# Question about carders



## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Since I have this fleece and I'm itching to do something with it I have been sleuthing for carders and reading up on them a bit. They sure are an investment and I want to make a good choice. 

What are your thoughts about curved vs flat? 

I can find Ashford hand carders from a number of sources and they all seem to be in pretty much the 65-68 dollar price range. 

I found these at the Woolery:
http://www.woolery.com/store/pc/How...rding-Cloths-to-Choose-from-p4324.htm#details

And they also have these:
http://www.woolery.com/store/pc/Cle...-Cotton-Flat-or-Curved-p4854.htm#.Urt2duKTIRc

And these:
http://www.woolery.com/store/pc/-St...2-Types-Wool-or-Cotton-p4853.htm#.Urt2iuKTIRc

I found these on Ebay that are even less expensive: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hand-Carder...d=100040&prg=1011&rk=4&rkt=4&sd=271345888432&

And then there are these from across the pond:
http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/hand-carders/336-wingham-carders-standard-pair.html

And what are those flicker things used for? 

This may sound dumb but the Ashford hand carders have a red thingy the wire comes through and the Stauch ones I have seen have blue. I am not partial to red and like the color of the blue ones. Function is more important than form, but all else being equal I like blue better than red. 

And what about these combs? I watched a vid of someone using them and it seemed like they could be a good idea. 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noB8NnJzqoc[/ame]

What are your thoughts?


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I have carders. I never use them. They hurt my wrists. I have five pitch combs, which I find do a great job and don't hurt me.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I'll bet those flickers are for the Russians....... they need flicked more often, rumor has it. :shrug:

I like my Ashford roundeds pretty well, but I've not a lot of experience with anything else. I do like to tuft my fleece fibers a bit with the cards before going to the carder, but they say the Spaniards even frown on that (and some Canadians.....:whistlin: )


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I didn't know what flickers were, or that they even existed until recently.

I got an Ashford flicker from my Lys & liked em so much I got another.
Basically they are used to open the ends of locks on raw fleece. I find them invaluable now.
Especially on BFL.

Combers vs. Carders. As always, that's a really personal choice. I don't like hand carders much myself. I love my drum carder though. You get a different texture with a carder than a comb. 

I think basically carders are for if you want to prep your wool to spin a bulky weight,
combs for a finer grade of wool. Just as a rough guideline.

I more prefer my combs. With the combs I can get closer to roving/slivers. I can do more with my flicker now than I can with the hand carders. Its a lot cheaper too.
Im still new to this myself in a lot of ways, & likely lack the experience to use these tools to their fullest extent.

My favorite combo now is my flicker & combs.
As your finding out, this stuff can get expensive.
I generally get all my equipment from the Woolery too.

I got both starter sets of combs & carders from them. The combs I got was the 2 pitch.
Both come in kits with a bit of wool thrown in to experiment on.

Quality wise, not the best or worst. Imo, good enough to see if that's your thing or not.
Theres really no reason to use them over any other supplier. All things considered, I think they have some pretty good overall deals.

I personally wouldn't buy more than a 2 pitch comb to start of with. They have a 5 pitch set that I recently got. Im happy with them. If its not your thing its expensive.
I still use the 2pitch set I got from them on a regular basis.

Blending hackle is a really nice thing to have if you want to start buying roving & making your own blends of wool. 
I thought a drum carder would be better to that end & got one. Not necessarily so, & it wasn't cheap either. I do love my drum carder so I don't totally regret the purchase.

Good Luck, I hope that didn't make it more confusing!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I heard if you flick a Canadian he will say "Eh!!" I don't know that I would dare flick a Spaniard. 

PearlB thank you for the info. More confusing? EVERYTHING is confusing right now LOL!!! Every time I learn one piece of information it leads to more and more... 

It's like those nested Russian dolls... there is always one more thing inside. Sometimes, though, they get stuck and you have to flick them. Or so I've heard. I am quite sure I have no experience whatsoever with such a thing.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I have the Howard Brush cards (the first link). Howard brush is the company that makes the carding cloth that the others use! or it used to be. I have the fine cards, more teeth or pins per inch. I'm very happy with them.

I have a pair of Louet mini combs. I'm not too into combing, yet. I tend to like carded fibers better than combed top. I would like to get some real, life sized combs one day.


