HILLTOP SPINNING and WEAVING CENTRE

Established in 1990

POSTED Saturday, February 4, 2012

PROPRIETORS: SUE & BILL CHITTY

Neith was a goddess of war and of hunting and had as her symbol, two crossed arrows over a shield. Her symbol also identified the city of Sais. This symbol was displayed on top of her head in Egyptian art. In her form as a goddess of war, she was said to make the weapons of warriors and to guard their bodies when they died.

Her name also may be interpreted as meaning water. In time, this meaning led to her being considered as the personification of the primordial waters of creation. She is identified as a great mother goddess in this role as a creator.

Neith's symbol and part of her hieroglyph also bore a resemblance to a loom, and so later in the history of Egyptian myths, she also became goddess of weaving, and gained this version of her name, Neith, which means weaver. At this time her role as a creator changed from being water-based to that of the deity who wove all of the world and existence into being on her loom. (Thanks Wikopedia)

And the point of putting in the above text is? (I hear you ask) Well weaving was the next step taken after spinning the yarn. (OK, knitting probably as well) So the craft has a long and illustrious history.

Modern looms come in all shapes and sizes, each producing fabric of varying complexity.

The picture below depicts a 16 shaft loom capable of weaving very complex patterns. Below that a Hilltop Sample Loom which can be used to test patterns for a 4 shaft loom. Below that simple frames on which tapestries can be woven.

What you weave will be dependent upon your working space and of course your budget.

Whichever loom you choose, the resulting fabric or tapestry will become a treasured item admired by many.