I will amend the last comment, my folding parasol is 38 inches (this is from tip to end of handle)(1870's-1880's), my linen embroidered one is 35 inches (1880's-1890's), and my longest one that can use also as a walking stick as it has a metal tip for that is 45 inches long (1890's).
Length kind of depends on what era you are portraying. Generally the earlier 1800'ds are shorter, the later 1890's and 1900'ds are longer. This was due to ladies needing parsols that folded neatly when in carriages, as ladies got more independant, and walked out more, the parasol got longer.

[Lady LaSalle]

Ok, they are both done! :tban I am thrilled to death with them both. The Delaware parasol is so unique and will look simply marvelous with my Delaware Dress--------I can't wait! The red silk with the lace cover is all original except that I replaced the silk. The lace cover did not come with this parasol, but it fits it perfectly and matches the intricately carved ivory. The neat thing about the antique parasol is that it still had it's ivory ring. It locks the folding handle into place when not in use. I have found that the key in recovering a parasol is having the fabric cut out EXACTLY right, and then doing all of the seams IDENTICAL. I didn't do that on the blue one, but I did on the antique one----what a difference. And yes, that is Casey.

[Lady LaSalle]

The antique parasol will go with my Wisconsin Historical dress. I made the ruffle on the top of the parasol scalloped just like all of the ruffles on the dress. The red silk fabric is the same that I used on the dress, also.

[Sweet Violet]

LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Oh LL!!! You did a fantastic job on the parasols!!! (And that Casey is darling!!! What a sweet smile she has!!)
I looooooove the Delaware one!! It turned out perfectly!! How fun to have enough panels to spell out Delaware!! And the fringe is fantastic!! The red one is so elegant!! The lace covering is so beautiful and the ivory handle:faint Stunning!! You have done it again!!!

Very, very, very well done!!!!! :jp :jp :jp

[Nellie Blue]

Let me just say....

[Bloomin']

Egads!! Fantastic!!

[Allie Mo]

Oh my :faint This is superb! So, over the top fabulous. LL you are the Queen of Creativity! :ty for sharing.

[Fannie Kikinshoot]

I'm so glad you know how to do this because look at what I just won on Ebay!!:tban :tban

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180162668811&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=008

So, now when I call you, you'll be able to talk me thru this!!:chick

[Lady LaSalle]

I forgot to tell you about the goodies on the Delaware parasol. Now DH made it so that it can withstand 60mph hurricane force winds and not bend. I personally didn't feel that it needed that much strength, but he insisted.......something about me and not being very gentile. Not sure if he deserves a smack in the butt for that comment or not. The handle of the parasol is a turn for a staircase. I got the smallest one that they had and cut it down to the same length as my other parasol handles. DH then drilled a hole up through the middle of the handle, and fitted a length of metal rod up through it and into the metal part of the parasol extending up to the parasol point. He then threaded the bottom part of the rod (he has a BOA metal lathe in the basment) which he then screwed in the antique cobalt glass knob. He did the same to the parasol tip except that the threads had to be on the outside for the porcelain blue and white hen lamp finial.


I painted the handle!:D

[Lady LaSalle]

I'm so glad you know how to do this because look at what I just won on Ebay!!:tban :tban

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180162668811&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=008

So, now when I call you, you'll be able to talk me thru this!!:chick

You call me about sewing tips???? Say it isn't so!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lool :lool :lool

[Fannie Kikinshoot]

You call me about sewing tips???? Say it isn't so!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lool :lool :lool

I haven't recovered a parasol yet. So, now that you aren't using staples, velcro or fabric glue, I may just have to give you a call when I start to recover that parasol frame.:gg

[Hannah K. Gelt]

:faint WOW :faint

those are too cool...

[Lady LaSalle]

I haven't recovered a parasol yet. So, now that you aren't using staples, velcro or fabric glue, I may just have to give you a call when I start to recover that parasol frame.:gg

Ah, yes..............but I did use Fray-check!!!!:lool :lool :lool

[Lady LaSalle]

bttt for kat again!!!

[Alpine Lil]

Okay....I give...what do all the btt and bttt notes mean?

[Shotglass]

BTT-Back to top

[Vintage Modiste]

BTT-Back to top


On behalf of those on the alley(myself included) that are BTT challenged, :ty Shotglass!!!! You are going to have so many new BFF!:rofl :rofl

[Big_Momma_Black]

LL, what darling things those parasols are. And what a cutie your daughter is!!!!

[Lady Claudette]

Wow...Really appreciate this step by step to the parasol. I got a neat folding parasol some months ago and did not have a clue then what color I would do the new cover. I also had only a tiny bit of confidence in the project.

Love both the parasols BUT the red with the lace is fabulous. That would be a goal for me to do one and cover with lace and perhaps a scallop lace edge. The frame is fine and I can use the old cover as you did for the pattern. Wonderful..thanks for sharing and teaching us how to do things here.