- Time. Everything of mine requires gluing, painting, drying, sewing… All of which use a lot of time. And we only have about 7 weeks left in the semester, so I need to be even more aggressive about my schedule. I expect getting the lace to be the correct size then attaching it to the frame using both sewing and gluing is going to take the most amount of time. I’ll find out how long it’s going to take on Friday!
- Materials. Right now I’m operating under the assumption that everything I need I can obtain from Joanns, Michaels, or Target. I mostly only need crafting supplies and lace fabric, but if they don’t have them, then I’ll need to order them from online and once again, time becomes my constraint.
- Waterproofing. This is the most worrisome material because I’m still not sure where I can easily obtain a plastic cover, or if there’s a better method using some kind of waterproofing spray that can also fill in holes in lace that is also completely colorless and transparent. I’m not even sure how to attach the plastic cover if I get one because I don’t know if glue will look nice, but I also cannot pierce it with a needle for sewing.
- Keeping the umbrella functional after putting the lace on. I’m very worried that I won’t be able to attach the lace in a way that both keeps it on the frame in a taut manner but also won’t rip or tear off from the force of an auto open. The lace is going to be under quite a bit of stress when it’s open, but I can’t give it very much slack or else it won’t look right. It will be a bit of a delicate balance.
- Hidden method of closing umbrella. Right now I can secure the umbrella closed using a strap and velcro, but I don’t really like that look. I’ll have to find something transparent that isn’t obvious when it’s open.
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If you need an extra hand when putting everything together, just let me know in class. Also, the ITLL offers sewing classes every week with different projects for each. These might help with the finish on your final product!
I agree that time is a significant constraint – I’m feeling it too. There is a ton to do before the semester is over. I like your use of cloth and soft materials for this project. As for water proofing, I think you might be able to use a waterproofing spray, like those found at REI for tents. I wouldn’t stop water in a downpour but it should work fine for the light rains we get here in Colorado. Good luck!
There are silicone sprays that will waterproof nylon cloth. This won’t be a concern.
There are sili
Rena, I think that time and materials shouldn’t be too much of a problem with you. If you really hunker down you can get it done. I think the hardest thing may be finding a material that you can waterproof. I think if you go to McGuckins, they would probably have a plastic material that you can waterproof.