Combing Away

I know I've featured a few of my wicked-looking tools lately. But here's one I'm really starting to love: My English Wool Combs: I've had them for about 18 months, but they've been in the category of things I must get comfortable with and avoid in the meantime. Of course, that was never a good strategy. In the last few weeks I've moved to Plan B: just keep using them until it becomes second nature. That approach is starting to pay off. Today I'm preparing some more Corriedale fleece for worsted spinning. I'm still having to think carefully about what I'm doing, but I'm getting into a routine and I'm loving the look and feel of the rovings.

. . . I should probably explain my terms for those readers who aren't familiar with the worsted spinning process and how it all works, sorry, I can't wait to get back to my combs. If you're interested, you can follow the labels that appear below this post to find the information. Or feel free to comment and ask questions. Like most people newly in love, the only thing I like better than being with my combs, is talking about them!

Combing Wool for Worsted Spinning

The challenge and the satisfaction of the Spinning Course I'm doing at the Guild is that each session we concentrate--really concentrate--on just one technique. This weekend it was worsted spinning. That's spinning where the fibres are all lined up parallel to each other before being spun into a yarn. There are various ways of preparing the fibre, and all of them involve sharp objects. These are the worst:

English Wool Combs--they can do a bit of damage to your skin if you're not careful--so I treat them with respect. But they do marvelous things to fleece. This is how it looks when it comes off the combs:

It still has all it's crimp and character--you can see it came off a sheep recently--but it's lovely and even and airy and ready to go.

And here it is spun up into a small skein of worsted yarn:

This was a first sample, only about ten grams, to see how I went with it all. I'm happy that it's all working nicely, so now to do 20g for my folio.

Meanwhile I've begged a loan of the drop spindle for another month and it has become my constant companion. Thanks, Joy.