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## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

I tell a little bit about what I know. Maybe that will help. I honestly think that combs are a better and more versitile tool for fiber prep especially if you are into raw fiber and will be doing a lot of washing and prepping yourself. I really like the set I have, the Valkyrie Fine combs. They are a very versitile tool and I use them with downy fibers and with long fibers like border liecester. They are two pitch, not too sharp on the ends and light weight which is important for my wrists. Anything repetitive will quickly bring on tendonitis issues. 

I also have a set of fine carders because I have an angora rabbit. I actually use these fine carders for anything I want to card. Carders are good for blending fibers and for making rolags for woolen spinning which is a traditional prep technique. Carders are not good for wool that is filled with vm because most of that will still be in your fiber as you go to spin it. Unlike combs which removes the vm and the unsuitable fiber like tangles, weathered ends and kemp. You do not need both wool carders and fine/cotton cards. The fine cards will work just fine. The slightly rounded ones are more ergonomic and a little easier on the hands. 

I am presently spinning a Jacob's fleece that I bought several years ago, and have washed and I am combing and then carding the fibers for a warm woolen yarn. The combing is necessary to get rid of the undesirable bits as I find the spinning more enjoyable when the fiber is clean. Carding is fast and easy with the combed fiber. It is also fast and easy with any commercially prepped fiber. 

So my number one tool is the Valkyrie Fine combs, and the fine hand cards are #2. I find that with these two sets of tools I can do most anything I want and I think they are the basic tools for a spinner. 

Sometimes you can find an inexpensive drum carder to work with and I think these are fun. Also fun are blending boards (I can do the same thing on my drum carder, though) and comb and hackle sets. Go on youtube and look at the bluemountain handcraft channel and check out the comb/hackle projects they do. I think these are really great for people who want more production but still prefer a combed fiber. 

So any of these tools can be very versatile and used in different ways. I have flicked locks on my handcards and spun worsted from them as well. I have also used the combs without having to pull out a long roving and spin from that. Just comb and spin from the combs, or pull out a pinch of fiber and spin from that. That's especially good for spinning from the fold. 

So you can find a way to make your tools work differently for you to get the effect you want. It just might take a little bit of extra work or effort.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Cyndi has been making grumbling and mumbling noises for some time about how I might ought to get a set of combs.....

I think Mrs. Jo just sold me on the idea. :huh:


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I have a set of Clemes & Clemes curved back wool cards. I Like the way they sit on my thigh while I load the card and the curve is comfortable the way I card. I do have a flicker,that I use on a thin bendable cutting board. I've gotten myself enough times-That hurts. It's probably better for me allarround if I stay away from combs.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Valkyrie combs are awesome. I started with Louet and killed them in 8 or 9 months. I do the same work with the Valkyries and haven't lost tooth yet. Darn good combs for the money and they will last me a very long time. My favorite thing about them, aside from durability, is the size. I can load a lot more on. I ended up sanding the rounded handles flat on 2 sides so I can c clamp them down to a table. Very nice.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I see that ebay is fresh out of Valkyries..... any links to best place to purchase ?


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I got mine from valkyriesupply.com

They were $135 for double row, extra fine combs and $11.30 shipping. They shipped out in a week.

I know that's a lot of money but as far as fiber supplies go, and normally they are so expensive, these are one of my better purchases.<3


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Here's the ones I bought. I can put a lot of fiber on these suckers. 

http://store.valkyriesupply.com/extra-fine-combs.html


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Thanks. 

I've got almost a dozen washed fleeces, pretty much finger-tufted and opened, some lightly hand carded, ready to get serious with......and 5 sheep out there who are going to swell the fleece stash by some notable degree, come late Marchish....

Two of 'em are going to be yearlings, yet to be shorn..... one even more auburn than her Pop, and the other a cream/lt.brown.

If I ever get the spinning thing down.......





:run:




.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

You need to get busy! lol I got my first angora goats before I knew how to spin. Then, I got some alpacas, sheep, more goats, and angora bunnies when I was a slow, mediocre spinner. I have a room with bags of fleece, air sucked out, and I don't think I'll ever catch up. I know I could send it to a processor, but I don't want to. I want to do it all myself...eventually. lol

It wont take long to become a very good spinner.


