Handmade History

In this bonus episode, Alicia chats with author Anne H. Putnam about her newest book, Make Do and Mend, a breakup memoir. Grab your favorite handcraft and listen in to learn about kintsugi, the Japanese art of filling cracks with gold and silver; why Anne decided to self-publish this memoir; and how embroidery and mending helped guide her through a difficult time. Scroll to the end for a giveaway! More about Make Do and Mend: Radically vulnerable and illuminating, Make Do and Mend is perfect for anyone who's ever played one of Taylor Swift's heartrending breakup songs on repeat or talked a little too much about her ex on a first date. Anne Putnam has a doting British boyfriend, a job in book publishing, an East London flat with a water view—even a published book of her own. But, having never expected the fairytale, 28-year-old Anne has no reason to anticipate its abrupt ending. When her fiancé cheats and their wedding is canceled, she's knocked into a tailspin that takes out nearly everything that held her life together. She flees London for her hometown of San Francisco, which becomes the unstable base camp for the steepest uphill climb she's ever faced: a torturous game of will-they-or-won't-they with her ex. Slowly, painfully, and with a lot of snark and bravado, she claws her way back from depression, with the help of an assembly line of bad dates, her cohort of brilliant friends, and a lot of guidance from her annoyingly astute therapist. Ultimately, she faces one major decision: take back the one person who loves her most, or burn it all down and start over. A touching, and sometimes funny, tale of one millennial's journey through the ugly parts of heartbreak, Make Do and Mend examines the decidedly unsexy process of healing and post-traumatic growth. To celebrate the publication of Anne's book, we're doing a giveaway of both of her memoirs! Enter to win a copy of Make Do and Mend and Navel Gazing in three ways: Sign up at any level, free or paid, on Patreon! All of our members are automatically entered to win. Find us on Instagram--we are @handmadehistorypodcast! The giveaway post will be pinned at the top--just follow us and comment to win. Send us an email! Don't do social media? No worries! Just email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com and mention that you'd like to win Anne's books. Check out Anne's website, where you can find all of her books and writing. And for more information, please visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com.  

This episode is sponsored by our Patreon Patrons. Thank you! And a special thank you to Emily for supporting the show! We invite you to sign up to our Patreon at any level. Free members get a blog post with links and photos from each episode. Paid members get special discounts to crafty businesses as well as access to our Discord. You probably have heard of sewing machines...but did you know that there are also knitting machines? Knitting machines are used to make accessories and garments at home and in factories. They can be very simple--a cardboard tube and some popiscle sticks--or extremely complex. In this episode, we share the early history of knitting looms, including... A simple knitting machine you can make at home The earliest knitting machine, which peacefully coexisted with handknitters The true story of the Luddites (they actually used knitting machines!) The connection between knitting machines and the first computers, as well as Ada Lovelace, Charles Babbage, and Joseph-Marie Jacquard, early computer/knitting programmers The story of knitting machine inventor Masahiro Shima, who invented the first glove knitting machine after a week of no sleep! Grab your favorite handcraft and listen in for fun facts to text to your crafting bestie. Show notes and sources: https://tinyurl.com/y8hwefyp Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Find links, images, and more on the free blog post for this episode; visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Or visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

Thank you to our sponsor, Quiltfolk! Visit Quiltfolk.com and use code HandmadeHistory for 20% off your first order. When Francis Cabot Lowell built the first end-to-end cotton mill in Waltham, MA, he needed workers. Instead of hiring children, like many other factory workers (horrifying), he hired women. The farmers' daughters of New England flocked to mill towns and for the first time ever, made their own money. A decade or so later, many of the New England natives worked alongside Irish immigrants--the first immigrant labor force to work in sizeable numbers in the mills. As you gear up to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year, listen in to learn about: What it was really like to work in a mill: Poetry pasted on windows--nailed shut What the women who worked in the mills had to say about their days in letters home and poetry of their own Libraries and Lyceum halls: How mill workers spent their free time (reading!!!) The first mill worker-edited and owned magazine The Great Famine in Ireland and the harrowing journey many Irish emigrants took to New England towns The origin of the word "blow out" to mean a really big party--and what it was celebrating We think we've uncovered our funnest facts yet in this one, so grab your handcraft of choice and tune in! Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/4wy52zze Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Find links, images, and more on the free blog post for this episode; visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Or visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

