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
Tag Archives: victorian
34 Types of Seams – Historical Sewing
Learn how to make 34 historical types of seams. For historical costumes and modern clothing!
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
How To Sew A Bum Roll
This bum roll pattern is suitable for the 18th century and early Victorian era (1830s and 1840s) particularly for working class wear. It creates a fashionable bell-shape, especially when you wear it with tucked and corded petticoats. Continue reading How To Sew A Bum Roll
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.
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?
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
20 Ways To Make Homemade Natural Glue
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
DIY Victorian Corded Petticoat

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!
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

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.

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