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Yup, we had angora bunnies before we knew how to spin. No tools, no knowledge, just fuzzy bunnies. At the beginning we used a pair of dog brushes, the wire toothed slicker brush types as hand cards. They worked okay although not great for a light fiber such as angora. We now have a pair of fine "cotton" cards and those are perfect for carding angora. Haven't tried a comb, but angora is mostly the fiber we work with around here so would combs be of much use?

I suspect that which tools you need depend on which fibers you spin most of the time. We do have a drum carder, but that's mostly used for alpaca and occasionally sheep's wool. The angora doesn't seem to need it. The bunny fiber is frequently spun directly off the bunny. They keep it nice and organized while they are wearing the fiber and don't mind sitting on laps. They are the "molting" type of angora, so when their coat is ready to come off, it's easy to spin it off the bunny. (Note: if your bunny gets fidgety while being spun from, he may want to pee so give them pee breaks.) 

Sheep's wool around here is frequently spun in the grease (raw wool), depending on the individual fleece. If it is a nice open fleece, you can just spin it raw. That can result in nice fat "rustic" yarn which is then usually made into rugs. If I'm spending all this time hand spinning, I want it to look hand made. It takes four or five times as long to hand spin yarn to match commercial spun yarn and then it looks like commercial spun so why bother? IMHO, one of the best reasons to spin yarn is so you can get something that can't be bought.

So, since you have wool, and unless you're planning on spinning finer fibers like angora or cotton, a "regular" set of hand cards will probably work fine. I personally prefer the curved ones, although it doesn't sound like you're able to test them out first? And, in the end, here's the advice of my friend Mike the mechanic: "get what you like since you can usually fix everything else".


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Here's some angora yarn I made using Valkyrie combs. I don't normally sell. I do post bragging rights pics on Facebook though. People loved it and I got an offer I couldn't refuse so I sold it. Its a beautiful scarf now. Those greedy angora-holics on Facebook have tried many times to talk me out of my angora sliver! NO WAY!! Its mine I say! Its all MINE!!  Of course, when the price is right, angora sliver can make for easy spinning of a beautiful fiber that can look like pure perfection in a beginner's hands.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Here's another pic. Perfectly balanced and no weight needed to straightened. 

One of these days Hotzcatz, we should exchange fiber. I can send you some sliver (just angora, a blend of angora/kid mohair/merino, or a color blend and you can see what you think before forking out the expense on combs to see if its something you like. 

I have to stop vegging on the puter. Off to work on my mountain of fiber.


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

That's a dark color for angora! What type of angora is it? Satins? Nice color variegation, too! Was it easier to prep using the combs? Was all the fiber from one bunny?

The angora yarn around here doesn't have much color to it:










That's fiber from the "black" angoras, it's much more of a gray color. It wasn't prepped, just combed off the bunny (or sheared if there's not much time) and then spun. Sometimes it's spun from the bunny, but they get bored with that after awhile. Still, not a lot of prep.

A lot of it gets sold at a local shop: 










So, speed of production helps. Which is part of the reason for just spinning it and not doing a lot of fiber prep. The gray is from the black, blue and agouti bunnies, the yellow is from the tortoiseshell and fawns. The white sells out pretty much before I can get pictures of it.

And yeah, need to go brush bunnies! Too bad we can't get paid for hanging out on the computer, huh?


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

On a comb, I did a layer of white, then a layer of black (dyed with Jacquard dyes), then a layer of natural grays (some of my buns are lighter and some darker), a layer of natural broken black, and a layer of gray I accidently dyed taupe a few months ago. I used the second comb to smooth it all out. On the second comb was another color from blending all of the first combs colors. I added that back to the first comb. Then, I spun directly from the comb moving the yarn around on the comb as it spun to get a lot of variation. This is all angora from German/giant hybrids. 

No, prep is definitely not easier then right off the bunny or working from a fluffed pile. Off the bunny or from a pile is definitely the fastest way to get things done for sure. This is just another thing to try for fun. Check out this fawn from a friend's French. I love this color. 

Love your yarn pic beautiful color and yarn.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Darn pic didn't post again. Doesn't matter. It looks like your fawn. OMG!! Beautiful!! Is that a shawl?


