Monday, June 22, 2015

DIY parasols (2)

(edited on 2015/July/23)

Hello!

As I mentioned in the last post, here I'm going to share the pics that I took while I made two parasols. If technically said, I just reinstalled the canopies twice, though, I hope they will help you a bit when you wish to get yourself new parasols.


*As I made a pink version first and decided that I didn't like it, I made another in other fabric that I dyed in two shades of blue. I'm sorry for having too many pictures here, and also for the mixed version of pictures in order to complement my bad explanations. I believe having many pictures is better than relying on imagination, however.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation 
(1)

I took the canopy off my old parasol and installed new ones (plural, as I did it twice).

What is most important is that taking notes along with pictures during disassembling to get the idea of the construction order. Constructing a new one is achieved by assembling it in the counter order to disassembling, basically.



Before dismounting the old canopy
_Take notes about where and how exactly the canopy is sewn on the frame.
_Check the parasol top whether it is tightened by screw or it is bonded by glue. If it is bonded by glue or if it cannot be disassembled easily, the frame is technically not suitable for refurbishing.
_Disassemble all accessories neatly and keep them for future use, or as a template of new canopy etc.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (2)

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (3)

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (5)

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (7)


After dismounting the canopy
_Cut out one triangle from old canopy and use it as a pattern after making it flat. Check if the length of side seam of your pattern is shorter but nearly same as the length of the rib. They shouldn't be too different from each other. Said that, it's all dependent on the fabric. Some loosely woven fabrics or others with stretchy fibers may require to be cut much smaller.
_Don't forget adding seam allowances when cutting. I find ~2cm(4/5inch) for side seam allowance is easy to handle in the later steps.
_Other fabric parts have to be examined and recreated if necessary.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (8)

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (9)


Sewing canopy


(additional note)
_I cut my canopy pieces in cross grain with the purpose for avoiding the whole canopy stretched out horizontally.

 _My canopy pieces were cut with 2cm(4/5inch) seam allowance on all side seams. Hem allowance is up to the fabric. My one for pink version was 1cm.
_Hem has to be done before jointing the canopy pieces.
_Firstly make 4 pairs of pieces and sew them as follows.
_Sew one of side seams with right sides facing, starting outer end(=edge) and ending inner end, stopping 0.1cm(>1/10inch) before the top of the triangle with secure back stitching.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (10)

_Trim one of seam allowances leaving 0.4-0.5cm(1/6~1/5inch) to the seam.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (11)

_Enwrap the trimmed seam allowance with the untrimmed one, like making a hong kong finish, and sew at a tiny bit outer side of the first stitch to close the trimmed seam allowance.
_Trim the wrapping seam allowance leaving 0.2-0.3cm(1/10inch) on the canopy.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (12)

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (13)

_Sew 2 pairs of jointed pieces likewise, and repeat until all canopy parts are jointed.
_Sew the closure ribbon on the canopy, probably you would like to do it exactly as the old one was attached.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (17)

 _Turn the flopping top seam allowances inside and press them neatly.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (16)

_Place the inner round fabric part on top of the frame.
_Place the canopy on the frame on top of the inner round part, secure it by threading some rounds by hand stitching
_Put the top round fabric part,  and put the screw top on top of the parasol.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (20)

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (21)


_Attach the canopy to the frame by sewing at all points where the old canopy was attached in the old parasol. Usually it is easier when tips were done first, and then to the ribs.

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (31)

150621-DSC_7805
The colors totally howl "Handmade" and I am kinda proud of it.

I think experiences tell you everything when thinking of making parasol. After trying one, you will know how easy it is. You will be getting the tricks and tips only after trying some of them by yourself, too. I hope you know what I mean. Good luck!

*Here is a link to the album that contains these pics and also some other ones to complete a set of this topic for those who would like to see them all.



Love,
yoshimi

150621 parasol canopy reinstallation (23)
I think this canopy was too tight.



