Tag Archives: victorian

Historical Peasant Woman Outfit: Unboned Stays, Bumroll & Corded Petticoat

Historical Peasant Woman Outfit

If you read my blog regularly, you know that I’m more drawn to historical lower class everyday clothing, especially rural working woman costumes. This is my newest peasant woman outfit: It consists of an unbleached chemise, unboned rural stays, bumroll and dyed-by-me corded petticoat and tucked skirt. An outfit like my historical farm girl outfit would’ve been worn in the 18th century or early Victorian era. And without the bumroll the working class woman costume is even suitable for the Edwardian era. Continue reading Historical Peasant Woman Outfit: Unboned Stays, Bumroll & Corded Petticoat

34 Types of Seams – Historical Sewing

Learn how to make 34 historical types of seams. For historical costumes and modern clothing!

34 Types of Seams Historical Sewing

The Victorians had a seam for every purpose! The following 34 historical types of seams have already been used since the Victorian era. While some types of seams are even older and have been used since the Middle Ages. You can use the following 34 historical seam finishes for your Victorian and Edwardian clothing. But of course you can also use them for your modern clothing! Continue reading 34 Types of Seams – Historical Sewing

17 Natural Materials To Make DIY Candle Wicks

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.

17 Natural Materials To Make DIY Candle Wicks

I love to make homemade candles and oil lamps with DIY candle wicks! Continue reading 17 Natural Materials To Make DIY Candle Wicks

10 Types Of Corset Boning For Historical Corsetry

Flat steel boning, spiral steel boning, German plastic boning (aka synthetic whalebone) – what is best for historical corsets?

10 Types Of Corset Boning For Historical Corsetry

Historically, corsets were stiffened with whalebone (baleen), whalebone substitutes – such as horn and featherbone – and later flat steel boning. Continue reading 10 Types Of Corset Boning For Historical Corsetry

DIY Victorian Corded Petticoat

Victorian Corded Petticoat
Victorian corded petticoat & blue-white-striped corset

I made another Victorian corded petticoat because I didn’t like the first one that I made a couple of years ago. Corded petticoats were mainly worn before the invention of the steel cage crinoline in 1856. Skirts were already very wide in the 1840s and especially the 1850s. And to support these heavy skirts some kind of foundation was necessary.

Cording was often used in the Victorian era to reinforce underwear like corsets and petticoats. In the past, I’ve already made a Victorian corded corset, a late Victorian or early Edwardian corded corset and a Victorian corded petticoat even though corded garments aren’t my favorite: They always wrinkle and are never stiff enough in my opinion. 😉 The cording adds stiffness to the petticoat but it still collapses in on itself unlike a hoop skirt. Continue reading DIY Victorian Corded Petticoat

6 Ways How To Make Candles – DIY Beeswax Candles

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!

6 Ways How To Make Beeswax Candles - With Beeswax Sheets, Poured, Rolled, Yarred, Molded & Dipped Candles

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

History Of Candles – Oil Lamps & Fatwood Torches

DIY Stone Oil Lamp With DIY Rush Wick Stone Candle History Of Candles
DIY Stone Oil Lamp With DIY Rush Wick

History Of 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

How To Make DIY Candle Wicks With Rushes – DIY Rush Candles

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.

DIY Beeswax Candle With DIY Rush Wicks DIY Rush Candle Tutorial
DIY Beeswax Candle With Rush Wick

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