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Step 2Preparation
Terminology I will use (probably not the official umbrella-makers' guild approved words):
Skin: the fabric of the umbrella
Struts: the metal or plastic rods that make the umbrella's skeletal shape under the fabric.
Ends: the little plastic thingies which are sewn onto the fabric and fit over the ends of the struts.
Handle: the whole thing from the bit that you hold, right to the ferrule.
Ferrule: the little end piece (metal or plastic)that makes the pointy bit on top of the open umbrella.
When you find the dead umbrella it is almost certainly going to be sopping wet ('cos its raining, innit?) and possibly grubby too, so you have two choices:
either
carry it home in a bag you carry with you for that purpose,
or
Strip the fabric off right there and then. You can really only do this with some of the big "golf" umbrellas. Due to the way they are made, you can slip the stitching over the struts and pull it straight off over the ferrule.
You cannot do that with the telescopic ones though, because the stitching is more complicated. I always have a penknife in my handbag (as in NCIS Gibbs' Rule 9, but i have always done this as you never know what you may find in your travels)and am shameless about stripping the skin off an umbrella in public.
Most umbrellas' end bits just pull off the struts, and are still sewn onto the fabric edge. If not you will have to cut them off with scissors. Then you have to cut the thread that sews the struts to the fabric - usually 3 or 4 points per strut. Lastly you have to cut around the ferrule to get the whole skin off the struts.
Now wash the fabric. It will dry very quickly. If you want to iron it smooth, be sure to use a cotton teacloth or something similar between the umbrella fabric and the iron or the fabric WILL melt excitingly.
Skin: the fabric of the umbrella
Struts: the metal or plastic rods that make the umbrella's skeletal shape under the fabric.
Ends: the little plastic thingies which are sewn onto the fabric and fit over the ends of the struts.
Handle: the whole thing from the bit that you hold, right to the ferrule.
Ferrule: the little end piece (metal or plastic)that makes the pointy bit on top of the open umbrella.
When you find the dead umbrella it is almost certainly going to be sopping wet ('cos its raining, innit?) and possibly grubby too, so you have two choices:
either
carry it home in a bag you carry with you for that purpose,
or
Strip the fabric off right there and then. You can really only do this with some of the big "golf" umbrellas. Due to the way they are made, you can slip the stitching over the struts and pull it straight off over the ferrule.
You cannot do that with the telescopic ones though, because the stitching is more complicated. I always have a penknife in my handbag (as in NCIS Gibbs' Rule 9, but i have always done this as you never know what you may find in your travels)and am shameless about stripping the skin off an umbrella in public.
Most umbrellas' end bits just pull off the struts, and are still sewn onto the fabric edge. If not you will have to cut them off with scissors. Then you have to cut the thread that sews the struts to the fabric - usually 3 or 4 points per strut. Lastly you have to cut around the ferrule to get the whole skin off the struts.
Now wash the fabric. It will dry very quickly. If you want to iron it smooth, be sure to use a cotton teacloth or something similar between the umbrella fabric and the iron or the fabric WILL melt excitingly.
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