Friday, June 19, 2015

DIY parasols


I made parasols recently.

It was in 2009 that I made my first DIY parasols, when I wanted to make a birthday present for my sister. I made two parasols in Marimekko fabrics, one for practicing and one for my sister. Since then, I hadn't felt that I needed any more new one. However this summer, time is up. I think it is happening twice a decade that I need new parasols. It's a bit less frequent than I need new clothes.


By the way, very many Japanese people, especially grownup women, use parasols to avoid UV ray in summer. We use sunscreen cream too. And we walk only on the sunshade-side of sidewalks. Mmmm, maybe it's only me to love the shady side, but I do so. I mean, I'm mentally sensitive to the sun. I am a fern, if not an UV sensitive bacterium. Only family and friends can drag me out to the sunny place, otherwise I'm a house plant.

Confessing that I am a plant, let's go back to the new parasols. When I felt blinding sunshine for the first time this year, I had three parasols. Sadly to me though, they were heavy, not pretty, or too old like a giant used Band-aid. I started thinking about new parasols, and after some research I concluded that it was better to make one or two using my sewing machine than buying something from the shop. All very pretty parasols that caught my eye were astonishingly expensive. No way...



I used a DIY kit and my I-don't-know-why-I-bought-but-I-agree-it-is-pretty Amy Butler cotton to make this parasol. I'm ready for the sunshine!



The thing is, I ventured to move on further a bit. I mean, I tried refurbishing of my old parasol after this. I installed a new canopy (sewn by me, of course) on the old frame and I felt it was easy. That means I wouldn't need any more kit for my new parasols! I'd like to write about it in the next post, if not in the post following the next one. It won't be a tutorial, but I'm going to upload some photos to show my process so that you can see how it went. Please come back sometime later if you're interested.

Have a happy weekend!

xoxo
yoshimi

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Eva summer dress

Hello everyone!

I hope you all are doing great. I've sewn a few easy garments since the last post in April, but I have been too lazy to blog about them here, too. I think I'm going to write some mini-notes about what I made recently spreading in some coming posts. Please be warned if you look for something special technically in sewingwise, because they all happened after simple sewing (as always).

Here we go the first one:


Eva summer dress


I finally sewed the dress pattern Eva from Tessuti Fabrics as a dress. I used it once for this skirt, and I'm really in love with the cute silhouette of its skirt part. This time I used a very light fabric with irregular stripes and made it into a dress. I followed the pattern and instructions except those alterations:

 Bodice was lengthened by about 5cm at hem.
 Shallow bust darts were added to give some room in front.
 Pockets were omitted.
 Lower skirt was shortened by 5cm.
 I chose size XS while my bust measurement corresponds to size M.


I like lower waistline, generally, so I lengthened the bodice. I wouldn't have shortened the skirt if I had enough fabric, though, I had no choice as there was a resource shortage of fabric. I have put some bust adjustment as I often do, but maybe it wasn't necessary.

Side seam pockets were omitted because the fabric seemed too sheer to have anything extra hanging inside of the dress. I now think it was a wrong idea. And I regret it. (I practically need pockets in all dresses!)


 The size I cut was much smaller size than my measurement size, and I like the way it fits me. I need a wiggle to get in the dress, but it is easier than threading a needle.

The fabric is light, slightly sheer generally, and very sheer at some particular rows of stripes. I'm wearing my handmade silk/linen short underdress in the pics.


Sewing was quicker than stripe placement, as you may suspect. I was worried about stripe placement in this dress, especially in the skirt, but I now think the oblique line effect in the skirt isn't that bad after all.

I really like the whole package of this dress. It is a comfortable summer dress, and I wore it several times already. Despite the fact that it's not summer yet.

Happy sewing to you all!

Love,
yoshimi

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Pattern: Eva from Tessuti Fabrics
Fabric: 150cm wide x 200cm long, rayon, polyester, linen and nylon stripes, sheer and light. Not so drapey.
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