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Oh, that looks like yarn to die for! 

I wanna see a picture of you spinning direct from the bunny!!! Do they ever roll their eyeballs at you? I'm quite sure they talk about it amongst themselves when no one is listening in.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Kasota - Ha ha! I always wondered what was up when my buns are nose to nose doing whatever it is they do when huddled in a circle like that. Eye rolling and conspiring. 

Hotzcatz - I confess. I'm a total shawl and angora addict. I collect the old Fleisher's and Beehive pattern books and angora patterns I find. I saw your shawl and knew I had seen it somewhere before. I found it on Ravelry not long ago and even tried to buy the pattern but couldn't figure out how. I would have figured it out sooner but this fawn shawl is much prettier than the Ravelry one. Both are nice. The fawn is just prettier to me. I want that pattern if it's for sale. Sell it to me PLEEEEAAASE!!


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## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

Racoon- that is a very nice angora project! Thank you for posting the pics. To answer some question- you can use a fine combs to comb angora for a fine, thin yarn, lovely prep can also be done with fine cards. Go for it- if it gets you the end result you want then give it a go. 

All fibers can also be spun just by opening up the fleece and spinning by hand. Have you see the andean spinners?! They don't have fiber prep tools at all- just their hands to open the fleece and a wooden spindle and they make a fine consistent yarn. I think we north americans tend to like tools and gadgets but it's amazing what you can do without them if you tend to be a minimalist.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Thank you Mrs. Jo 

I recently started raising Navajo churro sheep and through doing that and living in northern Az, I've started making friends with Navajo crafters. They use tools too, often handmade and well used, but nothing like us. Watching them make the most perfect yarn is humbling. I went to go buy a Navajo angora goat from a tapestry weaver. He told me that there was a class with many elders sitting around spinning. One of the spinners started to spin art yarn and the room went silent. He explained to them how popular this yarn was. For them, they had been spinning perfect yarn for so long that to make art yarn took effort. Neat story. We had a long conversation about angora. This lifetime weaver/spinner had never put his hands in angora before and he wished I had brought some of my yarn to feel. He so wanted to sink his hands into what it was like. After meeting him, I sent him and his cousin a big bag packed full of angora and I plan to do that as often as I have an extra bag to send. I just wish I had seen their faces when they put their hands in it and I can't wait to hear what they decide to do with it. <3


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I want to add something. Sitting with this lifetime spinner weaver with a skill level that blows me and most I know out of water was amazing. If I worked my whole life, I wouldn't catch up with his skill level. Its knowledge passed from generations and a way of life for them. I sat in his living room and his spinning wheel had to be 40 or 50 years old, very inexpensive, but it did the job. In my living room, with a top of the line wheel that looks like art at my disposal and all the tools of the trade, I still couldn't make a yarn like him!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

> Those greedy angora-holics on Facebook have tried many times to talk me out of my angora sliver!


Racoon, what are slivers? 

So I have a bid on a pair of fine carders on Ebay (Clemes and Cline) They appear to be in good shape but people have not been bidding on them possibly because there are some dark spots on the back of the wood so I am high bidder at 15.50. 20 hours to go. I figured if I could get them that cheap it would be worth it for my tool-stash, even though I don't have angoras. Maybe some day I will get some fiber or will try come cotton...

There is a woman on Ravelry with a set of regular Clemes and Clemes carders and she responded to my PM and they will be mine! Woot! Cheaper than new and they look like they are in good shape. 
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/spinners-marketplace/2798566/1-25

And it is my birthday in January and my mom just told me she is going to buy me the Valkyrie combs for a gift. 

Step by step I am accumulating implements of construction!!

Many, many thanks to you all for all the information and knowledge that you have shared. This is just the best group of people ever.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Extra fine combs would be too fine for working with regular wool, yes? 

Valkyrie has double row fine mini combs and then the extra fine ones and then double row Viking ones. 

I like how much you can add on to those extra fine ones. They seem longer. But maybe extra fine wouldn't be my best choice since I am not working with angora? The fine mini combs might be easier to use than the bigger Viking ones. I am thinking that would be a reasonable choice. 

Someone throw something at me if I am wrong. 

