Ep 226 - Bog Fashion at Forest School with Nicole DeRushie

In this warm and curious episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma sit down with historian and fibre artist Nicole DeRushie to explore her new book, Bog Fashion: Recreating Bronze and Iron Age Clothes. The conversation traces Nicole’s path from Forest School leader to public historian, then dives into experimental archaeology, everyday clothing in prehistory, women’s roles in textile innovation, and why craft skills like nalbinding still matter. Expect practical insight for educators who want to bring textiles into sessions, thoughtful reflections on value and labour, and plenty of joy in imperfect making. Note for listeners: this was a cloud recording so audio quality varies, yet the content is rich throughout.

Sponsored by
TENTSILE, makers of tree tents and hammocks that Forest School leaders love. Use code ForestChildren10 for 10% off at checkout.
Chris Holland’s 54-page plant guide for outdoor educators. Get an exclusive discount through this link: https://chrisholland.myshopify.com/?ref=ForestSchoolPodcast

⏱ Chapter Timings
00:00 Patreon intro and why listener support keeps the show going
01:11 Episode set up, Nicole’s book Bog Fashion, and what to expect
02:42 From Forest School to public history, museums, and ancient craft practice
07:53 Why Bronze and Iron Age clothing, and why bog finds matter for teaching
13:29 Everyday lives over kings and dates, making museums feel lived in
22:39 Who made the cloth, evidence, myths, and what we can and cannot claim
31:32 The changing value of textiles, from household wealth to fast fashion
37:58 The crafter’s triangle, learning through failure, and Forest School links
49:11 Endangered crafts and nalbinding, how to keep skills alive
1:05:17 Where to find Nicole and Bog Fashion, retailers, events, and Instagram

🔗 Links from this episode
Bog Fashion at ChronoCopia Publishing, book details and retailers: chronocopia.se/books/bog-fashion/ chronocopia.se
Nicole DeRushie on Instagram: instagram.com/grounded_history Instagram
Heritage Crafts Red List overview: heritagecrafts.org.uk/skills/redlist Heritage Crafts
Nalbinding craft page, background and status: heritagecrafts.org.uk/craft/nalbinding Heritage Crafts
Must Farm, Late Bronze Age settlement and textile context: mustfarm.com/bronze-age-settlement/about Must Farm
Ashmolean Museum shop listing among UK stockists, via publisher page: shop.ashmolean.org and chronocopia stockist list chronocopia.se

🌲 Keywords: Bog Fashion, prehistoric textiles, experimental archaeology, nalbinding, heritage crafts, women and weaving, Bronze Age clothing, Iron Age clothing, Forest School activities, public history

🔖 Hashtags:
#ForestSchool #OutdoorEducation #BogFashion #PrehistoricTextiles #ExperimentalArchaeology #Nalbinding #HeritageCrafts #ChildLedLearning #CPD #NatureBasedLearning

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