The Spinner's Blending Board Bible

Debbie Held is a freelance writer and international fiber arts educator. Shes a recurring contributor to Spin Off magazine and its blog, PLY Magazine, the SweetGeorgia blog, and more, and shes the writer behind the former Interweave column, Her Handspun Habit. She teaches courses online for the School of SweetGeorgia, as well as in person throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Debbie lives on an urban farm in Atlanta, Georgia, with a Persian cat named Stanley. Both Debbie and Stanley enjoy watching the spinners flock of Shetland sheep roaming outside their windows. Write to them (all) at http://debbieheld.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword (I will ask one or two friends who are extremely well known in the industry and who have published their own books to write my foreword.)

Introduction

1. Why the blending board is my go-to, "desert island" tool for fiber processing

1. Cost


2. Space


3. Ergonomics


4. Nearly limitless uses, including

1. Rolags (smooth or textured)


2. Roving (pulled or dizzed)


3. Batts


4. More (thoughtful placement of color and texture, such as tweed)

1. The boards impact on final yarn in terms of color, scalability, and structure


2. Adding a few inexpensive items you likely have at home opens a whole new world of possibilities


3. Reading this book will change the way you see and use your blending board

Chapter I: Your blending board: the all-in-one fiber processing tool

1. Comparison, including photos, of fiber processing tools: drum carder, hand combs, hand cards
   
   
   
   1. Drum carder [photos of a couple of models]
      
      
      
      
      1. Best suited for: Blending fibers (textures and colors) well; aeration and loft, great for batts; good for rolags; color play, repeatable results
      
      
      2. Cons: expensive (anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars); large footprint; requires mostly minor but ongoing maintenance; unless you have the most costly electric drum carder(s), ongoing use can lead to wear and tear on your spine/neck and shoulder; your blending is limited by the teeth per inch of the cloth on your drum [Graphic: illustration of teeth per inch]
      
      
      
      
   
   
   2. Hand combs and hackle [photos and examples]
      
      
      
      1. Portable; mobile; small footprint
      
      
      2. Can blend color and fibers, even repeatables, but only with smooth ingredients
      
      
      3. Removes second cuts and smaller pieces of the locks/fiber, then aligns the fiber strands
      
      
      4. The results are always smooth/worsted, especially when combined with a diz. Combed and dizzed top is the baseline preparation for a true worsted spin
      
      
      5. High-quality combs are costly, and you may require more than one set for the fibers you like to spin
      
      
      6. Combing fiber is time consuming
      
      
      7. The repetitive movements can put strain on your joints
      
      
      
      
   
   
   3. Hand cards [photos and examples]
      
      
      
      1. Closest to the blending board, IMO, but much smaller. Low footprint, portable, and affordable, and may be used in many ways.
      
      
      2. Good for true woolen preparation (the only true woolen prep is a hand-carded rolag), and even for mimicking a combed preparation when the lock of fiber is flick-carded into alignment
      
      
      3. You could also card the fiber into alignment and then roll it sideways (cigar style) off the card, or diz a roving off of your hand card.
      
      
      4. Good for color blending and for combining textures and fibers
      
      
      5. Good for carding almost any fiber-cellulose or wool
      
      
      6. You could make punis, puni-style rolags, and actual rolags (each yields a very different result)
      
      
      7. The small surface size means that the process can be time consuming, especially if you are working on a garments worth of fiber or other large spin
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   


2. Blending board [with photos]
   
   
   
   1. Affordable, portable, and easily stored in small spaces. Can be moved from area to area within your home with ease. With the adjustable keel attachment, you can adjust the board to the most comfortable angle and even from your most comfortable standing to sitting angle within seconds. The flat surface makes for easier scalable loading, for those whod like to spin a good amount of fiber that works well together
   
   
   2. Excellent for releasing (and discovering) creativity
   
   
   3. Holds and blends as much as an average (7-8" wide drum) drum carder
   
   
   4. The flat surface allows for intentional placement and loading of fibers and decorative elements
   
   
   5. Easy on the body
   
   
   6. The alignment of the teeth means that you can replicate a worsted result easily, but you could also card a true roving. With the extra knowledge gained in this book, you can card fiber through the entire spectrum of woolen to worsted prep
   
