0000 Ancient Times

For the last six weeks, I have been teaching a young group of girls the basics of handsewing. Though it takes a lot more time than sewing by machine, it is something I enjoy because it helps me to slow down so I can get lost in my thoughts. Lately, […]

Needle Notes…

November 17, 2015 in 0000 Ancient Times / 1700s American Colonial / 1800s Regency and Victorian / 1860s Civil War / 1880s / 1900s Edwardian and Modern / Historical Tidbits / Newsletter / November 2015 / Posts by Shari

By Shari Fuller Abram, his brother Haran, and his father Terah had become quite wealthy while they lived in the Sumerian city-state of Ur of the Chaldees; no doubt profiting from the trade that was going on between Sumer and Indus Valley. Abram himself had over 300 servants. Jewish history […]

From Fig Leaves to High Fashion… part 3, Ancient Egypt

August 19, 2015 in 0000 Ancient Times / August 2015 / From Fig Leaves to High Fashion / Historical Tidbits / Learn / Lesson 3 / Newsletter by Shari

Not long after the rise of the first civilizations in Sumer, other civilizations began popping up in Indus Valley, Egypt, Greece, China, and Meso America. All of these cultures were remarkably advanced and despite being widely scattered around the world, they maintained a surprising amount of contact with each […]

From Fig Leaves to High Fashion, Lesson 2… Indus Valley

July 21, 2015 in 0000 Ancient Times / From Fig Leaves to High Fashion / July 2015 / Learn / Lesson 2 / Lesson Plans / Newsletter by Shari

This article is the first in a series to explore the development of clothing and fashion through the ages. Beginning with Adam and Eve’s infamous fig leaves in the Garden of Eden we will examine what people wore in various ancient civilizations and see how cultures that seemed so disconnected […]

From Fig Leaves to High Fashion… Lesson 1

June 16, 2015 in 0000 Ancient Times / From Fig Leaves to High Fashion / June 2015 / Learn / Lesson 1 / Lesson Plans / Newsletter by Shari

By Shari Fuller I am currently working on an historical sewing curriculum, and what better place to start than at the beginning. I am thoroughly enjoying researching, choosing topics, and putting together sewing projects. Did you know that silk has been around almost as long as wool, linen, and […]

The Empress of the Silkworm

May 18, 2015 in 0000 Ancient Times / From Fig Leaves to High Fashion / Historical Tidbits / May 2015 / Newsletter by Shari

By Shari Fuller As the world entered the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution went into full swing and with it the new branch of science called chemistry. As early chemists began isolating and identifying elements they were able figure out ways to reproduce natural dyes from other other sources. These […]

Judging a Cloth by its Color…. part 3

March 16, 2015 in 0000 Ancient Times / 1700s American Colonial / 1800s Regency and Victorian / 1860s Civil War / 1900s Edwardian and Modern / April 2015 / Historical Tidbits / March 2015 / Newsletter by Shari

Color is anything but passive and from the time the first dyes appeared, artisans found ways to use color to create interesting designs and patterns on fabrics. At first, multiple colors were woven into fabrics to form simple stripes and plaids, but over the years, weavers developed increasingly complex patterns […]

Judging a Cloth by its Color… What Fabric Tells Us, ...

February 17, 2015 in 0000 Ancient Times / 1700s American Colonial / 1800s Regency and Victorian / 1860s Civil War / 1900s Edwardian and Modern / February 2015 / Historical Tidbits by Shari

When I was very young, I remember admiring a black and white photo of my mom wearing a very pretty dress and the amazement I felt when she showed me that same dress hanging in her closet. The color was so beautiful. It had never occurred to me that life […]

Judging a Cloth by its Color… What Fabric Tells Us, ...

January 22, 2015 in 0000 Ancient Times / 1700s American Colonial / 1800s Regency and Victorian / 1860s Civil War / 1900s Edwardian and Modern / Historical Tidbits / January 2015 by Shari

Though buttons can trace their beginnings to the earliest civilizations, pins, belts, and broaches were a more practical fastener for the looser garments of the time so they bedecked clothing simply as ornamental objects. It wasn’t until the 13th century, when someone came up with the idea of […]

The Big Impact Of The Little Button

November 19, 2013 in 0000 Ancient Times / 1700s American Colonial / 1800s Regency and Victorian / 1860s Civil War / 1900s Edwardian and Modern / Historical Tidbits / Newsletter / November 2013 by Shari