Spinning and weaving are associated occupations. Flax (Flachs) required a great amount of processing to prepare it for spinning.  In America, each family spun and prepared their own wool and flax.  Then, the weaver (who traveled from town to town) would come and weave the wool yarn that had been spun into [wool] coverlets and blankets, fabric for making clothing, etc.  The spun linen or flax was woven into fabric for making clothing, towels, sheets, etc. 

Hans Kopp's excellent information on the processing of hemp is identical to the process used to prepare flax for spinning. 
The Hemp Industry in Batschsentiwan