Victorian Homemaking Book

The Victorian Homemaking Book features 12 parties.  Girls will learn what their daily life would be like had they lived during this fascinating era. They will learn crafts like a Victorian girl, go to tea and have a Ball.  The theme for the year is "Having a Heart for God.".  Plan each party for three hours..

#1 Knitting 
Having a Believing Heart

​Welcome to the fascinating world of the Victorians.  Girls will start to learn what it was like to live when people went calling and had tea.  When they courted, went to balls and spent hours a day doing "fancy work."  At this party they will be taught how to knit and begin to make a scarf.  The devotion comes from Psalm 139:13-14 which talks about God knitting us together in our mother’s womb.  

#2 Crocheting 
Having a Whole Heart

Victorians crocheted many things from dress collars to doilies for their homes.  Crocheting is easy to learn, but because we rarely use crocheted items today, girls will first learn and practice the basic crochet stitch using yarn, then they will change to crocheting wire while they make a very unusual and pretty crocheted wire necklace with beads.  They will also learn about Victorian homes and having their heart as Christ’s home.

#3 Basket Making 
Having a Willing Heart

Baskets are usually made from ordinary materials yet can become works of art.  The devotion in this party centers on how God can take ordinary people and make them into something special if they have a willing heart.  What kind of basket will God shape you into?  There are two basket projects available for the girls to do;  make a small basket out of pine needles or out of colorful greeting cards.  

​#4 Victorian Christmas
Having a Christmas Heart

​Victorians loved Christmas and spent weeks getting ready for it. Learn what gifts they made for each other and how they decorated their "Royal Trees" with handmade ornaments and real candles.  Girls will get a taste of an old fashioned Christmas as they make ornaments and decorate a tree Victorian style.  The devotion will be about decorating their hearts for Christmas.

#5 Great Great Grandma's Kitchen
​A Prayerful Heart

​What did Victorians eat and how did they prepare it?  How did they make toast without a toaster?  Would you like to drink "donkey tea?"  At this party we will go into the kitchen and create an apple pie masterpiece from scratch or knead dough by hand for bread.  Just as Victorian cooks started their day very early in the kitchen, the devotion will talk about starting our days with prayer.


​#6 Cross Stitching
A Loving Heart

​​Cross Stitching was the first type of stitching Victorian girls learned.  It's making little X's with thread and eventually the X's form a picture.   At this party, girls will learn to cross stitch.  They will also learn about courting and falling in love in Victorian times.  In the devotion we will explore  how we can love God. 

#7 Sewing
A Learning Heart

Victorians sewed for hours every day. At this party, girls will machine sew a small sample of a Crazy Quilt, and learn how long it took Victorians to sew their intricately made clothes.  The devotion will center on Jesus being the pattern for our lives.  A sewing pattern booklet will be given out with different ways to read and study the Bible.

#8 Embroidery
A Trusting Heart

​Embroidery is very easy to learn and fun to do. Girls will hand embroider the notebook cover they previously sewed.  The devotion will focus on having a trusting heart in God when life is full of knots and problems just like the bottom of an embroidery project.

#9 A Victorian Tea
A Connected Heart

Come have tea in honor of Queen Victoria's birthday in May.  Sample the Queen's favorite cake.  Chat with friends as you work on some "fancy work."  During tea, girls will learn more about Queen Victoria and how to be a good conversationalist.  The devotion will focus on how to be a friend with God.
 

#10 Calligraphy
A Purposed Heart

​Did you know that several of the wedding customs we do today came from Queen Victoria's wedding? Victorian girls lived with the goal of getting married.  That was their purpose.  Our devotion at this party will talk about what our purpose in life should be. We will also look at what weddings were like and since Calligraphy was used on invitations then and now, we will learn how to write in Calligraphy. 

#11 Quilting
A Thinking Heart

Learning to quilt is an art.  If the girls are old enough and willing to put in time after the party they will sew a lap quilt which will be an accomplishment they will treasure. ​There are two easier projects available; a mini quilt which can be used as a wall hanging or place mat, and the simplest project; quilting coasters.  The devotion will focus on practicing the presence of God – always thinking and remembering He is with us.

#12 Victorian Ball
A Pure Heart

Girls dress up Victorian and come to a ball.  Can you picture this elaborate event?  It was the social highlight of the season.  They will dance a waltz, learn the language of fans, and play some Parlor games.  This party looks back on our entire year.  Just as the Victorian era was distinct, the devotion encourages girls to be distinctly Christian with a clear, pure heart. 
Helpful Hints....If you are deciding which book to do of all the parties, choose Victorian Homemaking last, or do it with older girls due to the skills needed for the crafts.  If you are planning on doing all the Victorian parties, one a month, I suggest starting in September.  This way the Christmas party, (#4), will happen in December, Cross Stitching (#6), will happen in February since it's about love and courting; the Tea, (#9), will happen in May, as many people still have a tea on May 24th in honor of Queen Victoria's birthday;  Calligraphy (#10), will then happen in June, when most weddings occur as this party highlights Victorian weddings and using Calligraphy for wedding invitations, and of course the Ball (#12), should be last as it culminates the year.

Sequence...There is an order with four of the parties.  During the Sewing Party (#7), girls will sew a notebook cover which they will hand embroider (#8).  They will learn calligraphy (#10) for its page dividers and put the cover on their prayer notebook at this party.  Also at the Calligraphy Party they will write their name on a paper that will be used at the Ball (#12).  .  

​I wish you all the best with these parties.  May your group of girls develop deep friendships with each other, learn and have fun.
Download Victorian Homemaking Parties Here