Have you listened to our latest episode yet? Here's the description: Stumpwork Embroidery from West to East: Birds, Bees, and Byzantine Icons! Ever seen a piece of embroidery where the petals literally popped off the fabric? Welcome to the decadent, dimensional world of stumpwork embroidery. Today, stumpwork artists love to stitch flowers, bees, berries, and birds. But stumpwork has a long history, stretching all the way back to the Byzantine Empire. If you love a craft that combines high-level skill with a bit of historical drama, this episode is for you. This episode also marks the start of our first ever stitch along! Grab our collaboration kit or PDF pattern from MCreativeJ and join us as we bring Handmade History to life with the Wild Pansy Stumpwork Stitch Along! Share your progress with #stumpworkstitchalong on social media! Here's a look at what we're unravelling: 👑 The Stuart Obsession: In 17th-century England, noblewomen weren't just stitching flat patterns. They were building entire 3-D worlds on mirrors and jewelry boxes. We're talking about tiny doors that actually open and curtains you could push aside to peek into castles. 🌸 The First "Pansy": Did you know the very first time the word "pansy" appeared in the English language (way back in 1450!), it was being used to describe an embroidered flower on a cloak? 🌍 A Global Journey: Stumpwork's history crisscrosses Europe, the Americas, and the eastern Roman Empire. We explore: Byzantine Icons: Where gold thread and pearls made religious figures glow. Spanish & Mexican Traditions: The beautiful "alto relieve" elements found in colonial-era clothing. The Brazilian Revolution: How "Madame Maia" changed the game in the 1960s with high-shine rayon thread and bold, variegated colors. 🛠️ The Original "Craft Kit": Think embroidery kits are a new invention? Think again! 17th-century crafters could buy pre-drawn kits for mirrors and boxes that came with all the silks, beads, and mica they needed. The struggle to find the perfect supplies is truly timeless. Whether you're a master of the bullion knot or you've never picked up a needle in your life, the history of how humans have used thread to create 3-D art is absolutely fascinating. Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/mx5czk9c Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Find links, images, and more on the free blog post for this episode; visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Or visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

Sponsored by Folkwear Patterns! Visit Folkwear.com to explore our collection and join a community that's been stitching history for half a century. What do a 27,000-year-old figurine, a Bronze Age coil of horsehair, and King Henry VIII's "minions" have in common? They are all part of the wild, tangled, and surprisingly complex world of millinery. This week, we're diving into the history of how we cover our heads. While we think of "millinery" today as the art of the women's hat, it was once the "department store of the past," selling everything from jewelry and gloves to clocks and "certain stuff." We'll trace the evolution of the craft from ancient woven fragments found in the Czech Republic to the high-fashion millinery shops of Revolutionary Williamsburg. Along the way, we explore the incredible 40-hour reconstruction of a 3,000-year-old Scottish hat, the cultural significance of the Native American warbonnet, and the business savvy of Victorian women who dominated the trade long before they had the right to vote. In this episode, you'll learn about: The "Venus" Mystery: Why archaeologists now believe those ancient braided hairstyles might actually be the world's oldest hats. The 40-Hour Hat: A deep dive into the "wrapped twining" technique used to recreate a Bronze Age horsehair masterpiece. The King's Shopping List: How much Henry VIII paid for his "bonnetts" (and who his minions were). The Shopping Experience: What it was like to shop in an 18th-century millinery shop (spoiler alert: there were pastries!) The Millinery Class Boom: Why classes in millinery exploded in the late 1800s and early 1900s–and why they fell short in creating a career pathway for most women Whether you're a fiber artist curious about the special technique used to make a Bronze-age hat or a history buff interested in the economics of fashion, this episode is for you. Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/2wrb74bb We shared the story of our family's immigration to the US and our views on ICE at the top of the episode. If you feel moved to call your representatives, you can find who to contact at this website: house.gov Know your rights if ICE agents confront you or your neighbors: https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/services/immigration-know-your-rights Support people who are in danger of detention and who have been detained in Minnesota: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/ Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Find links, images, and more on the free blog post for this episode; visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Or visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

