Carding Some Wool
I dye most of my own wool. The problem is that I tend to felt my roving a bit when I am rinsing. That means I have to recard it. I had some not very pretty pink that I got bought cheap because it was a little felted. I recarded it with some other colours.
This is the wool combination I will put through the carder. the carder is big. There isn’t that much wool only about 150 grams, so I only use part of the carder.
This is the first run through.
After I take it off the drum I split the batt and flipped each section to run them through again.
This is the second time through and the final ball of wool.
This is all the wool I did.
There are a couple more blended wools in there too. Now I have to make them into something.
18 thoughts on “Carding Some Wool”
Beautiful Ann. I have the same problem dyeing wool. I don’t have a drum carder and have tried by hand. Not too much fun. I’m sure you’ll make some lovely things with all that luscious roving.
Thanks Marilyn. you need a friend with an electric carder. Split your wool down the length into small slivers before carding. She smaller the carder or hand cards the thinner the slivers need to be.
Wow! What a nice drum carder! It looks like it could handle any kind of fibres. Where did you find it? I have a drum carder too, but not as big and without extra rolls like yours. How is the maintenance on it? If I find myself around Ottawa I may have to visit you. …drooling…
It is a big carder. it sits on the floor. maintenance is easy. You just let it run for a little while after you take the wool off to clean the drums. I have cleaned it right down to no wool on any drums and that is a big job but you really don’t need to do it. My only complaint is there are no guards on the drive wheels and pulleys . It is about 25-30 years old. I have had it about 10 years.They do not make them anymore but you do see them come up for sale once and a while. It is a Pat Green cottage industry carder. I was very lucky to find this carder.
Well…if you’re going to have one….have a big one eh? It makes my Ashford look like a toy.
I’d love to see a complete photo of it Ann – I’m presuming it’s not a hand crank?
That’s a lovely heathery colour mix you’ve achieved and it will make something pretty no doubt.
Lyn her is a link to a post I made a long time ago that has a picture. http://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2012/02/16/what-to-do-with-all-the-little-bits-or-fun-batts/
It is electric.
Of course….I remember that post now! And it is a big ‘un – a real beauty.
Oh dear, my memory let me down, it’s a bit worrying when that happens isn’t it?
I have always had a haphazard memory so I am used to it.
It must be great to have a drum carder, I have to do mine by hand which is time consuming and doesn’t achieve a lovely big batt.
It is nice to have the powered carder. I have a small hand cranked drum carder too. I do not use it much. I usually break my batts into roving. I seem to lay out better that way. For something really big I would want batts.
Lovely wool – I haven’t carded anything in a long while. I’d like to make some more blended batts. I always have to re-card after dyeing too. 🙂
Thanks Ruth. I think its hard water that makes it harder to rinse clear. Blending batts is fun.
I could spend a lot of happy hours playing with your drum carder, Ann! You got some great colours and blends 🙂
Pop on over Zed.
Put the kettle on 🙂
Great colors Ann, its good that you can do so much in the one hit lol looking forward to seeing what you make 🙂
Thanks Karen. The electric carder is nice.