My mom is so excited about all this fiber buzz going on in the house. She is like a little kid. "When with the carders come?" "Can we get another fleece?" She was laughing and laughing at the picture of someone spinning directly from the bun. I thought she was going to pee her pants. All of this has been so good for her spirits. I can't tell you how grateful I am for that. At 87 she should be enjoying herself a bit and not spending her time worried about this or that. This whole spinning adventure has done so much for her!


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## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

Not really. I use my extra fine, or maybe they are fines, with all my wools and some of them are not to fine at all. If you think you can afford only one kind of comb then get the fine combs. You will just pick the wool a bit more and not overload it.


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Katsota, 

Fine wool carders work well on many wool types. Actually, so far I haven't found anything they haven't worked well on. The big curved "cotton" cards are my primary fiber prep tools, that is, if I prep the fiber at all. I'm notorious for spinning in the grease since I"m a lazy spinner. This is a picture of an old drum carder that we refurbished but don't use as much as I thought we would, along with our first set of (antique and still very usable) cotton hand cards and then a couple of dog slicker brushes which actually work as small carders for light fibers: Preparing bunny wool to spin The dog slicker brushes are what we started with, a new set of cotton cards are now our first "to go to" tool for prepping fibers.

"Sliver" is similar to "roving" in that the fibers have been processed and are ready to spin. Originally, I think roving and sliver were the commercial preparations of fiber for spinning machines but hand spinners like using it too. 

Commercial fiber prep for spinning starts with shearing the sheep, skirting the nasties off and picking the rest of the stuff out. That part is usually done by the shepard or shearer or person who buys the fleeces. The skirted, picked and sorted fleeces are then usually sent to a fiber mill. Then at the mill it is processed by washing and drying the fleece (scouring), then having it shredded into big chunks (picking), then it gets carded on huge carding machines. From those machines, the fiber comes out in big sheets called "batts". The carding machines can further process the fiber into "roving" which is long thick ropes (except it isn't spun at all) of fibers all neatly aligned and tangle free. If you take a sliver off of that rope, you get a long skinny line of fiber to spin. That's about as much as fiber can be prepped to be spun without actually spinning it into yarn. I'm not sure what the difference is between "sliver" and "pencil roving" or if there is a difference.

The pencil roving is then loaded onto big bobbins and goes off to a spinning machine. Then a plying machine. Then a skein winder or cones. Then usually some sort of steam set or wash. Finally gets made up to be sent to the customer or goes off to be woven.

If you are anywhere near Missouri, there is a nifty old woolen mill that you can tour. Watkins Woolen Mill state park and I think it's all of $4 to tour the mill. It's a four story brick building built in the late 1800's and they started out with shearing the sheep at the back door and putting finished woolen goods out the front door. All the machines and processes are still in place, they just shut the doors in the early 1900's and walked away with everything still in place. Personally, I suspect the Spanish Influenza may have had something to do with it, but it wasn't mentioned during our tour. Fascinating way to learn how to make yarn. They have a whole row of HUGE antique (but still working) carders.



raccoon breath said:


> Kasota - Ha ha! I always wondered what was up when my buns are nose to nose doing whatever it is they do when huddled in a circle like that. Eye rolling and conspiring.
> 
> Hotzcatz - I confess. I'm a total shawl and angora addict. I collect the old Fleisher's and Beehive pattern books and angora patterns I find. I saw your shawl and knew I had seen it somewhere before. I found it on Ravelry not long ago and even tried to buy the pattern but couldn't figure out how. I would have figured it out sooner but this fawn shawl is much prettier than the Ravelry one. Both are nice. The fawn is just prettier to me. I want that pattern if it's for sale. Sell it to me PLEEEEAAASE!!


Aloha Missy,

Ah, the fawn "shawl" in the picture above is actually the tail end of a scarf, but it's the same "feather and fan" pattern that I'm fond of putting on the edges of shawls. The fawn yarn in the picture above is 100% pure English angora, hand spun and not often sold as yarn. The shawl pattern on Ravelry uses the commercial spun Hula Bunny Yarn which is only 40% angora. But the English angora fiber from both the yarn above and Hula Bunny yarn all comes from the bunny herd in the backyard. You can see the bunny herd at Hillside Farm Hawaii English Angora Bunnies.

