December 25th- Zeus

We'll start at the beginning with this years 12 Days of Christmas, for which our theme was Christmas on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the King of the Gods so he'd better go first... given his reputation not putting him first would be a very foolish mistake. 

If you fancy a read along or a listen along as you spin then I can recommend Mythos by Stephen Fry. This will give you more of the origins of the Olympians, and their complicated lives! 
But in short, Zeus is the offspring of Cronus and Rhea who were Titans, and themselves the offspring of Uranus (Father Sky, and Gaia (Mother Earth). As we go through the days you'll realise that being related is utterly inconsequential when it comes to having offspring with each other. Cronus deposed Uranus, but fearing the same fate from his own children ate  Demeter, Hestia, Hiram Hades and Poseidon. Zeus was the youngest child, and his mother came up with a plot to keep him safe, Rhea handed Cronus a swaddled rock instead of the newborn Zeus, and then hid him throughout his childhood. Once full grown Zeus makes Cronus disgorge his siblings, and the Cyclopes, who give him his famous thunderbolt. Together with his siblings and many other allies Zeus goes on to fight in a war with the Titans which he eventually wins. 

After this most of Zeus time is spent having multiple wives, and seducing nymphs, dryads and metal women. All while trying to avoid the wrath of his principle wife Hera. In total he has seven wives, Athena is born to Metis, and Oceania nymph and daughter of Titans. With his sister Demeter he has a daughter; Persephone. With Leto, another daughter of Titands, he has twins, Artemis and Apollo. With his sister Hera he has Ares, Hebe, Eileithiya, and Hephaestus. 
When seducing mortal women he was fond of disguising himself as various animals and birds, often to try and evade the jealousy of Hera, who usually found out anyway and unable to punish Zeus took out her feelings on the mortal woman... more of that later!

The fibre today is a hand dyed braids of Superfine Merino, Camel and Peduncle Silk. Inspired by the lightning bolts that were Zeus's weapon of choice! There's a few spare braids in the online shop, and if you fall in love with the base there's also some other colourways available. I only stock this base for the 12 Days of Christmas, so stocks are limited and won't be back until next year.