Parasols and Fans

[isabelladangelo]

Parasols were first used in Eruope in the very late 16th c.   Folding fans came around the same time.  Prior to that, ladies wore hoods or sheer, lightweight capes. 
Feathered fans are great.  Flag fans, if you can find them, are wonderful too.  Folding fans are perfectly fine as long as you are not on cast.  If you are on cast, I'd ask your director about what is allowed and what isn't.  Some faires are more strict than others.
All that being said, I do have a couple of lace parasols that I love.  One is black and one is white.   The problem I have with parasols is that they are a PAIN to carry around all day.  Fans aren't that big of a deal since I can attach those to my girdle or put them in my pocket/purse/basket.  However, if you take a parasol, be prepared to carry it around for the next 6 or so hours that you plan on staying at your faire.   
I also have a wide vareity of fans.  The one the historical minded people seem to like is the "swirly" flag like fan. It's a piece of fabric sewn on to a rod that has a handle and a "top" so the fabric doesn't slip off.  I swirl it around like I'm stirring something and the fabric goes around like the blades on a modern fan. 
The one everyone seems to love is my circular peacock feathered fan.  I can't take the peacock feathered fan anywhere without someone demanding to know where I got it.     It's a great fan, it's held up well, and it was only $30 at NCRF. 

[cowgrrl]

All that being said, I do have a couple of lace parasols that I love.  One is black and one is white.   The problem I have with parasols is that they are a PAIN to carry around all day.  Fans aren't that big of a deal since I can attach those to my girdle or put them in my pocket/purse/basket.  However, if you take a parasol, be prepared to carry it around for the next 6 or so hours that you plan on staying at your faire.   

While its not period & it might not work with fancier costumes I saw a woman at Scarborough a few weeks ago that had bought a quiver (for arrows) & was keeping her parasol in it.  She had had to adjust the strap so it would go on her belt without dragging the ground but it looked fine. 

[Anna Iram]

I made a simple little pouch for my smaller parasol. Much like a pouch but longer and I tie it to my belt.

I've also just tied ribbon round the handle of the parasol and tied that to my belt.  Then just let it hand down like my fan.

[FaireMare]

WOW>. one of the best threads I have seen in a long time.!  Way to go!

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

To go along with the subject of fan's I looked this up. I found it rather interesting and it is said a woman with a fan was like a gentleman with a sword. In other words it took much skill to use a fan and to use it to communicate with. While this is taken from Victorian times, I would think a woman of court would have come up with signals and forms of communication with a fan.

http://www.handfanpro.com/Allaboutfans/Lang/language.htm

There are many others, but this on elooked more complete I just seached under fan language

[Anna Iram]

Their great for stealing a kiss from behind too!

[peggyelizabeth]

To go along with the subject of fan's I looked this up. I found it rather interesting and it is said a woman with a fan was like a gentleman with a sword. In other words it took much skill to use a fan and to use it to communicate with. While this is taken from Victorian times, I would think a woman of court would have come up with signals and forms of communication with a fan.

http://www.handfanpro.com/Allaboutfans/Lang/language.htm

There are many others, but this on elooked more complete I just seached under fan language

historically, in Japanese Noh theatre the folding fan is used as the only prop. the way in which it is moved determines what it is, from a sword to a spoon, a hairbrush, all sorts of things.

[Alison - Not Caterina Anymore]

I love the Renaissance Tailor's fan tutorials, particularly the flag fan and the folding fan.

I started making and selling these over the last year. Specifically the folding fans, which ARE based off of historical paintings!

I don't have any up on my site at the moment, but I'll always do custom work for those of you who don't have the time/materials to build your own....

See a picture here...http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2127/2518103515_8a9f5e6130.jpg

www.threadfaire.com

[LadyElizabeth]

I always carry a fan of feathers.  Usually my white ostrich one which is huge.  I like the ostrich feathers best for fans because they seem to provide a better "wind" when used..  I've tried a few others and my friends have others, but I say ostrich is the best.... 

As for parasols, I have 4, 3 are paper asian style, but not TOO asian, more just flowers and birds.  and the other is made of painted canvas which is waterproof!!  We bought that at the old Excal fair in Austin many years ago... no idea where you could get the painted canvas parasol these days..  but on NONE rainy days the paper ones are better cause they aren't as heavy.  As for carrying them, we bought a leather arm cuff and put it in there... it words great!!  here's a pic.

[Aelwyn]

Haha!  My question was answered here!

What a fabulous idea!

[Elennare]

I carry a fan.  Mine's  not technically "period" but I don't really care that much since I'm an elf anyway.

It's a war fan, so it has metal blades and nylon (though I imagine they were traditionaly silk or something like that) webbing (for lack of a better word) with a really cool phoenix design on it.  It makes lots of wind for very little effort, and make a GREAT noise when snapped open! 

Here's a link to a place that sells them: http://www.awma.com/index.cfm/action/productdetail/product_id/6659.htm
Sadly, they don't seem to carry the design I have anymore, but the dragon's not bad.

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

So I decided to try and make my own fan. Here it is. I have 1 more little thing I want to do to it but other wise this is how it looks.


the front side


Close up of the handle


the back side of the fan

I took two pieces for the fan top and glued them together then cut it in half making sure I left the circle in the middle now covered by the gem.

The Handle was what looked like two wheat blooms with the flower in the middle. I glued a 1/4 piece of hard wood to it leaving 1/2 of the wheat bloom not attached. I then cut out around the flower and the wheat bloom. I then took an Identical wheat bloom piece and glued it to the other side then cut the extra wheat bloom off.

I then cut the half circle out of the handle so the top piece would fit in.

Once all this was done I drilled a hole in the top piece middle on the half circle and in the half circle on the handle and put a pin in it to help hold it and glued it with very high quality wood glue.

Once dry I sanded and filed to get the rough out from the cutting.

I then sealed it with sand sealer three times then painted it gold then sealed it again

The last step was to drill large and small holes for the feathers and then I epoxied them in with a high strength epoxy. then glues on my gems.

I want to add some lace where the feathers meet the wood. But all in all this is done.

Oh I also added a eye screw on the end so I can attached it to my belt.

[DonaCatalina]

Very nice work. 

[Nailin]

Thanks for this thread it really helped me alot - i can't wait till i can get a waterproof one - if anyone knows how to reinforce or paint a cheap white paper parasol
please let me know - thanks

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

I carry a rice paper parasol I get from www.pillagedvillage.com Though I do need to get a nice fabric one. I will be going to the Castle in Muskogee (Oklahoma Renaissance Festival) and Scarby this coming May.

As for fans, I have a feather fan that I bought for $20 at the shop at the MNRF in 2006. Nothing fancy, but in the colors I like.