Aloha Missy & HT Fiber Folks,

Here's a link to download the shawl pattern: Plush Bunny Wrap It's a PDF file so you can download it and print it out. Just for your own personal use, of course.

If you find it useful and feel like donating a couple of dollars, you could use the email account [email protected] to donate. If you don't want to donate, that's okay too. I made up the pattern to go along with Hula Bunny angora/merino/silk yarn so it wasn't ever really meant to be sold by itself. The yarn sells really well even without much pattern support. 

If you use the pattern to knit a shawl, a picture of your finished shawl would be even nicer than a monetary donation. A lot more work, though. 

Mele Kalikimaka!


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Kasota! Nice bargain you found on the cards! Excellent bargain hunting. I hope you can find other supplies you'll be needed too for such a great price. It might not hurt to start putting some feelers out at a feed store looking for people with wool sheep in your area. Spring shearing isn't that far away.

I too use my mini combs for a variety of fibers, not just fine. The limit isn't when putting coarser fibers on the mini comb. Its when putting short, fine fibers on the bigger combs (English or Valkyrie). The short/fine fiber is better on the smaller combs. 

My mom is becoming a real fiber-holic too. She's getting her first angora rabbit in a couple months. 

I make sliver using my mini-combs. Here's a link to The Joy of Handspinning's instructions on making sliver with mini-combs. I comb the fiber until it's perfect and perfectly lined up, then, I pull it out into a rope, sometimes using a diz to manage my diameter, and let the rope of fiber fall into a box to use later. 

http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/mini-combs.html

What a beautiful shawl. Thank you Hotzcatz.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Kasota, if you got check out that link I posted, there's lots of info on carding on that website too.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

If you can see them, check the teeth/pins on the cards and make sure they aren't all bent cockeyed. The teeth are what you have to be most careful with.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Nice link, and ty so! There is lots of info there! 

Marchwind, I have not been able to find any used combs yet but I will sure pay attention to the condition of the teeth/pins/tines whatever they are called if I find some. Thanks for that reminder! It doesn't seem they come up used all that often and when they do there doesn't seem to be much of a price difference between new and used. I think a person has to simply be in the right place at the right time. 

I confess to being a bit of a tool-addict and don't mind making an investment in them if I believe I will give them good use. Good tools will last if you take care of them. 

I've reached the age where some of my tools I affectionately call "casket tools" because at my age and given the work I do now I probably will not ever have to replace them. I'm no longer farming nor building or rebuilding barns so they get lighter use. I bought a new chain saw a year ago and since I am no longer heating with wood and just use it occasionally, if I take good care of it I won't probably have to buy another one so it's a "casket tool." Same with my reciprocating saw. I bought a nice Bosch about a year ago and probably will never have to replace it. I'm not using the tar out of these sorts of tools anymore, although I do confess to having picked up some "casket tool backups" from a garage sale last year. I bought a nice DeWalt circular saw for 10.00. Works like a charm and had a brand new blade on it. It's a back up for my other one - lol. For 10.00 I can afford a back-up. 

So I may decide to just go ahead and buy a new set of combs and a heckle. I just know deep in my bones that I am really going to enjoy working with fleeces and spinning and this wonderful new adventure.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I feel the same way about the investment.  My mom's arm is broken right now and she gets it pinned in a couple weeks. Shearing will be here in couple months and I have a bunch of angora goat kids ready to be sheared...white, cream, brown, tan, black and silver. She's getting REALLY excited about all of that kid mohair and projects he can do. I should put it all in a pile and let her roll in it. ha ha


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Oh, no! Hope your mom's arm gets better soon! How about putting all the little goaties in one spot and letting them mingle with her? Would that be similar to rolling in the fiber? A friend likes to come over and let the angora bunnies sit on her. I let all the girl bunnies out and she will sit on the floor covered in bunnies happy as can be.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I don't grumble.

I am mumbling more, specially after takung my med s


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

RB, I'm so sorry to hear her arm is broken! Prayers for a speedy recovery for her. 

Hotzcatz, pictures... we need pictures. LOL! 

Cyndi, sure keeping you in prayers as well!

My carders will be delivered today. Yesterday I ordered the combs and a hackle. The spinning wheel should be delivered on Friday. Yeah, I am wearing out the USPS tracking page on the web.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> I don't grumble.



