A parasol is the perfect accessory for the Victorian lady. But the ready-made commercial versions do not meet with my approval: firstly, they consist of only a layer of lace, whereas a layer of fabric really should be underneath it. Secondly, they are usually much too large. Our modern umbrella size is not the size of the parasols they had back then! So, I did some research and made one myself.
It turns out there were a lot of different types of small parasols in circulation, even if you limit the period to around 1865. That’s great, because it allowed me to choose a variant that is easy to make! These are the examples I based my version on:
Nevertheless, I soon had to adjust my expectations.
First, regarding the frame. I can’t make that mechanism myself, so I had to buy an existing umbrella frame. Initially, I considered stripping an umbrella from a second-hand shop and using it as a base. But most umbrellas have an unsuitable handle: a large hook, or a long bulge. Then I found a not-too-expensive parasol frame online that offered a choice of several types of handles. Ideal, because then I could just leave out that handle and attach a small wooden ball to the bottom! Moreover, the pole of this frame was made of wood, so it was easier to repaint than, say, plastic.
Unfortunately, when the thing arrived, the handle turned out to be glued on already! And there was no way to get it off without damaging the frame stick. When I inquired with the seller, I was told that those handles are indeed often shipped separately, but that sometimes they are already attached. She said she would clarify the description for future customers, but of course, that was no use to me anymore. 🙁
Furthermore, I had thought I could just score a nice piece of lace in the store. And yes, that is indeed possible, but… a wide piece is quite different from a trim, and ridiculously expensive! Naturally, I wanted something fancy, with a beautiful scalloped edge to dangle over the end of the parasol. I found the perfect piece at an online thrift shop, but it turned out to be some haute couture fabric from Paris – costing €425. Me and my expensive taste… So in the end, I had to settle for cheap stretch lace without an extravagant scalloped edge.
So, due to the synthetic fabric and the handle, it didn’t become a parasol that I could re-use for authentic Victorian events, but it is most definitely good enough for LARP.
This is how I made it:
Step 1: Shorten the metal pins of the frame. (Hey, that was much easier than I feared! It was just a matter of a snip with a wire cutter!)
Step 2: Fix the ends of the pins you just shortened with pliers, so the caps will fit on them again. (Okay, in hindsight, step 1 was not that easy… )
Step 3: Make the top. I found two beads and a metal lid-shaped thingy in my stash, with which I could put together a nice top for the parasol.
Step 4: Paint the whole thing, so it will look a bit like ivory. And no, painting will never be my forte. Whatever you do, don’t look too closely…
Step 5: Cut the base fabric to size. This isn’t real silk, but cheap-ass synthetic stuff. It looks good enough, and since the lace isn’t authentic either, I didn’t want to spend too much money on it.
Step 6: Trim the lace to size and use small scissors to cut out the patterns along the edge, ensuring they still curve slightly. Some edges turned out a little longer than others simply because I was bound by the pattern, but hopefully that won’t be too noticeable once I open the parasol.
I didn’t cut the lace into pie slices, liek I did with the fabric underneath it, because I didn’t think seams would look nice. I assume lace in the Victorian era was custom-made for parasols, so they probably didn’t have seams in it either. Given the examples from that time, the fact that it will hang a bit loosely doesn’t seem like a problem to me, and now the stretch actually comes in quite handy.
Step 7: Make tassels. This *is* real silk , which I still had lying around from my card weaving hobby.
Step 8: Put everything together. Done! 😊
That is… perhaps I should make some kind of lining for the inside, so you don’t see the metal pins, and don’t see them sticking out when the parasol is closed? But I just don’t have quite enough of the same fabric left for that, and since I painted the pins white, I guess it’s fine as it is.
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