#parasol

In the Park

Artist: Francis Dodd RA (British, 1874-1949)

Date: 1916

Medium: Oil on canvas

It's come to my attention that I never posted the parasol I made for Pride LAST spring! (which also came home with a blue ribbon from a local fair last fall.) I'm much more into bright rainbows with fuchsia pink than the traditional red rainbows, so I fell deeply in love with this yarn immediately.

Pattern is Starflower Parasol by Jenny Amos/bythebeachcrochet, with additional inspiration taken from Marcus Miller/chiaroscurity_designs, who also made the cute rainbow umbrella earrings I'm wearing in this picture of me.

Yarn is Scheepjes Whirl 792 Rainbow Popsicle. It didn't take a whole cake of yarn, so I separated it into mini balls of yarn to be sure I got through all the colors.

Crystals were added using jump rings, and the parasol frame came from Umbrella Joan; it's the 10-spoke Georgia Parasol Frame.

A well-chosen parasol does more for an outdoor space than simply block the sun — it defines the usable area of a garden or patio, creates a sense of enclosure and comfort within an otherwise open space, and often becomes one of the most visually prominent elements of the entire outdoor area, given its height and the amount of fabric or canopy material involved. Choosing the right one means balancing practical considerations like durability and shade coverage against aesthetic factors like canopy shape, fabric colour, and how the parasol's frame design complements the rest of the outdoor furniture around it.

Canopy fabric is where durability concerns are most pronounced, because this is the component most directly exposed to sun, rain, and wind over the parasol's lifetime. Solution-dyed acrylic fabrics have become a popular choice for quality parasols because the colour pigment is incorporated into the fibre itself during manufacture rather than applied as a surface coating, meaning the fabric resists fading from UV exposure far better than printed or surface-dyed alternatives. Polyester fabrics with UV-resistant coatings offer a more budget-friendly alternative, though they typically show fading more quickly under sustained sun exposure than solution-dyed acrylic, a trade-off worth considering for anyone purchasing a parasol intended to remain outdoors for extended periods across multiple seasons.

Product image courtesy of zj-furniture.com

Frame Materials: Aluminium, Steel, and Wood Comparisons

The frame of a parasol — the pole and ribs that give the canopy its shape and support — is typically made from aluminium, steel, or wood, each offering a different balance of weight, durability, and aesthetic character. Aluminium frames are popular for their resistance to rust, making them a particularly practical choice in coastal areas or humid climates where steel frames, even when treated with protective coatings, can eventually show signs of corrosion at joints and connection points where the coating may wear thin over repeated opening and closing of the canopy. Steel frames, while heavier, often provide a more substantial feel and can support larger canopy sizes with less flex in windy conditions. Wood frames bring a warmth and natural aesthetic that many buyers find appealing, particularly in garden settings with a more traditional or rustic design theme, though wood requires more ongoing maintenance — periodic oiling or sealing — to maintain its appearance and resist weathering over time.

Canopy Shapes and the Coverage They Provide

Parasol canopies come in several shapes, each suited to slightly different layouts and coverage needs. Round canopies are the traditional choice and tend to suit centre-pole arrangements over circular or square tables, distributing shade evenly in all directions from the central pole. Square and rectangular canopies, by contrast, can provide more efficient coverage over rectangular dining tables or longer seating arrangements, with less wasted shade falling outside the area where people are actually sitting compared to a round canopy of similar overall size. Hexagonal and octagonal canopies sit somewhere between these options, offering a slightly more structured appearance than a round canopy while still working well over circular table arrangements.

Tilt and Rotation Mechanisms for All-Day Comfort