Where do I buy a fleece for spinning

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Where do I buy a fleece for spinning
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gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18409

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 13 9:07 pm Post subject:

Finsky wrote:

my Hebridean fleeces and how they've been picked and carded..
..

I want your Heb stash, and I want it now.

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 13 9:10 pm Post subject:

gil wrote:

I use a pair of cat brushes as carders. Also cheap.
Can also use singly to flick-card locks/staples of anythihg.

Yes!

I use cat brushes too for some wools rather than proper carders.
Particularly when I have to smooth out some tangly bits from individual locks cat brush is just the job.

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 13 9:15 pm Post subject:

gil wrote:

Finsky wrote:

my Hebridean fleeces and how they've been picked and carded..
..

I want your Heb stash, and I want it now.

..wait for bit longer and OH is gladly going to ship it all away...

House is like one big wool processing 'shop'..trays, buckets, baskets, bags etc..all over the place and I haven't even got half of it yet carded.
Pah...who cares if the living room is more like work shop...

madcat

Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1265
Location: worcester

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 13 9:28 pm Post subject:
Looks like I will be off to the pet shop fairly soon. I use our old cat slicker brush to brush my hair! I will have a look at your stash Finsky, I'm northwich on Ravelry. I expect I will get fleece envy. We are due to have 18 hebredean sheep joining the family, Boriss daughter is adding to her livestock.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4587
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Fri Sep 13, 13 9:36 pm Post subject:
I think I've added you as ravelry friends. Who knows. I click things and see what happens

Woodburner

Joined: 28 Apr 2006
Posts: 2904
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 13 10:09 am Post subject:

My dog comb has a wooden handle. I don't have a dog, but it works well on locks of fleece. Carefully pull locks out of a section of fleece then holding one end of a lock firmly, comb the free end then hold the combed end and comb the opposite end.

There is a book on spinning that has detailed instructions for making wool combs, but it's so laborious that you end up thinking that over £100 plus vat p&p customs etc, is actually worth it! Except they aren't. Wool combing like they show on youtube is a real faff to do properly, and isn't that much better than just combing out the ends. A hackle is far more useful imho. Have a play around with afro combs too.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15591

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 13 11:19 am Post subject:
I thought wool combs were just for making worsted, and would have been rather specialised. I have always teased the wool by hand. By the time you have combed out the tangles, this is no slower.

madcat

Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1265
Location: worcester

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 13 3:19 pm Post subject:
Interesting, I can see some experimentation with assorted combs type things happening in the future.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Sun Sep 15, 13 3:43 pm Post subject:

Wool Combs are very specialised and, as said above, are for preparing wool for spinning into worsted. It's arduous work and probably only for the truly dedicated. Not at all the same as preparing individual locks with a dog comb.

Carders are more suited to preparing fleece at home. If you want a nice set, we make them (£45 a pair + p&p)

The book Woodburner was referring to is probably The one by Peter Teal

madcat

Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1265
Location: worcester

Posted: Mon Sep 16, 13 9:34 am Post subject:
I think I'm a bit new to it all to tackle wool combs . I looked at your site Midland Spinner, some lovely interesting things. I will be experimenting with dog combs and cat slicker brushes however and will report back to the downsizer spinning gurus. I expect I will need lots of advice.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Mon Sep 16, 13 7:14 pm Post subject:
Thanks, glad you like our Things

Blacksheep

Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 196
Location: Shropshire

Posted: Sat Nov 09, 13 7:59 pm Post subject:
A bit late replying.. we have some lovely shearling Zwartbles fleeces for sale

oldish chris

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 4148
Location: Comfortably Wet Southport

Posted: Sat Nov 09, 13 8:12 pm Post subject:

Woodburner wrote:

The nice ladies at the guild had a bunch of not so nice words for it though!!

Guild? Don't you mean Coven?

Would that be the Knitting and Crotchet Guild?

Woodburner

Joined: 28 Apr 2006
Posts: 2904
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 13 7:11 pm Post subject:
Cheeky! And no, it's a branch of the weavers' spinners' and dyers' guild.

clydesdaleclopper

Joined: 22 Jun 2009
Posts: 100
Location: N E Scotland

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 13 5:57 pm Post subject:
Apparently combs are useful where you have a really long staple that won't fit on the carder. I only found this out when a very experienced spinner told me I wouldn't be able to card my fleeces because of the length.

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