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labricoleuseMy students are hard at work on their parasol project--most are restoring antique frames whose canopies had rotted or were altogether missing. I try to do many of the projects in my courses along with or a step ahead of the students, so that i have a practical example for them to observe.
UNC has a large archival collection of antique clothing and accessories (many examples of which are accessible online at the CoSTAR costume archive's website). Some of these pieces histories are known, but many are anonymous donations or came to us so long ago that information as to their origin is lost. In the course of writing Sticks and Petticoats, i went through our antique parasol stock and sorted out what was in stageworthy condition, what might be restored to stageworthy condition, and what might be salvaged for parts in the restoration of other parasol frames. Among our stock i found this super-sweet little carriage parasol from the mid-19th century.
frame as found in stockroom
photo credit: Ryan Jones (used by permission)
This is the frame as i found it in a barrel full of parasols--no canopy whatsoever, but a completely intact frame with all mechanisms unrusted and in fine working order. The above photo is from my textbook on parasols, courtesy of my photographer, Ryan Jones. It shows how the handle can be folded for minimizing the size of the parasol for riding in a carriage, then extended with a sliding barrel-lock once the parasol-carrier alights.
I used the geometric drafting method in my textbook for generating a canopy pattern from a dome-less frame, and made up a new canopy in a taupe-and-black crosswoven silk dupioni, trimmed in hand-pleated ribbon bordering:
parasol with restored silk dupioni canopy
(note ruler for scale)
I often see parasols of this size of dome referred to as "child's parasols," which is possible, but it's also possible that they were carried by adult ladies who preferred a small canopy. Parasol dome sizes varied widely.
So, i wanted to cover this frame in such a way that it would not be limited to a child's use, and with a fabric that would be versatile enough that a change of trim could be enough to match it to a range of different costume options--thus, the choice of a brownish/gold/taupey changeable silk. We have a couple of beautiful dresses in stock in the gold/red/wine/taupe color-scheme, one in an embroidered silk noil and one in a striped dupioni; i decided to use this gold and red striped ribbon to trim out the parasol for now, since now it can be used with either of those dresses as-is. (I also enjoy how it has a sort of circus look to it, or a nautical flare...it's very versatile!)
Here are some detail images:
canopy close-up
(look at that sweet spike finial!)
closed canopy
(note ruler for scale)
interior view
A few notes on the interior:
First, note the pinked black twill ovals tacked around the frame at the hinges, denoted as git guards. You'll see these on most antique parasols; they act as a sort of abrasion-prophylactic, to keep the fabric of the canopy from becoming worn and weakened by the friction of the frame's opening and closing over time. This frame had no git guards, but attaching them with a heavy button thread was simple enough.
You'll also note the doughnut-shaped spike baffle--that serves the same purpose, protecting the canopy fabric from abrasion where all of the ribs meet in hinges at the top of the shaft. This frame was missing its spike baffle as well, but again, it was an easy thing to attach.
You can see that i've left my seams pinked--i'll be dropping in a sweet little cotton lining at some point. Note that seam allowances are pressed together and consistently directional in a radial motion.
Small functional parasols need to come back into style, i think--this would be easy enough to collapse and stow for a subway ride to work!
UNC has a large archival collection of antique clothing and accessories (many examples of which are accessible online at the CoSTAR costume archive's website). Some of these pieces histories are known, but many are anonymous donations or came to us so long ago that information as to their origin is lost. In the course of writing Sticks and Petticoats, i went through our antique parasol stock and sorted out what was in stageworthy condition, what might be restored to stageworthy condition, and what might be salvaged for parts in the restoration of other parasol frames. Among our stock i found this super-sweet little carriage parasol from the mid-19th century.
frame as found in stockroom
photo credit: Ryan Jones (used by permission)
This is the frame as i found it in a barrel full of parasols--no canopy whatsoever, but a completely intact frame with all mechanisms unrusted and in fine working order. The above photo is from my textbook on parasols, courtesy of my photographer, Ryan Jones. It shows how the handle can be folded for minimizing the size of the parasol for riding in a carriage, then extended with a sliding barrel-lock once the parasol-carrier alights.
I used the geometric drafting method in my textbook for generating a canopy pattern from a dome-less frame, and made up a new canopy in a taupe-and-black crosswoven silk dupioni, trimmed in hand-pleated ribbon bordering:
parasol with restored silk dupioni canopy
(note ruler for scale)
I often see parasols of this size of dome referred to as "child's parasols," which is possible, but it's also possible that they were carried by adult ladies who preferred a small canopy. Parasol dome sizes varied widely.
So, i wanted to cover this frame in such a way that it would not be limited to a child's use, and with a fabric that would be versatile enough that a change of trim could be enough to match it to a range of different costume options--thus, the choice of a brownish/gold/taupey changeable silk. We have a couple of beautiful dresses in stock in the gold/red/wine/taupe color-scheme, one in an embroidered silk noil and one in a striped dupioni; i decided to use this gold and red striped ribbon to trim out the parasol for now, since now it can be used with either of those dresses as-is. (I also enjoy how it has a sort of circus look to it, or a nautical flare...it's very versatile!)
Here are some detail images:
canopy close-up
(look at that sweet spike finial!)
closed canopy
(note ruler for scale)
interior view
A few notes on the interior:
First, note the pinked black twill ovals tacked around the frame at the hinges, denoted as git guards. You'll see these on most antique parasols; they act as a sort of abrasion-prophylactic, to keep the fabric of the canopy from becoming worn and weakened by the friction of the frame's opening and closing over time. This frame had no git guards, but attaching them with a heavy button thread was simple enough.
You'll also note the doughnut-shaped spike baffle--that serves the same purpose, protecting the canopy fabric from abrasion where all of the ribs meet in hinges at the top of the shaft. This frame was missing its spike baffle as well, but again, it was an easy thing to attach.
You can see that i've left my seams pinked--i'll be dropping in a sweet little cotton lining at some point. Note that seam allowances are pressed together and consistently directional in a radial motion.
Small functional parasols need to come back into style, i think--this would be easy enough to collapse and stow for a subway ride to work!
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Date: 2008-04-09 09:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-04-10 01:50 am (UTC)I have these images in my mind of the sort of person who might carry this parasol--a fashionable ingenue in a sailor-collar bodice with a matching hat, a severe dowager in a militaria-inspired suit with a straw boater whose band is of the same ribbons as the trim, a lady circus-dwarf with a vaudeville costume who balances it while doing an equestrian act, or a mustachioed effete gentleman at the beach in a singlet-style period bathing costume (gold and red striped, of course, like a happy Sweeney Todd)!