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How to Make a Doll Parasol

Doll parasols are charming accessories that add realism to a historical doll̵7;s ensemble and are easy to make. By using liquid fabric starch in the same fashion that you would paper mache you can mold a parasol over a balloon and then embellish it with ruffles and roses when the fabric has dried. Designs and decorations for the small cloth sun shades varied according to time period. Research the particular era of doll ensemble you wish to accessorize and adjust the size and decoration of the parasol accordingly.

Things You'll Need

Small, round water balloon
Liquid fabric starch
Bowl
Scissors
Pipe cleaner
Satin ribbon
Towels
Glue gun & glue sticks
8 ½-inch diameter lace fabric circle
Gathered eyelet or other lace
Satin rosebuds

Instructions

- 1
  Inflate the small, round water balloon and place it on a towel.
- 2
  Fill a bowl with liquid fabric starch and soak the fabric circle in the starch until the fabric is saturated.
- 3
  Mold the fabric circle over the top of the balloon, smoothing it over the balloon̵7;s surface. Add more liquid fabric starch if needed. Allow to dry 48 hours or until hard and stiff.
- 4
  Remove the fabric from the balloon by peeling it off or popping the balloon. Trim, with the scissors, the edges so that they are even all the way around the parasol.
- 5
  Twist two pipe cleaners together at one end, and form the bottom end of the combined pipe cleaner into a hook. Wind the pipe cleaner with the satin ribbon, overlapping when necessary, adding tiny dots of glue with the glue gun to secure the satin ribbon to the pipe cleaner and cover the pipe cleaner with the ribbon, leaving a ½-inch portion of pipe cleaner at the opposite end of the hook uncovered. This is the parasol handle.
- 6
  Glue, with the glue gun, the gathered eyelet or other gathered lace around the bottom edge of the parasol. Glue satin rose buds, or decorative trim of your choice, around the bottom edge of the parasol on top of the gathered lace at even intervals.
- 7
  Poke the pipe cleaner parasol handle end that is not covered with satin ribbon, up through the center of the top of the lace parasol, bending it so that it lays flat (you may need to trim it with the scissors) and place a drop of glue with the glue gun there to secure the pipe cleaner to the stiff lace. Glue a satin rosebud on top of the pipe cleaner to conceal it.
- 8
  Place the ribbon covered parasol handle ̶0;hook̶1; in the doll̵7;s hand and rest the parasol against your doll̵7;s shoulder.

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