I love making historical lace and whitework embroidery. I often research how different types of lace and embroidery were traditionally called. But over time I forget the names again. 😉 That’s why I put together this list of historical lace and embroidery styles – rather for myself. But maybe you find this list useful too! 😀 Continue reading 50 Historical Types Of Whitework Embroidery & Needle Lace
In the past, indigo, woad and pastel (a variety of woad) was used to dye wool and cotton fabric blue. Indigo and woad dye are different from other natural dyes because the dye isn’t water soluble: you have to make a vat. Today, chemicals are used to make a quick vat. In the past, however, it was usually a fermentation vat using different ingredients like bran, madder, yeast, weld, molasses, urine, potash and lime. Continue reading How To Dye With Woad & Indigo – Historical Dye Recipes
Sew a simple unboned historical peasant bodice with front lacing for historical reenactment or as modern cottagecore lace-up corset top!
In the past, peasants and other working women often wore simple unboned bodices or lightly boned stays. My historical working woman stays are based on antique rural stays. This historical peasant bodice features a low neckline, shoulder straps, spiral lacing at the center front and princess seams at the back. You can make it completely unboned or just lightly boned. Continue reading How To Sew A Historical Peasant Bodice
17 natural materials you can use to make your own candle wicks at home! Learn how to make your own candle wicks with natural materials. The following 17 natural DIY candle wicks are all natural, sustainable, non-toxic (not treated with chemicals like store-bought candle wicks), easy to make, cheap, readily available and of course work as wicks for candles and oil lamps! You probably have the materials for your homemade candle wicks lying around the house or you can simply collect them in nature.
I love to make homemade candles and oil lamps with DIY candle wicks! Continue reading 17 Natural Materials To Make DIY Candle Wicks
In the past, glue was usually homemade and natural. There are so many alternatives to store-bought synthetic glues. You can make homemade natural glue with various natural ingredients like flour, gelatin, egg white, milk and tree resin. Continue reading 20 Ways To Make Homemade Natural Glue
Learn how to make an authentic medieval coil candle from scratch with beeswax and DIY candle wicks!
A medieval coil candle – also known as courting candle or candle by the hour – looks like a ball of yarn. And it basically is nothing else than a cotton string dipped in beeswax and wound into a ball of yarn. So all you need to make your own DIY medieval coil candle from scratch is beeswax and cotton string!
By the way, if you’re wondering why people in the Middle Ages made this unusual kind of candle: A medieval coil candle could be used as a kind of clock because it always took the same amount of time until a winding of the coil candle was burned. So a medieval coil candle was a timer and light in one! Continue reading How To Make A Medieval Coil Candle – Tutorial
6 ways how to make candles with beeswax: dipped, poured, jarred, molded, and rolled with beeswax or beeswax sheets. Make beeswax candles from scratch at home with beeswax and DIY cotton wicks!
Learn 6 ways how to make beeswax candles from scratch at home! Homemade beeswax candles are eco-friendly, non-toxic and even have health benefits because beeswax candles purify the air while burning. Historically, there were different ways to make candles with beeswax. Since the Middle Ages, beeswax candles have been rolled, dipped, poured or molded. And today, you can also make DIY beeswax candles in jars or with beeswax sheets. Continue reading 6 Ways How To Make Candles – DIY Beeswax Candles
‘Artificial light is probably as ancient as the human race or the use of fire; but the means employed to produce it among the savage tribes have scarcely advanced beyond burning branches of trees or splinters of wood.
Torches were probably an improvement upon these; and lamps, even of the simplest kind, display a great advance in refinement, requiring a combination of contrivances, such as the preparation of oil, a vessel to hold it, and a proper substance for the wick. […] Continue reading History Of Candles – Oil Lamps & Fatwood Torches
Did you know that you can gather your own candle wicks in nature? Make your own wicks at home with rushes! You can use rush wicks for DIY rush candles and DIY rushlights.
Rushes have a long tradition as DIY candle wicks. To make your own natural candle wicks, just gather rushes and use them as DIY candle wicks! Rush wicks are even better than braided cotton wicks, in my opinion. You can use DIY rush wicks for DIY beeswax candles, DIY tallow candles, DIY rushlights and even DIY oil lamps! Continue reading How To Make DIY Candle Wicks With Rushes – DIY Rush Candles
Learn how to make rushlights with leftover cooking fat! You can use this DIY bacon fat candle with a DIY natural wick as emergency candle or as eco-friendly alternative to store-bought candles!
‘”I have no more influence than a farthing rushlight.” “Well,” was the reply, “a farthing rushlight can do a great deal: it can set a haystack on fire, it can burn down a house; yea, more, it will enable a poor creature to read […] Go your way, friend; let your farthing rushlight’ shine. (The Christian Miscellany, And Family Visiter, 1868)
Rushlights are one of the most ancient forms of lighting: They were already used in the Roman Empire and they were still used in the late Victorian era, especially in working class households. Rushlights were a cheap alternative to candles: They were usually made at home by children, women or older people.
Rushlights are really easy to make: You can still make them today as eco-friendly and cheap emergency candle. Besides, rushlights are a great way to use up leftover cooking grease! All you need to do is to gather rushes in summer or autumn, peel and dry them and then dip them into cooking grease or tallow. Continue reading How To Make Rushlights