As you may know, I recently made a beach canopy. I loved it and was excited to share with all of you how I constructed it. I was thrilled to see how many people appreciated my tutorial and was happy to help others learn how to create something. That is always my goal here at MagpieTayleetot!
I sewed my own canopy after seeing a picture my husband shared with me of a style he wanted. Most of my sewing projects are for my kids, and I was happy to use my sewing skills to make something for my husband, for once. At the time he showed me the picture, I didn't know anything about the company that made the beach canopy he showed me. I wasn't aware the company had several utility and design patents, and I wasn't aware that patents prohibit reproducing a product, even for personal use.
I know you may be visiting MagpieTayleetot right now because you bookmarked my tutorial. I know you may be disappointed to see the tutorial is no longer here. Unfortunately, I can no longer, in good faith, share instructions on how I reproduced someone else's idea and product.
I must give credit, where credit is due. The canopy I modeled mine after was a Shibumi Shade. Shibumi created a truly innovative product. A beach canopy that is lightweight, easy to set up, and provides plenty of sun protection. Shibumi Shade® beach shades were invented on the beaches of North Carolina, and every shade is sewn in the US.
If you have an upcoming beach trip, I highly encourage you to order a Shibumi Shade to take along! If you are looking for something else to sew for your trip, check out my latest swimsuit tutorial: (How to Transform your favorite shirt dress pattern into a Swimsuit) and stay tuned for my upcoming Tutorial, a no-pattern needed swim coverup!
While I think it is super cool to be able to sew things yourself, I think it is even more important to support American ingenuity. I personally look forward to trying an actual, original Shibumi Shade on my next beach vacation! Stay tuned for an even more detailed review in the future!
When I shared my homemade canopy on social media, I was blown away by the number of comments from Shibumi customers. They all raved about the sunshades they had used repeatedly. Several even discussed the outstanding customer support they had received from the folks at Shibumi. That is why I can confidently recommend you support this American company too!
I mentioned in my original post all the pros of this style of canopy before. Let me tell you about this cool product for those of you who are here for the first time!
Lightweight
Carrying cumbersome, bulky, and heavy beach gear can quickly turn a day of relaxation into a day of hard work. My husband has often complained he needs a vacation after vacation because he is tasked with carrying all our gear. At four pounds, Shibumi Shade is easily portable, allowing you to effortlessly carry it to your chosen spot on any beach. The lightweight design makes walking on uneven terrain and through crowded beaches a breeze!
Easy to Setup
Another task my husband and I have hated about going to the beach is how long it takes to set up tents and canopies. When we arrive our kids are eager to jump in the water to play, but Mom and Dad always have to put in the work of setting up for the day. The Shibumi Shade can easily be set up in minutes and the adults can start relaxing too!
Sun Protection
The sun can be brutal during a day at the beach. The Shibumi Shade provides 150 sq ft of shade to help keep your whole group cool and comfortable. The fabric is rated UPF 50+ to protect you from sunburn and dangerous rays.
Easy to Breakdown
After a long day spent enjoying the sun and the surf, the last thing we want to do is spend a ton of time and energy breaking down a tent, umbrella, or canopy and hauling it back up the beach. The Shibumi shade takes a minute to break down and is effortless to carry back off the beach. Unlike an umbrella, you never run the risk of it blowing off in the wind and hitting other beachgoers while you try to break down for the day!
If you try a Shibumi Shade on your next visit to the beach, you will never go back!
We love using this on the beach in 30a (Seagrove, Florida, and Grayton Beach, FL). I will be packing it for our next trip to Grand Cayman as well! Normally we don't take any tents or covers to the Cayman Islands because they are too bulky on the airplane, but this will be no trouble at all to pack!
Lastly, if you are headed to the beach, be sure to pick up this Surfer Dude Toy, my friend bought one and brought it on our trip. Wow is it cool! It kept the kids and random adults walking down the beach fascinated for hours! You just throw it into the ocean, and it surfs back to you every time!
The adults would launch it very far out, and he would come surfing back! I was shocked at how far you could throw it and how quickly he would make it back to shore. The kids couldn't throw it quite as far, but they had a blast tossing him in and watching him do his thing!
The toy comes with a guarantee, if he doesn't make it back to shore, but we threw it in thousands of times and he always came back! It was so much fun! Several times I would be relaxing under the shade and reading a book, if the kids came in asking to do something else, all we had to do was tell them to go play with their surfer toy!
Update: My family is the proud owners of an official Shibumi Shade, and have loved using it countless times on the beach! Despite how many times we have set it up and broken it down, it still looks brand new! My husband loves using it for his weekend fishing trips because it is still easy to set up alone and provides excellent sun protection for a long day on the beach!
You can see how easily it provides shade for my family of 4 with room to spare!
Since I'm updating and sharing my favorite beach products, let me tell you about a couple more must-haves for any beach vacation!
One of the biggest struggles we have had at the beach is sand sticking to everything and my daughter quickly getting all of our beach towels soaked and filthy trying to clean up. I recently purchased some Sand Cloud Towels and they have solved that problem! Sand doesn't stick to them, not even when my daughter rolls around in it! They dry so quickly and they take up so much less space in my beach bag! I can't imagine a day on the beach without them!
My husband recently purchased a couple of chairs for us from Lawn Chairs USA, at first I thought he was crazy buying chairs that don't look like traditional beach chairs, but boy was I wrong! I loved sitting higher off the ground and they were very comfortable! Their lightweight design makes them easy to carry, and they are remarkably well-built!
Finally, a Misting fan kept us cool and comfortable all day long! This beach set up is so amazing, you won't ever want to leave the beach!
**I have included affiliate links to the products I used and can receive a small commission if a purchase is made after you click on a link. MagpieTayleetot is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
32 comments
I used a size 18 ball point needle, and did not have to adjust my tension.
The final dimensions were approx 144 inches wide (4 yards) by 118 inches long (the width of both fabrics on the bolt), less seam allowances
What type and size of needle did you use and did you have to adjust the tension to get a flat seam? Thank you.
Wow I have some sun sensitive kids ( sensory issues due to autism). It means only being able to go to the beach in the evenings. This might give us an additional hour at the beach in the afternoon. The ocean is such a therapeutic place. Thank you for posting this. I’m going to give it a try.
This is such a great idea! Thanks for the tutorial!