Learn how to make a straw hat from scratch with straw or grass!
In the Victorian era, straw hats were made from scratch: Straw or grass was cut, bleached and then braided. By the way, straw braiding was called straw plaiting or straw platting in the Victorian era. These straw braids were then sewn together to make DIY straw hats. Continue reading How To Make A Straw Hat From Scratch
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
Edwardian walking dresses: What Edwardian women wore in cold and rainy winter weather and for summer hiking vacations.
‘The very best form of exercise, all doctors agree, is walking. It brings into action every muscle of the body, stimulates the organs and circulation, and provides an interesting amusement, because it is enjoyable. It induces health because it does not overstrain any part of the body, and it brings beauty of form because it gets rid of superfluous tissue, and, at the same time, develops the muscles, thus filling out the hollows and thin places.’ (Every Woman’s Encyclopaedia, 1910-2a)
Edwardians were fond of walking. Even rain didn’t stop them: They believed a walk through rain was an excellent skin toner! But the clothing had to be light and warm so as not to catch cold. Edwardian walking dresses usually consisted of a short leather-lined wool skirt, a wool jacket or sweater, walking boots and a soft felt cap or hat. Continue reading Edwardian Walking Dresses
9 free antique knit and crochet patterns for Edwardian & WW1 tam o’shanter hats!
‘It is often difficult to know what Christmas presents to give […] A warm hat is always serviceable.’ (Marin Journal, 1902)
The Edwardian tam o’shanter or tam hat – a soft knitted or crocheted wool hat – was the everday hat of Edwardian girls and sports hat of Edwardian women. ‘A small woollen cap […] which only needs two hairpins to keep it in place, is extremely becoming, and suitable either for summer or winter.’ Continue reading Edwardian & WW1 Tam O’Shanter Hats – Free Knit & Crochet Patterns
‘Have you bought your Easter hat? It is certainly time to select something, and it is getting along into the days when one cannot longer postpone the hat crisis. […] That she who buys her millinery now pays two prices for it may be true. But it is also true that the first millinery is worth double the price of the later offerings. […] There is a new look about the early season millinery that is never observed later on. Continue reading Edwardian Easter Hats
Buckram is a very stiff fabric, almost like cardboard. Buckram is used for millinery and historical clothing. You can buy buckram but buckram is easy to make at home: All you need is cornstarch and cotton or linen fabric – I usually use cotton canvas, twill or Aida cloth. Continue reading How To Make DIY Buckram For Millinery & Historical Clothing
I made a matching cloche for my 1920s gold sequin dress. Continue reading 1920s Gold Sequin Evening Cloche
The Edwardian summer girl is robust, strong and independent. She’s bare-armed, collarless, hatless and short-skirted: She doesn’t care if she gets freckles or a tan. She’s as good at sports as men: She swims, rows, hunts – she even plays barefoot golf! Continue reading The Edwardian Summer Girl
I had much leftover yarn, so I thought I’d use it to make a crochet beret. Continue reading Rust-Colored Crochet Beret
That’s my mid-to-late 1920s white lace afternoon dress. Continue reading 1920s White Lace Afternoon Dress