What are Gypsy Crafts?

Craft practices can define cultures: different skill-sets, products and patrons speak of different lifestyles. In England, gypsies are often associated with their traditional serviceable crafts and hand-skills. Many older people remember gypsies selling their  wares from baskets door-to-door; indeed, this was how many house-dwelling non-gypsies (gorgers) encountered them.

When Rupert Croft-Cooke travelled with English Romanies in the 1940s, he discussed their crafts in detail, particularly with his longest-standing companion Ted Scamp.

'Tell me some more things your people make'.

'There's hundreds', said Ted... 'There's ever s'many more things they do'.

Rupert Croft-Cooke, The Moon in my Pocket: Life with the Romanies (London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co, 1948), p. 58.

Below I have set out some traditional gypsy crafts, based on his observations:

Artificial Flowers

These were either made from cut and wired crepe paper, or wooden sticks with one end whittled into strands and dipped into coloured wax. They could last for many years.

Baskets
Although Ted thought there were still Romani basket-makers in the 1940s, he admitted he knew no one locally that 'knows the art or has the tools'. 

Beehives
Making beehives (goodlokenners) had been an important business, but, Ted supposed, had died out with the last maker, Billy 'Flood' Quitnin. Flood had used reeds and straw, but wooden box hives had since taken over.

Carpet Beaters
Ted recalled long-handled carpet beaters twisted into wonderful patterns, 'all made by our people'. A family-made beater might be hung in a wagon (vardo) for years.

Clothes Pegs 

Ted called these tograms, but didn't think this was a Romani word. He described how long sticks of even thickness were cut in the woods. Any wood that wasn't too dry, green or knotty would serve, 'But you can't be too particular. You get what you can'. The sticks were shaved and cut to length, then pieces of tin, perhaps begged by the women, were cut into strips and tapped or tacked around one end. Lastly, the other end was split - sometimes with a single cut - and mouthed, leaving it smooth for clothes. Although a skilled peg-maker could turn out around 1000 per day, it was a common skill, and labour might be divided along a workline.

Scented Wood
Ted described pieces of pine being cut into attractive shapes and soaked in lavender. With their long-lasting scent, they were bought by ladies to keep among their delicates, and fetched up to half a crown each.

Ted also referred to:

• Chair rushing (known as 'tiger-hunting')
• Coconut matting string mats
• Horn cups and spoons
• Lace-making
• Patchwork ('patchy-patchy') quilts, for the vardo bed rather than for sale

Gypsies were also renowned leatherworkers, metalworkers ('tinkering' refers to the mending of metal household utensils) and wood-carvers. I haven't mentioned wagon-carving or painting, which was a complex, collaborative venture (deserving its own post!) Skills like dress-making were, of course, widespread at the time.

Suited to travelling, these sustainable crafts relied on found, natural materials, and did not require a workshop. The results would have been welcomed by many gorgers. Industrial production and commerce have diminished these skills - like so many others - but you can still watch demonstrations.