Folklore

[AllieDeCorbeau]

Hi everyone.
I'm doing research for a book that takes place in Britain in the 1930s and early 40s. I'm trying to find out about folklore around spinning, weaving, knitting, sewing, any of the domestic crafts really.

it doesn't matter how big or small you think they are. I would love to hear them.

Thank you

I can't help, but there will be facebook groups for these crafts where you might be more successful. It's a relatively niche subject area.

If you are serious about researching then use research tools and techniques.

A simple google use of the chosen main themes plus Uk and folklore provides a start point that you can then back check through into academia. Access academic libraries attached to Unis that offer textile courses. Look at journals. Look at others masters thesis and PhDs research papers. There are history books that include folktales and beliefs around woman’s textile crafts. Now out of print but can be located via book dealers et al. It’s out there and it can be tracked.

I know some of the folklore but TBH it really is a niche market.

Google scholar might give you some links to academic papers around this stuff.

My grandad was a weaver (throughout that period) and an atheist that thought folklore was nonsense. He tuned the machines in the mills while the women did the actual weaving.

Not much help but a good balance if the premise is that everyone believed certain things.

Maybe buy some old women's magazines from that era. There will probably be some on ebay.