Tag Archives: article

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 Make Tallow Candles

19th December 2020DIY Craftsarticle, candle, DIY, medieval, tutorial, victorianLina

Learn how to make a tallow candle with kitchen waste and a DIY wick made from natural materials! Tallow candles are great as emergency candles and for the holiday season.

Tallow candles have a long history. They were the most widely used candles since ancient times before paraffin and stearin were discovered in the Victorian era. Tallow candles were a cheaper alternative to expensive beeswax candles.

While tallow candles could already be bought at shops in the Middle Ages, tallow candles were often made at home: Because tallow and other animal fats were readily available in households. As wick they either used cotton string or dried rushes. Read on to find out how to make a molded or dipped tallow candle with a DIY cotton or rush wick. Continue reading How To Make Tallow Candles →

15 Victorian Bread Baking Secrets – Perfect Bread With Wild Yeast From Scratch

19th October 2020(Historical) Cooking Recipesarticle, bread, recipe, resource, roundup, victorian, wild yeast, without commercial yeastLina

How Victorians baked perfect bread by making their own yeast at home from scratch. 15 Victorian bread baking secrets that are still useful today!

The Victorians usually made their own yeast at home from scratch, even if commercial yeast was already available. However, the Victorians believed that wild yeast bread from scratch was better, healthier, more digestible and more flavorful. So they made their own yeast at home with hops, potatoes, flour, peas or grapes. Over the years, I’ve tried different spontaneously fermented bread recipes from the Victorian era: Some failed and some turned out delicious! Continue reading 15 Victorian Bread Baking Secrets – Perfect Bread With Wild Yeast From Scratch →

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 →

1900-1909 Edwardian Fashion Timeline

1st February 20201900s - Edwardianarticle, dress, edwardian, resourceLina

The Edwardian era covers the short reign of King Edward VII and lasted from 1901 to 1910. It was an era of luxury with elegant dresses, expensive fabrics and trimmings. Even lingerie was lavishly trimmed with rows of lace for the first time in history! Moreover, Edwardian fashion was characterized by the new S-bend corset, the pouter pigeon shape, high collars and hats. While high collars and hats remained popular throughout the era, the pouter pigeon shape decreased over the years. Continue reading 1900-1909 Edwardian Fashion Timeline →

200+ Historical DIY Natural Beauty Products

15th January 2020Historical Costuming, Historical Natural Beauty Routine & Products, Historical Natural Hair Care18th century, 1920s, article, beauty recipe, DIY, edwardian, flower, hair care, hairstyle, homemade natural makeup, indian, natural dye, recipe, resource, roundup, tutorial, victorianLina

200+ DIY natural beauty products & hair care products – made and loved for centuries! It’s easy and fun to make your own DIY natural beauty products at home!

Victorian and Edwardian women wanted to look their best. But makeup and beauty products weren’t always readily available. So they made their own DIY natural beauty products at home.

Learn to make your own makeup, kohl, lip balm, blush, tooth paste, shampoo, hairspray and much more! It’s easier than you’d think to make your own DIY natural beauty products and it’s so much fun!

Continue reading 200+ Historical DIY Natural Beauty Products →

History Of The Nightcap – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care

8th June 20191900s - Edwardian1920s, article, cap, edwardian, hair care, lace, underwear, victorianLina

Nightcaps or sleeping caps were worn while sleeping to keep the hair tangle-free and – especially silk nightcaps – to make the hair glossy. Nightcaps have a long history and even today silk caps are recommended for long or curly hair. Read on to find out why and how Edwardian and WW1 women wore nightcaps and how to make a vintage silk sleeping cap for yourself!

Related: 200+ Historical DIY Natural Beauty Products

History Of The Nightcap

In the Victorian era, nightcaps were worn by all women, young and old. Continue reading History Of The Nightcap – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care →

9 Strange Victorian Dishes – Snail Soup & Boar’s Head

6th April 2019(Historical) Cooking Recipesarticle, recipe, savory, victorianLina

Did you ever wonder what was served at Victorian dinner parties? Victorian cooks knew how to make impressive dishes for special occasions, such as a whole boar’s head, snail soup and roast swan!

Most Victorian dishes are not different from what we eat today. Continue reading 9 Strange Victorian Dishes – Snail Soup & Boar’s Head →

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 →

How To Make Your Hair Grow – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care

19th February 2019Historical Natural Hair Carearticle, edwardian, hair care, resourceLina

Doesn’t everybody want beautiful hair? How to make your hair grow … in the Victorian and Edwardian era!

Victorian and Edwardian women prided themselves on their long, luxuriant hair. But not all women (and men) had beautiful hair. Read on to find out what was recommended in the Edwardian era to make your hair grow! Continue reading How To Make Your Hair Grow – Victorian And Edwardian Hair Care →