Para-medic #2, stitched up

For the Historical Sewing Monthly’s January challenge [‘procrastination’] I want to finish my UFO parasol. I started this project in October, since when it has been propped on an upside-down chair in the corner of the room [don’t ask] glaring at me balefully.

I’ve re-ironed the fabric remnants for it several times…and then stopped. Yesterday, I finally dug out the piece of paper where I had all my measurements and notes from the dissection, and made a paper pattern. I pressed the fabric again. I’m using remnants of shot dupion silk from my lovely wife’s wedding dress, plus the salvaged metallic lace from the original parasol. I used some of this silk for my corset as well, of course.

I was very parsimonious with the cutting out, and found to my glee, that I still had enough to cut out another bodice for the missus. So of course, I stopped work on the parasol to cut that out. And another one in mock suede.

I then faffed about with all the teeny scraps of the precious silk, and cut out a few miles of 2″wide bias strips, and a lesser heap of carefully pieced and pinked selvage strips. I plan to use the selvage strips on the parasol, instead of the original 5″ wide foofy flounce around the outer edge. I want it pretty, but not fussy.

I did a mock up of the parasol in sheeting yesterday, to test the pattern sizing…good job too, as it was WAY too small. I think I forgot to include seam allowances in my diagrams. This is what happens when I leave a project hanging for several months…

I’ve machined it up, and slipped it onto the frame. Then I had to baste the 16 panels onto the tips of the struts, otherwise you get no idea of how the tension affects it.

Hmmm. It sort of works, but I don’t seem to have managed to get a clear picture of how bowed the tension should make the thing, and of course, it’s several months on. Bum. It seems flatter, and less domed than I thought. Meanwhile, it’s too loose around the top. As this bit will be covered by the lace overlay, I’m not sure how much to bother with tweaking it. Does it matter?

Perhaps if I pull the whole thing down more so that the tips get bowed in more, then the top will sit more neatly? Any experts out there?

Once I make my mind up about that, I have to remove it from the frame again, trim down the seam allowances, and double stitch all the seams. Apparently. Then turn up a hem, do the trimming, and restitch it all to the frame in 48 places. Erk.