   
   7. Good for fiber play and experimentation, especially since you dont have to load and entire boards worth of fiber if you dont want to
   
   
   8. Can replicate any preparation or blend as a drum carder, including gradients, placement of color/texture for a variegated result, true color blending, and more
   
   
   9. While different TPI (teeth per inch) are available and are part of selecting the board thats right for you (see Chapter II), the hidden blending power lies within the accessories you use with it. One board can help you do it all
   
   
   10. Accessories and additional tools are affordable and often found lying around the house
   
   
   11. Turns fiber prep into fiber play
   
   
   12. Most people just dont realize all the blending board can do, especially since spinners tend to focus more on combs and carders, and which of those they should get first
   
   
   
   


3. How to choose the blending board thats right for you
   
   
   
   1. TPI of cloth
   
   
   2. Directionality of the teeth/how this differs from drum carder cloth
   
   
   3. Size of the carding cloth
   
   
   4. Does it have a keel?
   
   
   5. Price
   
   
   
   


4. How to DIY your own board (see appendix A for supplies list, schematic and full directions)


5. List and photos of board makers used in this book (will be using course 48 TPI, standard 72 TPI, 90 and 120 TPI and comparing results)

Chapter 2: Industry secrets for unlocking the hidden powers of your blending board

1. Brushes

1. 
   
   
   
   1. An assortment of brushes picked up around the house, at dollar stores, grocery stores, etc. and how these bristle types make all the difference in the blending/carding of the fibers
   
   
   2. Vs. the brush(es) that typically arrive with your purchase
   
   
   
   

1. Loading

1. 
   
   
   
   1. Order of your fibers and mix-ins
   
   
   2. Importance of building up the overhang
   
   
   3. Best staple lengths
   
   
   4. How much can it hold (and why you shouldnt overload the board)?
   
   
   
   

1. Dowels

1. Size of typical dowel


2. Size you should go have cut and the difference this makes


3. Sanding your dowels for best results

1. Diz

1. 
   
   
   
   1. Styles and materials
   
   
   2. Sizes to collect
   
   
   3. DIY and other options
   
   
   
   

Chapter 3: Carded rollups: rolags and batts

These preparations are excellent ways to become comfortable with your blending board

1. Supplies needed:

1. Wool


2. Silk, Tencel, bamboo or other shinies


3. Angelina and/or sparkle (optional)


4. Scissors or snips


5. Bits of fluffy handspun or yarn


6. Random wool locks

1. Smooth


2. Textured


3. How-to

1. Gradient


2. Variegated


3. Random

1. Rolling off a batt


2. Make it a double (batt)

Chapter 4: Roving vs. top

1. What is roving?


2. How to create it

1. Easy way (from a rolag)


2. From a roLOG


3. From a batt


4. Dizzing a roving

1. How top differs from roving


2. Replicate a combed top using the blending board

Chapter 5: Totally tweed and other texture

Texture can be subtle or bold, and anywhere in-between

1. Supplies needed:

1. Wool


2. Silk noil


3. Angelina and/or sparkle (optional)


4. Silk threads


5. Assortment of locks


6. Scissors or snips

2. What is tweed?

a. Example #1

b. Example #2

c. Example #3

3. Freeform textures for spinning

a. Example #1

b. Example #2

c. Example #3

Chapter 6: Color play

1. Create a fractal-style spin (3 different ways)

2. Repeating stripes

3. Variegated yarn

4. Color blending

Chapter 7: Scalable blending for large, multi-board projects

Chapter 8: Going off board

Other uses you may never have considered

1. Flick carding locks

2. How to make a carded cloud

3. Batty bumps

Chapter 9: Blended recipes and patterns (4 or 5 total)

Ultimate sock yarn with pattern (top down)

Cabled, tweed vest with pattern

Wacky, woven scarf recipe

Gradient shawl pattern

Textured singles yarn with hat pattern

Appendices

DIY blending board (supplies needed, schematic, instructions)

Comparison chart of all brands of blending boards used in this book (makers to include Ashford, Louet, Daisy, Majacraft, and possibly Clemes and Clemes)

Resources (a list of makers for all items, including fibers, used in this book)