Card and Spin

As I continue work on the shawl and skirt, I just thought I would tell you about a little side spindling project I have been working on, on and off (mostly off).

Last summer, I told you all about the Navajo Churro outer coat that I was combing and spinning. Well, the undercoat was not completely lost in the shuffle. I have been carding it, since the fibers are so short, and spinning it on my drop spindle. I hope that I can get something soft enough for some thick warm socks this time.

Singles on the spingle

Today though, I thought I would show you my process of carding the wool. It is not a tutorial, but some of you who knit or spin but don't do your own processing might find it interesting to see how it works - even if the commercial preparation looks completely different.

First, a quick guide to fiber prep. Previously, I showed you a combed preparation. That creates a smooth "top" that is usually used in worsted preparation. Yarns made from top are generally tight, with little air trapped in them, and show stitches well, with good definition.

Today, I am talking about carding. Hand carding creates "rolags" which are small airy bundles of wool. They are not smooth, and the usual preparation with them, woolen, creates warm, fluffy yarns with little stitch definition. It is a good prep for short fibers.

Bag of Navajo-Churro under coat

First, spreading the fibers a bit with my fingers, I lay them on my cards. They don't have to be flat, or aligned, just mostly ensnared in the tines of the cards.

Fiber placed on the card and ready for carding

The hand cards, by the way, are a great tool, and there are few substitutes. Unlike with combing, pet brushes just do not work, in my experience. You need a very large, strong "brush" with thick tines. Because there are not really any alternatives, they can be pretty pricey, and they don't work well with longer fibers (5"+). A set of cards was one of the first tools I bought, thinking they were a good multi-purpose tool, but, if you are just starting out, I would go with a flicker or pet comb first.

In the second step, brush across the card with the other one, pulling out the snags and letting more air into the fibers while you gradually make your pile of wool more uniform.

Result of several passes through the cards

As you brush, you transfer the fiber back and forth. You want to card the "back" of your fiber bundle, just like the front, so you occasionally transfer everything to one side or the other.

Transferred and ready for a second pass

After it has gone through a few times, you pull it off, roll it up, and twist it into a spiral for storage.

Rolag straight off the cards

Rolled between my hands to be more compact

Rolled up for storage

The fiber drafts easily and evenly from this prep, as long as you store it in a way that it doesn't get too compressed.

Carded prep makes some nice fuzzy yarn on my steam-punk inspired spindle from Snyder Spindles