Alpine Meadows Weavers and Spinners
Home Carding Fiber Microscopy Pictures Links

Carding Wool by Hand Using Hand Cards with the Left Hand Moving

This is a repeat of steps 3 through 7 on the basic carding page, but with the left hand moving. Use these pictures if your fiber needs more thorough carding or if you are left-handed.

Left card on top of right card

Step 3. With the right hand, hold the right card in the same position as previously. Now hold the left card in the the left hand with the teeth pointed down. Gently brush across the fiber several times, keeping the cards aligned so that the handles are parallel. Some people brush vigorously, and the sound of the teeth meshing is quite noticeable, but I like to brush gently so that the teeth barely touch each other.

Right card has moved down the left card Step 4. Brush approximately 5 or 6 times, or until the left card has picked up a lot of fiber.
Right card turned so handles are near each other Step 5. Now you need to get the fiber off of the left card and back onto the right card. Rotate the left card so the handles are near each other, but the bottom of the left teeth are at the top of the right teeth. The top of the teeth means the edge that is near the handle. The bottom is the edge that is not near the handle. Now move the left card down over the right card. The fibers on the left card will be caught by the right card.
Left card has moved down the right card Step 6. Brush about 6 times.
Left card flipped over Step 7. Now we need to get out the fiber that is stuck down in the teeth of the right card. Flip over the left card, and move the right card so that the bottom of the teeth are at the top of the left teeth. Move the right card down over the left card to remove the fiber.
Rolling fiber into rolag Now roll up the fiber into a rolag or keep it fluffy to spin. If you feel the fiber needs more carding, go to the basic carding page and do the carding with the right hand moving. Using both hands equally results in the most thorough carding.
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© 2007-2020 Debra Whitehead