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Wool Batts for Spinning
I buy wool directly from a farmer and also buy commercially prepared wool in rovings. If wool comes from a farmer, it has to be scoured and combed. Wool can be dyed prior to combing, or after. This is where the term "dyed in the wool comes from." At times, I use wool in natural colors. I may use hand carders to comb the wool, or use a larger machine called a drum carder. I have a drum carder that is hand cranked and one that is electric. The smaller hand carders need to be used to separate the fibers and release any VM, (vegetable matter, or little bits of pasture that may be in or on wool), enabling them to be prepared on a drum carder. Commercially prepared rovings usually do not have, or have very little VM. My batts may have a mixture of fibers, including commercially prepared wool, wool purchased from farmers, recycled blue jean fibers, threads from recycled sari silk, recycled pop bottle fibers, silk noils, rayon, nylon, silk, milk protein fibers, tussah silk, mulberry silk, corn fibers, sparkle made from nylon, or mylar, cotton, etc. I may blend the fibers well, or I may leave larger amounts of fiber together. There is more potential for VM when farmer purchased wool fibers are used. Some breeds of wool may attract more VM, some farms may be cleaner at shearing, and even the weather may make a difference in the amount of VM in a sheep or goat. VM usually falls out of the batt while spinning. I find that it is more gratifying if I can make a garment or item from beginning to end. |
