On the Naming of Looms (and Other Equipment)

In my family, we have always given names to our cars, so it seems sensible to name other significant objects. In my weaving life it began with a custom-made plumb bob:-



Athena-Mae, named for the Greek Goddess who invented weaving, and Mae West for those curves! She was turned by Tjeerd, one of the WD clockies, from a sketch of mine.
When I needed a solid brass bobbin for beating heavy jute ('Lament'), Clockie David came to the rescue. A Clockie who shall remain nameless wanted it called 'The Penetrator', but we compromised on Zeus!

And so to Aragorn, the Ashford loom; made in New Zealand, close to where they filmed a certain film from a favourite book...

Lemminkäinen was made in Finland at some indeterminate time in the past, and came to me via Ireland. I listen to Sibelius a lot when I weave, so was familiar with the name, if not the legend. I read it the other day and it fitted so well; the hero Lemminkäinen is killed and dismembered, his mother finds all the pieces and reassembles his body, but it is only with the help of a bee and special honey that he is restored to life. My bee arrives tomorrow!

Location:Cuckoo Fields,Chichester,United Kingdom