Category Archives: Themes Across Eras

10 Victorian Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas

22nd December 2020Themes Across Erasarticle, christmas, DIY, edwardian, victorianLina

10 festive DIY Christmas gift wrapping ideas from the Victorian era.

‘Christmas presents must be wrapped very daintily this season’ (The Guthrie Daily Leader, 1909).

The traditional colors for Victorian Christmas gift wrapping were white and red: either white paper with red ribbon, or red paper with Christmas ribbons. But the Victorians also knew fun ways to wrap small gifts or give money as a gift: Victorian Christmas gifts were disguised as faux snowballs, Christmas crackers or even sausages! Continue reading 10 Victorian Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas →

How To Clean A Corset

11th May 2020Themes Across Erasarticle, corset, edwardian, laundry, resource, underwear, victorianLina

How To Clean A Corset

‘Give your corset air and sunshine if you want it sweet and odorless. You should not expect the best results from your corset without a second one to wear alternately. Any corset needs a rest; two corsets worn alternately will give more satisfaction and service than the same two corsets, each worn continuously until they are worn out, just as two or three pairs of shoes last longer when worn alternately. Continue reading How To Clean A Corset →

#SpringCostumeChallenge – Instagram Historical Costuming Challenge 2024

28th March 2020Blogging & Instagram, Themes Across ErasinstagramLina

Yay! It‘s time for #SpringCostumeChallenge – my annual historical costuming challenge that I host on my instagram account @sewhistorically_costumes! 😀

What Is #SpringCostumeChallenge?

#SpringCostumeChallenge is a month-long historical costuming challenge which I host on my instagram account @sewhistorically_costumes! #SpringCostumeChallenge starts on May 1 and ends on May 31, 2024. Every day there‘s a prompt, such as ‘favorite historical dress’ or ‘details’, and you post a photo that fits the theme. Here are the prompts of last year’s #SpringCostumeChallenge. Continue reading #SpringCostumeChallenge – Instagram Historical Costuming Challenge 2024 →

Dressing The 1900s Woman – Edwardian Lingerie

6th February 20201900s - Edwardian, Themes Across Erascorset, dress, edwardian, finished historical costume, resource, roundup, tutorial, underwearLina

In the Edwardian era, a matronly figure was fashionable: The typical Gibson girl S-shaped, curvy figure with low mono-bosom bust and ample hips.

The right lingerie ‘improves the fit and set of skirt and gown in wonderful degree’ (W. B. Erect Form Corsets, 1902).

The Edwardian era lasted from 1901 to 1910 and was an era of luxury with expensive fabrics and lavish lace trimmings. Even if lingerie was almost never seen, it was nevertheless trimmed with rows and rows of lace for the first time in history. Whereas lace trimmed underwear was frowned upon in the Victorian era, Edwardian lingerie was made of sheer white cotton fabric and pastel colored clingy silk fabrics – both abundantly trimmed with lace. Continue reading Dressing The 1900s Woman – Edwardian Lingerie →

How To Make Hay With A Scythe – History Of Haymaking

7th March 2019Themes Across Erasarticle, edwardian, haymaking, victorian, working womanLina

In the Victorian era, hay was made by hand with a scythe. But even today, a scythe is often used to cut grass and make hay. I love making hay with a scythe – it’s the best full body workout! Every summer, I make hay for our rabbits by hand with a scythe. Besides haymaking, the scythe is also perfect to cut grass on a hill in our garden that is too steep for a lawn mower.

‘Now, whilst the mowers are whetting their scythes, and the fragrant smell of the hay fills the summer air, let us sit on the haycock, and glance at the flowers around us.’ (English Wild Flowers, 1868)

Continue reading How To Make Hay With A Scythe – History Of Haymaking →

Victorian & Edwardian Travel Accessories

10th June 2018Themes Across Erasaccessory, article, edwardian, travel, victorianLina

Victorians and Edwardians were fond of traveling. ‘The Grand Tour’ – a travel through European countries – was a popular travel to finish the education of wealthy young adults. Italy and Greece were the most popular travel destinations, and some even traveled to the Far East! The advent of the railroad and steamships in the Victorian era made traveling much easier. In the Victorian era, there were already unchaperoned traveling women, such as Ida Pfeiffer – the travel blogger of the Victorian era! 😉 Continue reading →

Victorian & Edwardian Christmas Gifts – Part 2

21st December 2017Themes Across Erasarticle, christmas, DIY, edwardian, hand sewing, lace, sewing, victorianLina

Victorian And Edwardian Christmas Gifts — New York, winter scene in Broadway, 1857

‘In many cases no gift could be so useful as an apron, or nightgown, or petticoat neatly made, with loving thoughts stitched into the long seams and difficult gathers.’ (The American Girl’s Home Book of Work And Play, 1890) Continue reading Victorian & Edwardian Christmas Gifts – Part 2 →

The Victorian Christmas Tree

20th December 2017Themes Across Erasarticle, christmas, christmas ornaments, edwardian, medieval, victorian, woodLina

The ‘door was thrown open leading into the great exhibition-room. Here was a magnificent Christmas-tree hung all over with colored wax tapers; here were tables covered with white cloths, and glittering from head to foot with the most bewitching doll-babies, work-boxes, card-cases, silk dresses, rattles, penny whistles, shawls, sashes, drawing-implements, and I don’t know what all, for big and little, with a name written upon each, and ever so many funny inscriptions to make it all the more merry.’ (An American Family In Germany, 1866, p. 183) Continue reading The Victorian Christmas Tree →

Victorian & Edwardian Christmas Gifts – Part 1

19th December 2017Themes Across Erasarticle, christmas, DIY, edwardian, hand sewing, sewing, victorianLina

Victorian Christmas Gift Ideas - Victorian Shopping — Sleighing in New York, 1855

‘Christmas is coming. […] Such a capering and hiding; stitching, knitting, clipping, cutting, and pasting; red paper and blue paper; spangles of gold and silver; purses, cuffs, lamp-rugs, slippers, and neck-ties; gewgaws, and filigree, and gimcracks; green trees, hung all over with colored balls, little angels, and candy horsemen; wax tapers and bits of looking-glass; such surprises hid in fancy boxes and bags, on the tops of the wardrobes, behind the bureaus, and under the sofas, for Tom, Dick, and Harry; mysterious whisperings, secret conferences, knowing looks, nods, and winks, and sudden hidings away of articles in progress of manufacture but not yet to be seen Continue reading Victorian & Edwardian Christmas Gifts – Part 1 →

Victorian Christmas Gifts For The Home

16th December 2017Themes Across Erasarticle, christmas, edwardian, victorianLina

Traditional Victorian Christmas Tree Decorations — Christmas tree, 1907

‘The shops are showing a marvelous array of gifts that cost small fortune and there are many of us who have to pass them by, regarding them as the fleshpots of Egypt. That is no reason, though, why we should deprive ourselves of the pleasure of giving, nor deprive our friends of the pleasure of being remembered by us. There are a thousand simple and not simple articles that can be made at home for a small cost of material. If they cost much labor, all the better. Then our friends know that we have really wanted to make a sacrifice for their pleasure. Continue reading Victorian Christmas Gifts For The Home →