*whispers*


I _have_ heard her *growl*.........



































:run:






















.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

The carders arrived today! Woot! They are in beautiful condition and look just like new. Yay!

I got an email on the combs. Just ordered them yesterday along with a hackle and he already shipped them. Woot!

My spinning wheel has left St. Paul and is headed for my town. I am on pins and needles!


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Hotzcatz - Thx about my mom. I raised a couple litters of mini dachshund pups many years ago. Anyone who sat down on the ground were swarmed by those adorable pups. lol

Kasota - Thx for the prayers. I'm glad your carders have arrived. What a deal. Next, the combs, hackle and wheel??! What an exciting week! Funny you watching the tracking on your wheel. ha ha I watch the tracking on my toys like a hawk too.  How exciting!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Sitting with you on pins and needles waiting. It's so exciting . Just a word about your carders, I do NOT advise you use those on raw, unwashed wool. The grease and dirt will gum up the teeth and backing. Fibers like Angora, Alpaca, Llama, silk, that do not have lanolin would be fine to card in a raw, unwashed state, they may get dirty but they won't be gummed up.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Thank you so for the tip and for that you are both so happy for me. This really IS exciting!!!

I carded up a wee bit of my raw fleece the other day using dog slicker brushes just because I couldn't wait. LOL! It really seems like it will work up quite nicely. I think I got lucky with that fleece and got better than I knew. I would have used the carders if I'd had them, so it was good that I didn't because I hadn't thought about what the lanolin would do to them. Ack! 

I have heard lanolin can also clog your pipes. 

The wheel arrived today, too!! Woot! I hope I can put it together! All the directions are there. I should be able to figure it out. I think. I hope. I pray. LOL! 

I am secretly glad that the weather is going to be brutally cold this weekend. I will not have to feel guilty for failing to running errands or for not getting my car washed. It is too cold to be out and about. I am FORCED to stay inside. I simply have no choice but to spend time with my new toys.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

You can do it Kasota, Ashford makes it easy. If you have questions let us know.


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## Mohair girl (Feb 11, 2014)

Hello there!
I am now at all this and I wonder what vm is and what undesirable bits are. Can you tell me?
I just got a full bag of Mohair from a goat I sheared last year. It is raw and dirty and I did my best to clean a first little batch with warm water and Dawn. I still go a lot of lanolin in it and the clumps make it difficult to card. I don't have any tool to process since I can't afford much. I made myself a couple of carding combs that I like a lot since they didn't cost me anything. I am spinning by hand as I crochet my mittens. I really love the results, the look of the soft fiber and how it feels on my skin. I admit I appreciate the subtle goat scent on it, although I know some will strongly disagree with me... But the carding really, is challenging because of the lanolin. Any advice?


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

VM is vegetable matter, hay,grain ect. Hotter water will cut the lanolin along with the Dawn,some people like some lanolin. Dog combs from the dollar store, the flat kind with all the thin needles, can be used as a "flicker"; to open the fibers and get some tangles out. Try washing the fiber again, each washing will get out more lanolin and VM. Welcome to HT and the Fiber group!


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## Geoprincess55 (Mar 19, 2013)

Welcome Mohair girl!


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

re: lanolin and mohair - it is my understanding that goats do not TECHNICALLY have lanolin -but do have a coating to their fiber. :shrug:

http://askanaturalist.com/lanolin-and-sheep%E2%80%99s-wool-allergies/

The trick is HOT water - hotter than what will come out of the tap. I boil water, then temper it down by adding cold water down to about 160ÂºF-180ÂºF. That's hot.

I do a cold soak water for 24 hours first - THEN I drain out the soak water, then I submerge the fiber (in a mesh lingerie bag) into the HOT water that is made "slippery" (a lot more detergent than you would normally use) with Dawn and Simple Green or Orvus or Suave Clarifying Shampoo. Let it sit for 20 minutes, drain, repeat, drain repeat, drain repeat and last rinse will have a glug of white vinegar and a few drops of essential oil for fragrance. - Let air dry in the sun - voila.

oh, and WELCOME!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Welcome to The Fold Mohair girl!