Did you know the world's oldest leather shoe is a right-footed size 7? In this episode, we talk all things leather. From the science of tanning (using everything from tree bark to animal brains) to the world's oldest right-footed shoe, we explore how humans have used animal skins for over 70,000 years. Join us and travel from an ancient cave in Armenia to the snowy Schniedejoch Pass in the Alps to see how our ancestors stayed warm, protected, and stylish. Highlights include: 🦴A 4,000-year-old purse flap made of 100 dog teeth. 🦏 Chinese warriors wearing 7 layers of rhinoceros skin. 🧵 The difference between Saddle and Saddler's Stitch.🎥 A shoutout to the impeccable style in Netflix's The Dig (Sutton Hoo fans, unite!). Whether you're a seasoned leatherworker or just love that "new leather" smell, this episode is for you. Sponsored by Folkwear Patterns. Visit Folkwear.com to explore our collection and join a community that's been stitching history for half a century. Shownotes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/t9xz8ubj Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Find links, images, and more on the free blog post for this episode; visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Or visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

This episode is brought to you by Quiltfolk, an ad-free magazine made for quilters like you! Visit quiltfolk.com and use code HandmadeHistory for 20% off your first order. Thank you, Quiltfolk! We are running a stumpwork stitch along this March and we would love to have you join us. Starting March 3, we are going to stitch a design created by Melissa Galbraith of MCreativeJ–a 3-dimensional wild pansy. We will post our progress each week on social media and on our Patreon page. If you would like to join us, you can pre-order the wild pansy stumpwork stitch along kit or PDF pattern here. Harriet Powers was a quilter and artist. She was born into slavery on a plantation in Athens, GA, and was emancipated after the Civil War. She created at least five quilts using applique and piecing techniques. Two of them are in museums, the Pictorial Quilt and the Bible Quilt. Join us and learn about the unique qualities of Powers' quilts; the connections between Powers' quilts and West African art traditions; Powers' life and the life of her quilts; and her legacy today. You'll also learn about the Dahomey Kingdom and Fon artists, who still make applique textiles in Benin. Shownotes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/fzs3ts2c Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Find links, images, and more on the free blog post for this episode; visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Or visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information. Visit quiltfolk.com and use code HandmadeHistory for 20% off your first order.

A quick reminder: if you'd like to join us for the Wild Pansy Stumpwork Stitch Along with MCreativeJ in March, please pre-order your kit or pattern today! You'll get everything you need (pattern, supplies, and a great Handmade History article) to make a beautiful hand-embroidered 3-D pansy & learn to do stumpwork! Get 15% off the kit or PDF pattern before 12/31/25. Want to share the Stitch Along as a gift? Just put a note in your order and we will send a cute e-card to your giftee to let them know they are in, and their kit/pattern is on the way! Visit https://www.patreon.com/posts/142281475 for more details. The art and craft of papercutting is as old as paper-- and in this episode, we cover both! Listen in to learn about the history of paper and paper-like materials such as papyrus and tapa. Then, follow us around the globe as we explore traditions of papercutting in several countries. We cover Chinese papercutting, Mexican papel picado, Indonesian shadow puppets, the tradition of Jewish papercutting, and scherenschnitte in Switzerland and the US--among others! We also talk about the variety of tools and supplies used by papercutters in different traditions, and the wide range of motifs that papercutters create. Finally, we profile two papercut artists from the early 1800s, Adele Schopenhauer and Martha Ann Honeywell. This is by no means a comprehensive survey of papercutting--but it's a great start! We will take a break for the holidays and be back in January with more Handmade History. Happy holidays, everyone! Shownotes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/4jf5xncd Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Sign up for our free posts on our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information. Listen in your favorite player, or in your browser at https://handmadehistorypodcast.com/#listen Quick note: If you'd like to join us for the Wild Pansy Stumpwork Stitch Along, grab your kit or pattern here! Pre-order before December 31 and get 15% off!

