I would say that what you use it for would largely depend on your personality… I know that if it were me, I would use colorful umbrella fabric either to make a pillow (Most likely a circular pillow, using something in the middle to hide where the hole was, as well as a backing made out of fabric from the fabric store.)

Also, if it’s a particularly large umbrella, you might try making it into a skirt! I don’t know if that’s your taste, but if it were me I would probably just look up a circle skirt pattern online (they’re everywhere!) and use the directions to measure and sew the waist line. Then if you want, buy lace or a cute, complimentary fabric to add extra length, if needed.

Also, if you have children, this could be a fun play toy! I remember playing with a HUGE parachute in elementary, so kids might have fun playing with it by itself, or with strings attached for their dolls.

Hope this helped!

sew it into a drawstring bag, use it to carry things in a water resistant bag.

put foam inside it and make pool toy floaties

I once turned the fabric off an umbrella into a superhero cape for a little boy-
Remove from the metal structure and fold in half inside-out to make a semi circle, then sew along the bottom- turn right side out and attach a simple “collar” and use either a button or press-stud to fasten at neck

hours of fun!

Here is a very cute dress made from recycled umbrella fabric

http://fiftyrx3.blogspot.com/2005/12/finally-finished-umbrella-dress.html

I’ve got a cover waiting to be reused. I’ve thought of having it made (I don’t sew) into a “ditty bag” for wet cloth diapers. I think there’s even stuff I could spray on it to make it completely waterproof, but for a quick carry home, I think it would work pretty good. :D

It looks like good fabric to make a kite with. All you’d need is your sewing kit, some wooden dowel rod and some kite string.

It would make a very nice kite with just a wooden dowel a kite string and some sewing

The fabric and bright colours are ideal for making bunting for charity fund raising events

just buy new!

its sooooooo cheap nowadays! pop in to primark! just £3 a go!

I saw broken umbrella frames used by a theatre troope, they knotted streamers to the frame, and they blew in the wind, they held it like a rain umbrella, but it was fanciful and lovely and attracted attention. This was a walking troope, on the street, attracting people to their performance.

I have a really big umbrella, that was used on my deck table/chairs, but got ratty and then some of the spokes broke. I bound it to a tree over my dog kennel, and made a nice rain/shade cover for my dog. I was able to bind the spokes to the fencing of the kennel, too, so i know it will not fail, and come down on her. It is small enough to give her kennel only partial shade, so she can choose sun/shade. It is not terribly sightly, but the kennel is in the back yard, anyway. Has lasted for years now.

Make a kite!
http://www.homeofthesampler.com/howtos/rosetravale_umbrella.html
Its easy, breezy, and…,well, beautiful! The tutorial is simple to follow… all you need are string, an umbrella, and a sewing machine! (and scissors and other basics) Hope i helped!!

The bag idea is a good one, but the trick is to cut the opening at the centre top, and then sew the outside edges together. A small umbrella will need about 30 cm of tape sewn to the ends to make a strap long enough to go over the shoulder. A big umbrella only needs the ends sewn together. The bag is light, rolls down to nothing, is easy to carry and holds a h*ll of a lot.