[Fleecewife]

I found that blending on a drum carder seemed to muss up the fibres, undoing all the previous prep.  With a blending board you have control of where each fibre goes so you can make stripey rolags, or you can blend fibres together really thoroughly.  When you then take the fibres off the board as rolags, they are just as you laid them on there.  Using two sticks, you partially pull the batt through the teeth which helps to realign all the fibres and make all those scrummy, tight rolags.  They are much easier to spin than normal light fluffy rolags.  before I tried it, I though I wouldn't like how tight they are, but I really do.  The singles spun seem more even too.


Sounds like you'll be getting a blending board then Polyanya 

[Polyanya]

Looks like I'm going to have to 

[Buttermilk]

I do not have a blending board but I do use a large hand card as one. I can do it in front of the telly too.

[Polyanya]

Well Santa left me  the combs ( mini louet single row ) and do you know I just haven't had a chance to try them out yet  . Once all the family returned to their own homes I got busy cutting squares for a new quilt we need. The house is also looking so nice and tidy I haven't the heart to to bring out all the bags of fleece, although I am a little nervous the tines seem so fragile  .

[Bionic]

I know how you feel. I was willing my guests to go home so that I could try out the new loom :-)

[SallyintNorth]

I am a little nervous the tines seem so fragile  .

Congratulations on your gift! 

Just take care to not clash the tines together when you comb.  And don't overload the comb, and don't push the fluff right down to the bottom of the tines.  You'll be fine.

[Polyanya]

Oooh now I'm really scared 

[SallyintNorth]

Don't be scared.  Try something lovely and not too long on them - Shetland maybe . You will love spinning the result.

[Blackbird]

Have read this thread with great interest! After years of pressure, my OH finally got round to making a hay feeder for the sheep and the rescue pony, to reduce the wastage you get from just placing hay on the ground. Unfortunately, the result of this is a large quantity of hay getting stuck in the sheep's fleece - especially the neck area. The adult Shetlands have such dense fleece, the bits of hay don't really penetrate, but I have high hopes of the fleece from my new Shetland and Shetland/Leicester Longwool cross and they are full of bits of hay 

I have hand carders and a drum carder, but I'm wondering if combs are the best way to get the bits of hay out of their fleece? I'm a member of the local Guild so may be able to borrow some. Any other suggestions gratefully received! (I would post a gratuitous cute picture of said lambs but can't remember how to do it and can't make it work at the mo!)

[Fleecewife]

First off, ditch the badly contaminated neck wool.  It really isn't worth trying to pick out all the hay, and you'll never get it all anyway.  You could spoil a special project by trying to save those bits.


How easy it is to get hay out also depends to some extent on how greasy and crimpy a fleece it.


But yes, I would say combs are the way to go, and see how you get on.

[Blackbird]

Thnak FW - will see if I can borrow combs from the Guild and if I decide to buy, can use the excellent guide in this thread to the different sorts of combs available .

[Polyanya]

Well I must say having tried the mini Louet combs I am impressed at the amount of detritus they can get rid of - more than the drum carder however it takes an age 

[Mad Goatwoman of Madeley]

Most preparation takes longer than the actual spinning.

[Polyanya]

Too right!