Hello, all! My podcast (which I host with my sister Sonia) now has its *own* website. You can find all the episodes there, and even listen to them right in your browser. Check it out: https://handmadehistorypodcast.com/
Thanks for following along!
Lace is, by definition, useless. Whether is it is woven, crocheted, knitted, or made with needles or bobbins, lace is an adornment. And it has been a part of human history since (at least) the 1000s CE. We take you on a tour of lace from South America to Switzerland to South India, and show how lace has not only decorated clothing and table linens across the world, but has also changed domestic and foreign policy. We talk about the first lace pattern book, the curtains in Louis XIV’s miniature boats at Versailles, and a courtesan’s unique bed covering. Tune in to hear more!
Find thorough show notes with all of our sources here: https://tinyurl.com/2sbxapuc
Do you have a question or a topic we should cover? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com! You can also find us on Instagram, Tumblr, and now on Blue Sky. Thanks for listening!
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Everyone knows that flannel is warm, soft, and plaid. But did you know that flannel was likely traded between Europe in Africa before 1486? And that the origins of the word are actually unknown? (And–it doesn’t have to be plaid!)
Flannel was strongly associated with Wales, and we share about how this little country’s flannel production moved from farms to small factories and eventually larger factories. Then, we talk about the legacy of flannel. Back in the fifties, flannel was commonly used to make suits–James Bond wore flannel suits in many of his films–which is a very different use of the cozy pajama fabric we know now. Listen in to hear about these and other famous flannels.
Listen on Spotify or right here in your browser in the player at the bottom of this post!
Find show notes here: https://tinyurl.com/5n6v5jr6
Do you have a question or a topic we should cover? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com! You can also find us on Instagram and Tumblr. Thanks for listening!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Our latest episode of Handmade History podcast is live! If you’d like to listen, you can find us on Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, or your favorite player. You can also listen right from your browser by clicking the player at the bottom of this post!
In the early 1900s, Berea College accomplished something extraordinary: they revived the mountain craft of weaving. Many women left their looms behind when affordable factory cotton became available, but Berea College created Fireside Industries, a commercial enterprise, as a way of preserving hand weaving practices in the area. Various heads of Fireside Industries–especially Anna Ernberg, a Swedish immigrant and weaving expert–expanded the consumer demand for handwoven goods by traveling and speaking in the North. The college invited expert craftspeople like Candice Wheeler to teach techniques and advise on design to local craftswomen and students who participated in the program. Eventually, Fireside Industries combined with other craft programs at the college to become Student Craft, an important part of the college today that allows students to work and develop craft skills. Listen in to learn this complicated but fascinating history and find out how crafts in this area were preserved and evolved through Berea College.
Thorough show notes with all of our sources here: https://tinyurl.com/2bdz7vz4
Do you have a question or a topic we should cover? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com! You can also find us on Instagram and Tumblr.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
