# A drum carding revolutionary method



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

From the Yarn Harlot's blog, here is a great post about Judith MacKenzie McQuin's method she teaches in her classes, and it's easy! 

I am going to try it out today, on my drumcarder. I hate carding because it can really wear you out. This method is supposed to make incredible lofty batts that are really nice.

http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2009/02/13/sideways.html


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Sideways???

She said sideways???

Amazing!

I'm going to try this 


She really said SIDEWAYS???


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I'm still quite surprised with this 




Sideways, eh?


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## flannelberry (Jul 14, 2005)

Cyndi - you are so cracking me up. Of course, I had the same thought but still.... you really are cracking me up!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Yeah, but Flannel .... SIDEWAYS!?!?!?!?


I planned on trying this today, but got started on taxes .... ugh.



sideways, simply amazing! who'd da thunk?


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## swamp_deb (Jan 9, 2004)

Sounds reasonable to me, I'm gonna try this with my hand cards.


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## flannelberry (Jul 14, 2005)

You had to remind us about taxes? I was in such a great denial I had completely forgotten. But wait... I should be getting a return this year. I should invest it and I will - but in wool or a wheel? Hmmmm... [exit Flannelberry stage right]


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Deb, let us know how it works on the hand cards.

We should get a return also, but have a list things on the farm that need fixing ...


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Well, my fibers go into the carder all kattywampus but they always straighten themselves out and end up going in one direction more or less. I didn't read the whole thing but I'm not sure that sideways would make much difference. If fact I would think it might tear the fibers if you were too zealous with your carding. I'll have to read this so I can comment on it more intelligently I suppose


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Oh my.... Wish I had known that yearssss ago!
Excellent writing BTW.


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## catmccall (Jan 13, 2009)

Amazing! I've been doing it *right* all these years!  I never had the patience to align everything, and my batts always come out nice and fluffy, despite the "rules," so it's nice to have some validation.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Yesterday I took some time to try the sideways method with some dyed Corrie wool, quite fine stuff. I found that a fluffed lock sideways carded with much less effort than putting them in tip or cut end first. I was able to turn the hand crank with less effort and I didn't need to put so much oomph into the crank when the lock was in contact with the carding drum. But I had to fluff or open the lock some, or else it didn't want to card smoothly into the teeth. The carded batt looked smoother and better, too. 

I wash and dye my wool inside lingerie bags, so the locks are kept intact with no felting. Even after washing and dyeing in simmering water, they come out orderly and nice. The lingerie bags are about $1 apiece at Super Walmart centers, in the laundry area. One bag can hold 1.5 pounds of dry wool crammed in them.


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## thatcompchick (Dec 29, 2004)

took less effort to turn with BFL teased locks, and the batt is definitely fluffier, but not as nice of a finish. had to take end result batt and put it through another time 'the right way' ;-) 

think this would work much better with fleeces you chose to do a woolen spun with!


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

I read the post a few days ago and took the time later that day to go to the drum carder and try it. I was amazed! The fibers went through with less effort and lined themselves up nicely in the resulting batt. I have a petite carder (because I live in a petite house and have petite sheep) so I make petite batts-which turned out much nicer than usual. I ran one batt through the 'usual' way and I'll be doing sideways from now on. I tend to spin 'semi-worsted' or woolen because I LIKE softer, fluffier yarns and the batts came out perfect for the way I spin.
thanks for sharing! betty


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Oh, my heavens, I've got to get off here and go try that!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I haven't had the luxury (?) of getting much in the way of fleece with identifiable locks - usually by the time it's washed and dried things have gotten a bit mixed up, and so I have just opened the ends and put it through higgeldy piggeldy, and I get serviceable batts from that.

I did some the other day though and tried doing the second pass through by splitting the batt sideways instead of lengthwise, and that seemed to make a difference. I'll have to experiment more when the fleece I have drying is ready for carding.


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Card it sideways huh?

Darn, now I have to go wash some wool to try this out.

Thanks A LOT!

I have been reading the comments to that blog post
and it is hilarious!

Have a joyful day!
Franco Rios


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