I want to fluff up bags full of poodle wool to stuff a cushion or something. I've been trying to card with old wire dog brushes but it's a lot more work than I imagined!
Try using the widest wire dog brush as possible. In the spinning world, I would use my extra fine cotton cards which are 9" across. The goal is to merely prep the fibers for spinning. So, you do not need lots of back and forth on a wire brush. And perhaps set a goal of 5 rolags a day. Handcarding was a full time thing. It took 7 hand carders people to supply enough rolags for 1 handspinner. Good luck.
There is a flick carder for simple teasing out the staples and remove chaff in the process. The wool picker was a large, dangerous contraption with long widely spaced nails that teased apart wool. I have used both. For small jobs, I use the flick carder.
My carders are Louet brand. Will be selling in my shop but not immediate. Ashford makes hand cards. Clemes and Clemes makes hand cards. Kromski does. Lots of people sell used.
Once wool is spun and then knitted and woven into a garment, that is very hard to undo until you got back to the actual separated fibers you could use for stuffing. People DO unknit and repurpose the yarn to knit another sweater. I prefer repurposing the garment as another garment rather than for stuffing. That said, if you do have tiny squares of wool fabric, or lots of wool in the yarn form you can use it for stuffing. I have so much natural wool in the fleece form that I will use that rather than unpicking a sweater. Also, depends on what is the best usage of the old garment. Stuffing or perhaps oven mitts? Shower mitts? Sorry to be vague but I hope this gives you some ideas about your project.
Thank you, I just bought a spinning wheel, I'm a beginner beginner 😁
Thank you so much for making this video. I've had hand cards for years and had no idea how to use them. This was very informative.
Glad you gained value from this
I want to fluff up bags full of poodle wool to stuff a cushion or something. I've been trying to card with old wire dog brushes but it's a lot more work than I imagined!
Try using the widest wire dog brush as possible. In the spinning world, I would use my extra fine cotton cards which are 9" across. The goal is to merely prep the fibers for spinning. So, you do not need lots of back and forth on a wire brush. And perhaps set a goal of 5 rolags a day. Handcarding was a full time thing. It took 7 hand carders people to supply enough rolags for 1 handspinner. Good luck.
I think it's a flicker brush that's used to pull the wool apart for hand carding and blending board.
No. It is a rocking wool picker. Flicker brush is to remove vegitable matter.
There is a flick carder for simple teasing out the staples and remove chaff in the process. The wool picker was a large, dangerous contraption with long widely spaced nails that teased apart wool. I have used both. For small jobs, I use the flick carder.
Am going back to restarting my Dads wool and spinning job. I need to know where I can get those carders please. Thank you for sharing.
Howard Brush on etsy
My carders are Louet brand. Will be selling in my shop but not immediate. Ashford makes hand cards. Clemes and Clemes makes hand cards. Kromski does. Lots of people sell used.
How can we take old wool garments and shred them for stuffing? Or other methods to repurpose merino wool in particular.
Once wool is spun and then knitted and woven into a garment, that is very hard to undo until you got back to the actual separated fibers you could use for stuffing. People DO unknit and repurpose the yarn to knit another sweater. I prefer repurposing the garment as another garment rather than for stuffing. That said, if you do have tiny squares of wool fabric, or lots of wool in the yarn form you can use it for stuffing. I have so much natural wool in the fleece form that I will use that rather than unpicking a sweater. Also, depends on what is the best usage of the old garment. Stuffing or perhaps oven mitts? Shower mitts? Sorry to be vague but I hope this gives you some ideas about your project.