The flip side of the decadent wealth of the Victorian Era, steampunk as an aesthetic embraces a somewhat messier, working class feel to it.

Ah, steampunk. Just the word brings images of scientific Victorian romanticism to some, and looks of confusion to the faces of others.

Steampunk began as a literary offshoot of science fiction, and evolved into an entire punk/gothic subculture. Early examples of literary steampunk include the works of Jules Verne, author of such classics as “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “Around the World in Eighty Days.”

When he wrote, he brought technology to an era in which it was not yet invented, the steam-powered days of the Victorian Era (1837 – 1901). Other authors imagine what the past would have been like, had things like computers or submarines been invented earlier.

The flip side of the decadent wealth of the Victorian Era, steampunk as an aesthetic embraces a somewhat messier, working class feel to it. The addition of old-fashioned technology (such as old gears, brass plates or light bulbs) to Victorian fashion and décor puts a unique spin on an elegant era.

Here are a few crafts that will help you incorporate that same sense of romance into your living space.

Wall decorations

If you have a particularly lovely corset or find another piece of Victorian Era clothing that is not your size or is seldom worn, consider hanging it on the wall to give it some use. If it is an actual antique item, be sure that it is out of the path of the sun’s rays or the fabric will fade.

Fantasy travel trunk

Recently I found a neo-Victorian trunk at a craft store. Although great looking plain, it called to mind old-fashioned suitcases which often bore the names of the cities it had passed through.

To make this trunk truly steampunk, I purchased several pieces of scrapbook paper (the 8.5 x 11” size, not the standard 12 x 12”) in muted colors and loaded them into my printer. (Remember that it is easier to decoupage thin papers.)

Using either a word processing or a graphic design program, chose an old-fashioned font, (such as Kunstler Script or Papyrus,) and type city names. Put enough space in between so that the labels are an appropriate size for the trunk.

To make the trunk even more steampunk, make the labels names of fantasy locales, such as the Central Sea, Atlantis or Narnia. Once your labels are cut, lay them out on the trunk and attach them using decoupage paste. Be sure to give the trunk time to dry.

If you are so ambitious as to want to decorate the inside, here is a tip: use tissue paper to decoupage the inside of the lid. Then take family photos off of your computer, and print them in black and white or with an antique filter. Place these over the tissue paper.

Gearhead top hat

The first required item, a top hat, might take you a little effort to find – but you should be able to find one at a decent costume shop or online for an affordable price. Make sure to buy a fabric version, not plastic.

Search the house or a farming/hardware supply store for three small gears. If the ones you have are plastic, spray paint them brass or silver. Next, twist tie three of the gears together, so that the center gear slightly overlaps the outer two.

After everything dries, take some thread (the color won’t matter, because it should not show through) and stitch the inside of the center ring on both the left and right sides to the hat. Do several stitches until it feels fairly secure.

Next, take a piece of thick ribbon and thread it through the gears, making sure it goes under the ends of the piece, but over the center gear. Bring the ends of the ribbon around the back of the hat. Stitch both ends to the back of the hat, but leave enough ribbon for the tail. Next, tie a bow in the back of the hat, and cut off the excess ribbon. To keep from fraying, coat the cut edges of the ribbon with clear nail polish.

It’s official – you are now the coolest kid on the block. This hat is the perfect centerpiece, or, if the gears are light enough, this is the perfect hat to take clubbing on a punk/Goth night.

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