This episode is brought to you by Sculpey. Are you curious to try out polymer clay? Are you a polymer clay artist or enthusiast? We have a special offer for you from Sculpey, the original polymer clay company. Use code HANDMADE25 to get 25% off your entire purchase on Sculpey.com. If you aren't sure where to begin, Sculpey III clay is the perfect polymer clay for beginners. It comes in almost fifty colors and is easy to mold and shape into fun creations.  You can also buy a multipack of Sculpey III clay, including sets of the Classic colors, Brights, Pastels, and Naturals. These sets are an easy way to get all the colors you need to get started. If you are an experienced polymer clay maker, then you know the variety of products Sculpey has to offer, from Liquid Sculpey to Sculpey Souffle, to all the tools you need to make beads, jewelry, sculptures, frames, dishes, and more. Visit Sculpey.com use code HANDMADE25 for 25% off your entire order. Sculpey – Where creativity takes shape. Thank you, Sculpey! If you were a child of the nineties (like one of us was!), you probably came across polymer clay. This brightly colored clay that bakes in the oven can be made into beads, miniatures, and so much more. In this episode, we share the story of the invention of polymer clay from an oil-production by-product (in Germany) and a failed attempt to make a material for electrical transformers (in the US). We tell the story of Sophie Rehbinder-Kruse, who eventually made the first successful polymer clay in the 1940s called FIMOIK. We also tell the story of how Sculpey started in the US in the 60s with white clay and demonstrations at art shops and craft fairs. We share some of the wide range of techniques that people use to create with polymer clay, from caning to conditioning with a pasta machine (thank you, Marie Segal!). And we finish by profiling two very different but very cool polymer clay artists, Ford/Forlano and Yuka Morii. Join us and relive your time at the kitchen table making beads, buttons, and miniature versions of food for your dolls! Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/373kwc5u Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Sign up for our free posts on our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

We're doing a giveaway! To celebrate our collaboration kit & pattern with Melissa Galbraith of MCreativeJ, we are giving away one of Melissa's books, DIY Embroidered Shoes. If you would like to enter the giveaway, visit Handmade History Podcast on Instagram. You'll see the giveaway post pinned right at the top and you can comment and enter there. If you're not on Instagram, no worries! Just send us an email with your name and let us know that you'd like to enter the giveaway. You can email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. This giveaway closes on December 1, 2025. This week, we are talking about blackwork, a type of counted embroidery that typically uses a special stitch called the Holbein stitch. Tradition holds that Queen Katherine of Aragon brought blackwork to England from Spain when she married Henry VIII, and that the Holbein stitch was named after Tudor court painter Hans Holbein the younger. But blackwork was around for hundreds of years before the Tudors reigned. Mamluk embroidery is a type of embroidery that looks just like blackwork--and it originated in Egypt in the 1200s. We explore the fascinating history of how this group of enslaved Turks and Central Asians rose to power, and how they made Egypt the center of the Arab world. We go back even further in time to explore an Indian tradition, kasuti embroidery, which has all of the characteristics of modern blackwork. And it's still going strong today! Join us on a journey around the world and across time as we explore the origins of blackwork! Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/w3mmva9k Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Sign up for our free posts on our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

This episode is brought to you by our Patreon page: visit patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast and sign up to get our free posts! You'll be the first to know when an episode is live. Explore more on each topic with videos, photos, and links to research rabbit holes. This week also marks the launch of our first collaboration: the Wild Pansy Stumpwork Stitch Along! Pre-order your kit to make a beautiful stumpwork pansy designed by Melissa Galbraith of MCreativeJ. A PDF pattern is also available. Both include an exclusive history article from Handmade History. Then, join us for a stitch along in March. Visit MCreativeJ to pre-order your Wild Pansy Stumpwork Kit or PDF pattern today! This week, we are talking about the mimeograph and other defunct print technology, including spirit duplicators, hectographs, and of course, the Gocco.  Did you know that an embroidery transfer method called pouncing inspired Thomas Edison to invent the first-ever copy machine, a flatbed mimeograph? Or that Allied airmen who plotted the Great Escape used food tins and gelatin from Red Cross rations to create a hectograph to copy maps and forged papers? Learn all this and more in this episode. You'll find out how the mimeograph, a favorite tool of 1930s zinesters, evolved, and how to make a master for a spirit duplicator. You'll hear gems from a 1960s secretary training course, too. Plus, relive the glory days of early craft blogging as we chronicle the attempt to Save Gocco! Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/4s3fktuw Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Sign up for our free posts on our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

Sponsored by Folkwear Patterns. Folkwear – Where history meets your hands. Visit Folkwear.com and use code HANDMADE20 for 20% off your purchase. Code is good through the end of 2025!  Cosplay might make you think of shiny spandex and elaborate makeup--but did you know it got its start in 1939? Morojo (pronounced mo-roy-oh) was the first ever sci-fi fan to create a costume for a con: a dress that converted into a cape and romper. This "costume of the future" inspired other fans to start making their own costumes, and soon the masquerade or costume contest was a fixture at cons around the country. Join us as we follow cosplay through the decades: in the 60s, when the pilot of Star Trek debuted at a con in Ohio; in the 70s, when cosplayer Wendy Pini surprised a talk show host on TV; the 80s, when the term "cosplay" was invented by a Japanese journalist; and the 90s, when cosplay was still fringe but growing thanks to Sailor Moon. Learn about how cosplay became a multi-billion dollar industry in the early 2000s and 2010s, and how cosplayers like Yaya Han made it possible for cosplay to be a career. Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/3jkku7s9 Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

