Mr. Willoughby was a favorite teacher of mine during high school, and I still count him as a friend in adulthood. A former Army officer and veteran of the Vietnam War turned history teacher, he formed lasting relationships with his students. And, the giant bulletin board hanging … [Read more...] about Lost Greetings: Postcards from the Past Revisited
A Makeshift Lucet: How to make your own forked weaving tool from recycled cardboard
What is a Lucet? A lucet is a fiberwork tool usually consisting of two parallel posts joined on one end to form a "U" shape. Some have a single handle at the bottom; some have a hole in the base of the "U." A few examples of such tools, as well as cording likely made using … [Read more...] about A Makeshift Lucet: How to make your own forked weaving tool from recycled cardboard
Advent of Photography: Portraits for the Rest of Us
What if you had no photos of anyone you've ever known? Lately, I have been browsing various museums and historical society websites in search of portraits from the earliest age of photography. Whether they are daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, or albumen, they captivate … [Read more...] about Advent of Photography: Portraits for the Rest of Us
A Crochet Journey: A Lifetime of Crafting
Of all of the domestic arts I have cultivated as a hobby, my crochet journey spans the most years. I learned to create textiles with so many twists of a hook when I was in elementary school. My mother showed me the basic stitches, and then I used my interpretation of them to … [Read more...] about A Crochet Journey: A Lifetime of Crafting
Ye Olde Nail Clippers: How did people trim their nails in the past?
I love the ordinary. What could be more ordinary than clipping your nails? Many a time have I pondered the difficulty of such a mundane task for people with no access to handy, purpose-built nail clippers, either in the past or the present. Thus, I was delighted to come … [Read more...] about Ye Olde Nail Clippers: How did people trim their nails in the past?
