Make your own palm leaf umbrella covers.
You can make a decorative umbrella cover from the canopy of tropical palm trees that will screen the sun and protect from the rain. It will neatly fit over the top of a standard patio umbrella canopy or can be used alone with the umbrella frame. Use thatched construction by layering palm leaves intertwined together to make a protective and durable covering. If your umbrella no longer has its covering, give your palm leaf cover a tighter weave for support on the umbrella frame. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Gather palm leaves and cut them to a uniform length. To cover the spread of a patio umbrella, use between 40 and 60 palm leaves for a 9-foot umbrella.
2. Measure the circumference of your patio umbrella. Outline a circular area on the ground with the twine using this measurement.
3. Lay the first palm leaf with its tip just over the circle and its cut end toward the center. Go to the opposite side of the circle and lay another palm leaf the same way. Lay two more leaves perpendicular to the first ones. Now you can gauge how many more leaves you will need to complete one layer of your umbrella cover.
4. Fill in the spaces with more palm leaves. Slightly overlap them, and loop and knot twine around each leaf, near the top and at the middle of the leaves, to weave them together.
5. Start the second layer on top of the completed first layer. Make the last knot in the twine for the first layer and do not cut it. Loop and knot the twine around the leaves as you lay them out and overlap them for the second layer. Connect the two layers by looping the twine through the first layer as you weave the second row of leaves to the cover. Tie off and cut the twine once the umbrella cover is complete.
6. Reinforce the top of the umbrella cover. Before putting it to use, use the twine and the cut ends of the palm leaves located at the top of the umbrella cover to weave them tightly together. Start by knotting the twine to one leaf, twist them together, catch the next leaf, tie a knot, twist them together and catch the next leaf; continue until the top of the umbrella has a finished edge.
7. Place the palm leaf umbrella cover over the frame. Stand on a step stool or take the umbrella down and turn it upside down to attach the cover to it. Line up the cover with the umbrella frame. Use twine to secure it to the umbrella at each frame tip and at the top. Position the umbrella in its holder, and enjoy the shade.
Tags: palm leaf, palm leaves, umbrella cover, first layer, knot twine, patio umbrella