Sponsored by Folkwear Patterns. Folkwear – Where history meets your hands. Visit Folkwear.com and use code HANDMADE20 for 20% off your purchase. Code is good through the end of 2025!  "Hairwork" probably makes you think of intricate Victorian mourning jewelry and silky sculpted hair under glass. We take a broad view of this craft and talk about hairwork from ancient times (such as false beards made of metal) to modern day (the fabulous wigs Queen Charlotte wears in Bridgerton). We also share the varieties of hairwork that were made in the US from pre-colonial times (hair cord used to hang canteens in the cliffs of the Southwest) through the Victorian era (those silky sculptures, and so much more). Join us for a deep dive into what is considered a macabre craft that is actually fascinating, diverse, and occasionally very sweet. Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/4b9bsekd Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

Sponsored by MCreativeJ: Visit mcreativej.com today and raise your embroidery to new heights! Esther Inglis was a skilled book artist, calligrapher and embroiderer who lived at the same time as Shakespeare. She created roughly 60 miniature handwritten copies of printed books and gifted them to nobles and royals (including Queen Elizabeth) to gain political and economic favors. Join us as we discuss her life, her books, and the complex patronage system that she worked in. The child of French Huguenot emigrants to England and then Scotland, Inglis was educated in calligraphy by her mother and French by her father. Though she married a clerk, she wrote under her own name for almost all of her manuscripts. Her books, some as small as 1.75 inches tall, were handwritten copies of printed religious texts, including books of the Bible and collections of poetry. She also drew several self-portraits–she was the first British woman to include a self-portrait in a book. Inglis used her books to further her political and religious goals (she was a Protestant, and she may have helped get James I onto the English throne) as well as earn money for her family. And, she handbound and embroidered the covers of several of her books. Listen in to hear how modern needlework historians recreated one of her 400-year-old covers, using velvet, tiny pearls, and gold thread.  We also share the mystery of one of her earliest manuscripts–did she write it herself? Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/494m4y3n Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.

Sponsored by Folkwear Patterns. Folkwear – Where history meets your hands. Visit Folkwear.com and use code HANDMADE20 for 20% off your purchase. Code is good through the end of 2025!  Up until relatively recently, when factory-manufactured fabric became readily available, many garments around the world were naturally low and zero-waste. People who spent days (or months!) creating fabric (or processing animal skin) did not typically throw away pieces of it. Many cultures developed clever techniques to use up all of the material they created, to provide ease and comfort to the wearer, and to make precious fabric fashion. Join us as we explore garments like the Tarkhan dress (the oldest woven dress), the sari, the kimono, and various garments discovered on bog bodies, among others. Learn about the relationship between material and garment design, find out some of the interesting construction techniques people used, and follow us down deep dives into a variety of practices, from traditional weaving in Japan's Ainu culture to how Egyptians made pleats without an iron.  Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/54asn73s Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts!  

Sponsored by Folkwear Patterns: Visit www.folkwear.com today and sew something extraordinary. We're gearing up for summer--literally--with an episode on aloha shirts and Bermuda shorts! Aloha wear was invented in Hawaii in the 1920s and 30s, but it really took off during WWII, when millions of military personnel passed through the island--and picked up souvenirs to send home. We share the history of aloha shirts from their birth in Hawaii  to their boom on the mainland, and trace the evolution of two well-known aloha wear designers, Malihini Sportswear and Alfred Shaheen. We talk about the difficulties and opportunities given to different groups in Hawaii and share how Japanese American business owners found ways around discrimination to thrive in the Hawaiian economy. We also share inspiring and unique examples of modern aloha shirts in the New Zealand Museum's collection.  Then, we talk about Bermuda shorts. These long, formal shorts were invented--probably--on the island of Bermuda, which has an interesting history (did you know it was uninhabited until 1609?). We talk about Bermudas vs. Ghurka shorts, the official Boy Scout uniform, and how Bermuda shorts became "badges of independence" on Barnard College's campus in 1960. Plus, we recap our most popular and favorite episodes of our first season--see you in September for more Handmade History! Show notes & sources here: https://tinyurl.com/4bh8w3bd Do you own or make aloha wear? Do you have a favorite Bermuda shorts pattern? We'd love to see your creations! Or have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com, or visit our website at handmadehistory.com.  Happy listening!

