big batts

Back in the spring, I sold my Fancy Kitty Kitten drum carder.  I was very tired of crank crank cranking a manual and only pulling off 1.5-2oz batts. They were so tiny! So much effort!  I did sell it to the schools art program where they only really need tiny batts, and do smaller projects, so it fit's their need so well.  But then... I went without a drum carder for 6 months!! It was an ultimate tragedy. I love to spin from batts, it's probably my favourite fibre preparation.  Batts are fluffy and draft smoothly, and the yarn from them is always much more lofty, even if you spin with a worsted draw due to the misalignment of fibres.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'd had my hook in the water for a great big fish (read that as I posted in every buy and sell for a Pat Green Triple Drum carder) right from the get go.  But it seemed they were always just slightly out of my price range and often in USD, which with the current state of affairs with our currency would put them way out of my price range.  So, lo and behold, many moons laters, someone asks if a Fancy Kitty Tom XL would do the trick.  And while settling for a smaller, but still excellent carder was just a bit painful, I did it.  And I'm so so very happy! This things is a great machine! Many hours and 9 big batts latter, I'm excited to start spinning!  But first, to card the 6 other fleece I have that are clean.... Never ending!

see! big batts! as big as a kitchen chair!

Well, I'd best get back at it. 6 fleeces won't card themselves!

Happily Spinning (and carding)

~Kara~

Carding up a storm!

ThaI've been creating batts like a mad woman lately, so I decided to time just how long it takes to make one batt. 27 minutes, 13 seconds later, I had one batt.  Mind you these batts are more complex then some of the other ones, as they get a preliminary blend and a second pass to  add the pops of color. But the time is worth it for the effect I get! 

A follower on Facebook mentioned they look like Sulley from Monsters inc. I dare say they do!

I've got 2 more of those ones to blend, and one more, simpler color way to do up.  But this pile if fibre makes me happy 

That's over 20 oz of Fibery fun!!! Wewt! 

But all this fun will come to an end in February, when it's buckle down and do your homework time. I'm going to try to be done for the end of March, so I can be back to this fun stuff sooner rather then later!

~Kara