I'm with WIHH Goats don't typically have lanolin. There is nothing nastier than a raw mohair fleece. When it's washed you would never know it came from the same critter. Do as WIHH suggests however make sure there is absolutely no movement (don't dumky it up and down) or agitation of the fibers, none. Mohair will felt very easily. You may have to tease the locks open a bit with your hands before you are or comb then.​


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I wash it a little different. I never go over 145 degrees. Heat the water with Dawn, put your fleece in a lingerie bag and add to the water gently being careful not to agitate so you don't felt it. The temp will drop so bring it back up and keep in the 140 range for 15 minutes. lift the bag out and dump the water. Have another pot of clean 145 degrees water. Adding vinegar is nice for shine. Some people add a little vodka..lol Anyway, put it in that water as a rinse.

Just be careful to not let the water cool down with the fleece in it. Yoke is what you are feeling on the mohair. Don't agitate..felting. And, I've been warned to never go over 145 degrees, but it depends on how fine the fleece is and some do it just fine. I have success at 140 for 15 min.

I don't mind the smell of the fleece either except for buck fleece..eww, but I know what you mean. Shearing season is nearly upon us here ..and so is kidding


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I am more gentle with first clip kid fleeces, btw


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I always have a million extra thoughts...haha! If you wash it my way and while spinning, you feel a little slipperiness, you can get the rest out after spinning with another wash. Some goats have more gooey than others so you'll feel what you need to do .. if extra washes are necessary. Have fun!

http://www.ronanfibers.com/ronanfibers_021.htm


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

> There is nothing nastier than a raw mohair fleece.


I had no clue! I can imagine bucks are a bit odiferous...


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Darn it. Kasota, I'm sorry. My mom had surgery, I got the flu and poo was hitting the fan over here. I didn't get that in the mail for you. So sorry. 

I haven't been able to get the terrible smell completely out of buck fleece. Why would I try you ask?? Because I have an adult buck that's still in the kid micron range so I want that fleece!! A friend said that Exaco Trading Microbial Inoculant Composting Activator (EM-1) worked to remove it so I'm going to give that a try. Finger's crossed. The fleece is so pretty but that buck sprayed right up and over his back so the golden sprinkles layered his prime. ARRRGGG. I want to try to save it.  

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052K1SFY/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

Here's the mohair I've been working on..washed last week and have been slowly spinning it. Super nice to work with.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

RB, no worries! 

That fiber is just gorgeous! 

I wonder if OdorMute would work. OdorMute is the old classic stink remover from bygone years. I *think* they still sell it at Fleet Farm or similar stores in the pet section. It came out long before all the products pet stores use for getting odor out of carpet and such. And it works way better. I used to own a pet shop - and really nothing ever compared to OdorMute. It used to come in a pink box that had a skunk on it - guaranteed to get the smell off your dog. It really worked. It works on pretty much anything organic in nature. Even tom cat pee. Comes as a powder and you just mix up what you need. I've used it for pretty much everything except I can't claim to having used it on a goat's scented locks...lol! 

Wow...Amazon has it! No skunk on the box anymore - has been replaced by a cute puppy and a kitten.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I'm gonna try OdorMute first. 15 oz makes 20 gallons for $13/free ship sounds pretty good.

Best adult buck at the colored angora show last summer is the father of my stinky buck with fine fiber. This fleece is the daughter of stinky buck. All three are super pretty browns. She has a little coppery coloring and also some black hairs in the brown fleece. pretty, but would be nice if the copper showed up after spinning. Cant have it all.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

I washed my stinky buck fleece (after a 24 hours cold water presoak I SWEAR by that now) in Dawn and Simple Green and then used a strong vinegar rinse with essential oils and left it out in the sun to dry and aerate. 

I also have heard of adding tequila to the rinse water to remove the smell. (per Namaste Farms - Natalie Redding) 

I can't quite bring myself to do that. :grin: :buds:


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I know Natalie too  I've washed with it but...I don't know. lol

I hear ya on the washing, but not all buck pee is made the same. Most angora bucks I've had are pretty mellow compared to other breeds of bucks. 2 boys though..Holy smoke! One of them, the king of stink, I clipped off a sample of his fleece after I got him last year and couldn't get it out or mask it enough. There was always that l'eau de buck. I'll give some of it a try in the Spring and will probably end up sending it to you WIHH! lol


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