May 2006 – June 2007
I don’t know how to date this vintage parasol, but I’ll probably use it for costumes circa 1910 – 1920. It was passed on to me by a costuming friend. Now I need to make an outfit to go with it.
The parasol has a great gnarled wooden handle and was originally unlined. It had a finely shirred tube of fabric sewn to the top. Here’s a piece of the original silk, with that topper. Somehow I eeked out a pattern from this shredded panel. The replacement silk is much heavier than the original, in a silver-colored floral brocade. To finish the seams I used bias strips on the outer edge, and french seams on the eight panels.
More photos of the parasol are posted with the 1920 Wool Ensemble.