From Sting to Spin : A History of Nettle Fibre

The concept of using the common stinging nettle to make cloth comes from both fairy tales and historical fact. It is easy to make inaccurate assumptions about when, where and how it took place because so little is known about the custom. This book brings together as much of the evidence as possible to show how nettle fibre was used in many countries around the world from the earliest times up until the Second World War. It also attempts to unravel the confusion that has arisen from the fact that world wide there are many types of 'nettle' that are used to produce fibre. And for those who want to try removing the fibre from nettles themselves, there are a few handy hints.