Carding & Combing Project Kits

Preparing your own wool to spin or felt can be a very rewarding experience, but it can also be daunting to try to figure out where to start. A kit is a perfect way to get started on your fiber preparation journey and we have several options to get you going.

These kits work well with most medium sheep wools. For the combing kit you want wools that have a 4” or longer staple. For our carding kits you want wools with a staple length of under 4” and are a medium texture. The world of fibers is vast and it is rare that you find a one size fits all solution for fiber processing. This is a good place to start, but it won’t fit all situations. For wools that are either very fine or coarse, or very short or long contact us directly for recommendations that will better suit your fiber.

The combing kits work well for making top to spin a worsted or semi-worsted style of yarn from. In this case, worsted is not the size of the yarn but the method used to spin the yarn. Worsted style yarn is smooth, shiny, strong, and not as warm as woolen yarns. It’s ideal for rugs and outerwear and other projects that need sturdy yarn.

The carding kits make rolags and small batts which are best for wool and semi-woolen spinning methods. These are also preferred by felters as using carded fiber speeds up the felting process since the fibers are jumbled instead of aligned. Woolen and semi-woolen yarns are fuzzier, fluffier, less shiny, and warmer. They are more prone to pilling and aren’t as strong as worsted spun yarns, but they are perfect for cozy sweaters, lightweight shawls, and other projects that you want a light, airy, and warm yarn for.

These kits are not suited for most plant fibers. Those fibers require a different processing even though some of the tools do work for both animal and plant fibers. In general, plant fibers are much finer than most wool fibers and are either far longer or far shorter which can make processing a challenge. For more information on the tools you need for plant fibers please contact us directly and we’ll be happy to help.

If you don't find exactly what you want, or would like a product recommendation, please call the shop directly at 800-441-9665 or contact us for assistance.