Sponsored by Folkwear Patterns: Visit www.folkwear.com today and sew something extraordinary. Batik is a beautiful resist-dye tradition that has a strong association with Indonesia. In this episode, we share the history of batik and some of the history of Indonesia. The fourth most populous country in the world, made up of 17,000 (yes, you read that right) islands, Indonesia has a thousands-year-old tradition of batik. There are even depictions of batik carved into the stone monuments at Borobudur, one of Indonesia's most famous Buddhist monuments (and a UNESCO World Heritage Site).  In this episode, find out about the ways that batik was traditionally made, learn the differences between classical and coastal styles of batik, and discover how batik that was sold in the West differed from batik sold in Indonesia. You'll also hear about the connection between African waxprints and Dutch imitation batiks. (And learn how to use the word "batik"--spoiler alert: it's noun and verb.) Show notes & sources here: https://tinyurl.com/3w5ymj3y Do you batik? Do you have any batiks? We'd love to see your creations! Or have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com, or visit our website at handmadehistory.com.  Happy listening!

Sponsored by Folkwear Patterns: Visit www.folkwear.com today and sew something extraordinary. If you ever made macrame anklets out of hemp or friendship bracelets out of embroidery floss, you joined in on a tradition of macrame that is 3000 years old! Macrame fringe appears on stone carvings from the Assyrian civilization--a kingdom of Mesopotamia--that date to the 1000s BCE. The tradition has continued in the Mediterranean up through the present day, and it spread (perhaps via the Moors of Northern Africa) to Spain and Europe, as well as the Americas. In the US, macrame became popular in the Victorian era as part of the Victorian obsession with lace, and again in the 1970s. We talk about why this simple but extraordinary craft gained popularity with the hippies. We also touch on the broader tradition of knotting, which has been a part of human activity since humans became humans (and maybe even earlier!). We explore sailors' knotting art (a part of marlinspike seamanship) and how sailors may have helped spread the craft of macrame.  Also, those embroidery floss bracelets use a stitch created by a Victorian woman, Valentina Cavandoli, who ran a school in Italy. Hear all these fun facts and more in this episode! Show notes & sources here: https://tinyurl.com/mpesdbxu Do you macrame? We'd love to see your creations! Or have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com, or visit our website at handmadehistory.com.  Happy listening!

Did you know that it took 100 years for the sewing machine to be invented? The sewing machine automated a process done by hand for tens of thousands of years--and it does it completely differently. A sewing machine uses lockstitch, a stitch you can't do by hand (without serious difficulty), two spools of thread, and a four-part mechanism to sew fabric together. Each of these parts of the sewing machine was invented by a different person, leading to mayhem and litigation. In fact, sewing machines are one of the first examples of a patent thicket, which led to the invention of the first patent pool. Listen in to learn how Singer & Company successfully sold sewing machines around the world in the late 1800s and early 1900s, becoming one of the first mass-marketed global products. Find out how the sewing machine changed the readymade clothing industry, the lives of seamstresses (unfortunately not for the better), and the craft of quilting. And guess how many sewing machines we collectively own? Show notes & sources here: https://tinyurl.com/448xt7u2 How many sewing machines do you have? Do you have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com, or visit our website at handmadehistory.com.  Happy listening!

Tartans symbolize Scotland, but what is a tartan, exactly, and what makes it different from a plaid? Do all Scottish clans have a tartan? (And what exactly is a clan?) We answer all these questions and more in this episode, and do a deep dive into one of the first and biggest manufacturers of tartan, Wilson & Sons.  We have a special offer for our listeners from Folkwear Patterns! Use code TARTAN to take 25% off two Folkwear Patterns: 152 Scottish Kilts (https://tinyurl.com/2pdba88z) and 154 Child's Scottish Kilt & Jacket (https://tinyurl.com/e2b6z4nj). Each pattern comes with detailed instructions to pleat a kilt, plus a pattern for a Prince Charlie jacket (152, the adult pattern, comes with a vest, too!). Thank you, Folkwear! Show notes & sources here: https://tinyurl.com/2s43mnwv Do you have a clan tartan or a tartan of your own you'd like to share? Or a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com, or visit our website at handmadehistory.com.  Happy listening!