Make an easy beach shade

3 Parts:

Make a Sunshade and Get Thee to the Beach

Instructions For Making A Beach Shade

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Getting away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday stressful grind with a day on the beach is always fun.

There's nothing like the swimming to give your entire body a fun workout. What a great way to spend time with the family or your friends relaxing on the beach. As wonderful as those rays of sun feel on your body, only so much is healthy, and beyond that, it becomes dangerous. You'll need some source of shade at the beach.

Why not make a creative easy-to-make beach shade to give you plenty of restful shade, and to also put your "signature" on your spot on the beach? Having a self-made beach shade is also a distinctive landmark on a crowded beach. If any one of your friends or family members wanders away for a while, your distinctive beach shade will act as a beacon to get them back to your spot. On the weekends, there is not only a sea of water, but a sea of people on the beach. Your shade will also serve as a windbreak, and protect you from the sand flying in the wind. Follow the instructions below, and within a couple hours you will have your custom-made beach shade to enjoy while on the beach.

Materials And Equipment You'll Need For Your Beach Shade:

• Sewing machine
• Cotton
• No. 2 lead pencil
• Large pair of scissors
• Pinking shears
• 1 sq. yd. of white fabric, 1 1/3 yd. X 1 yd. of a solid color, 2 sq. yd. of striped or polka dotted fabric (recommended are stripes or a dot pattern the same colors as the white and solid panels)
• Five 4-foot garden cane rods
• Fabric glue
• Tape measure

Consult with a cloth expert at a local fabric store. Ask them to recommend an good, hardly, outdoor cloth, and make sure you say what you are using it for. You want one that allows air to flow through it, but yet it can withstand the prolonged sun's heat, and harsh treatment from water. You need a fabric that holds up to mold and mildew, and dries quickly. Ideally, you want a fabric that can also handle abuse from food and drink stains.

1. 1
   Measure the cloth and cut it into panels

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   three pieces of 1-yard square, with the solid color panel to be cut also into a 1-yard square panel. You will use the 1-foot X 1-yard left over from the solid color piece for a design later.

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2. 2
   Sew a half-inch hem around each panel. You can also use an iron-on adhesive in place of sewing the hem

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   They are available at any fabric store.

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3. 3
   Draw a basic shape, such as an ice cream cone or ship, about a foot tall on the solid color fabric remaining piece

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   Now, cut it out using the pinking shears, which will keep the shape from fraying on the edges. Glue your creation down onto the center of one of the white panels.

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4. 4
   Sew the four squares together, with each one overlapping the next panel by two inches

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   This will make a "tube" where you will insert the garden cane rods.

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5. 5
   Sew the ends of the beach shade fabric to make a tube

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   This will be accomplished by just folding the cloth end over itself by two inches for the garden cane rod insertion.

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6. 6
   Sew the tops of your "tubes" closed

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   Do NOT sew the bottoms, as they will need to be open so that you can insert the rods.

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7. 7
   Insert the rods into the "tubes" you have created

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   Since you cut each garden cane rod to a 4-foot length, each one should stick out about a foot so that you can stick your beach shade-windbreak into the sand, securing it into place.

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Now get outdoors, head for the beach, and enjoy your time on the sand and in the water! You have a functional work of art that you have created. It will hopefully last you many summers, providing you protection from the sun and wind. Have fun!

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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