I just want you to know that years ago I bought some washed bond locks from you when I only had a flicker and no carders or combs and watched your videos online. That inspired me to work towards the goal of being able to have a combing station like yours and to be able to efficiently and carefully process fleeces. I've just recreated it! (I still need to buy a superfine hackle) And now I comb and/or spin every day . And I love it even more! So far this year (yes I know it's still January!) I've washed a combed a whole cvm fleece and washed a cormo fleece. I have another cvm and cormo fleece on the way, a Shetland lamb fleece, a Gotland fleece and two cashmere fleece. I plan on processing all of that this year- but we will see! Anyway, thanks again for the inspiration! And I'm tempted to buy some pollwarth...

Hello Zia, I remember your purchases of fiber :) I'm glad you are still at it and progressing in your experiences with different fibers and adding to your tools! It is a never ending journey, but the most fun trip ever!! Would love to see pictures of your work station! Thanks so very much for your comment and I'm glad you find inspiration in my videos as well as with your new fibers :) -Kimberly :)

I am so glad that you enjoy them :) Your comment itself is inspiring to me! That means a lot. Thank you for it :) -Kimberly

I hope you are doing well with your spinning!

Ellen, Thanks so much for your kind comments! ~ Kimberly

So happy you enjoyed the video! Enjoying what you teach is paramount and I do love beautiful combed fibers! Finn is one of my favorites. The fleeces I have, have lovely wavy crimp and the lambs are quite soft! One day I will make a video combing Finn fleece : ) -Kimberly

@@thenaturalspinner I look forward to it!!

How exciting to find combs from so long ago! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. Email is best. Happy Combing!!

Hi Michelle, are you a member of the Central Virginia Fiberarts Guild? Normally we meet the 1st Sunday of each month, except for currently of course. I hope things go back to normal sooner than later. Glad you enjoyed the video! -Kimberly

Sooo.. how’s the sheep farm life?

Being an inspiration to others is a wonderful feeling and helps keep me going! To me, it’s just passing it on, as I’ve been so inspired by so many :) It is my great pleasure to share with you! Thank you for your comment, -Kimberly :)

Hello Anna, So glad you are enjoying the videos! You won't regret finding a set of Valkyries if you can find some where you live. Thanks for posting your comment : ) -Kimberly

I just got another order of Tarndie Polwarth and I love it more each time! Keeping humidity up in the winter is a challenge and boiling water is a good suggestion, thank you. Thanks for posting! -Kimberly

Thanks so much! Glad you like them :) Yes, like minded neighbours is nice! -Kimberly

Thank you! -Kimberly :)

I'm going to try and build up steam and get out at least one a month and see where it goes from there. Thanks for the encouragement! It makes me feel good to know that the videos have been helpful as that's the whole reason I put them out there!

@@thenaturalspinner I have started posting a few videos… I have a little experience with editing using fancy expensive software (Premiere Pro, Logic Pro, Compressor, etc) and I have a fairly decent middling range lights-umbrella reflectors-stands-mics-etc collection I have and could use… but if I wait until I get a nice corner of the house setup, put on clothes that don’t have a bunch of my daily fiber lint collection on them, put on makeup, set up all the tripods yada yada… I’ll never even get to shooting video. And forget about editing after that! Fiber skills really cemented my understanding that it’s getting to making honest human mistakes right away that’s essential to eventually building competence on the infinite path in the direction of mastery. So I love seeing other people do the kind of video that I will end up making after I have more practice. Seriously, as long as I’m not hearing my smoke-detector-failing-batteries-chirps or so much wind interference or blinding light shining straight into the camera, and tons of apologizing for being human (other than the normal apologizing many of us do when we’re initially nervous and warming up) I’m happy with a video that’s relevant to me. I really want to build on your paco-vicuña dehairing video with a series about developing a sense in what really is the most thrifty threshold for dehairing cashmere, qiviut, pygora, p-v, etc… because every fleece, even within the same breed, is very different. And it’s more difficult to dehair washed fleece on some, and raw fleece on others… just a series of sitting on video talking back and forth on the complexity of testing different dehairing processes for each fleece, and how each of us come to different preferences. I’m thinking that finding someone patient enough to do the close up work for me might not be feasible. But Zoom allows recording of separate logins, so if you ever want to do a low-micron zoom comb-along over zoom, especially if you have a second phone or webcam or tablet you and I can have two cameras going (closeup on fiber/hands and farther out), I would totally be up for noodling around on a leisurely comb-along. I can do editing if you don’t feel like it, but could use feedback on what to cut and what to keep. Not that you want to do that, or do that soon, just if you feel like it at some point, hit me up. I hear from new artists regularly interested in dehairing… but I need someone who has a bit of understanding about what’s going on to talk it through with for it to make sense to those who don’t already know. I have a few dozen pygora fleeces to choose from that I would love to split and mail half to at some point in the future, if you or someone you know who has at least a set of Valkyrie XFs and a set of Valkyrie SFs to be able to experiment with the same tools. Doesn’t need to be posted up here. Okay I’ll stop yakking now. Thanks for replying. I totally understand liking that something I’ve done has added value for someone, and I’m glad my comment was meaningful for you! Social media - CrafticalSurvivalSkills & GrayAutumnDay

How exciting! You can send me some fiber anytime! LOL

Great suggestions! I will put them on my list for the more detailed combing video coming up soon :) -Kimberly

Thank You! I'm a little slow at getting the videos done, but I have no plans to stop making them :) -Kimberly

Glad you liked the video! -Kimberly

Let me know how it works for you. -Kimberly

Claudia, That's great! Combs are awesome! I hope you enjoy them next time. - Kimberly

Hi :) We don't get much of the white stuff most winters. There is still green around. Wow, lots of different fibers to work with, that's wonderful! I hope you enjoy meeting the other guild members and that they become a resource of help and inspiration for you :) Thank you for posting your comment! -Kimberly :)

Valkyrie combs are my favorites :) Thanks for posting a comment! -Kimberly

This Polwarth is some of the absolute nicest fiber I’ve ever had to work with! Wish I had more.

Thanks for that. I love it because it has the hole in the end to put a string on, that way I can keep track of it easier. Nice to have things with multiple purposes! -Kimberly : )

That's wonderful! Thank you for leaving a comment! - Kimberly

Ah, yes, I can see that being helpful. I have one...I should give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion. -Kimberly

Jo, I'm so happy that you are able to fulfill your dream of learning to spin and weave! Beginning with a spindle is the most common and definitely the least expensive way to start spinning. I would recommend the mini size of the Valkyrie combs, as they would be a bit easier for you to use. Thanks so much for posting! -Kimberly

Static is a bit annoying. I should have a humidifier right next to the combing table!

My pleasure, just hope it helps someone!

I'm working with a different Tarndie Polwarth right now...and OMG! it is some of the best fleece on the planet!!!!

@@thenaturalspinner I've never tried Polwarth before, what is it similar to? And where did you get it? I use hand spindles because I can't afford a wheel but it does a number on my arthritic hands (been wanting one since I learned to spin 13 years ago) 😟

That's great!! So glad you enjoyed it. - Kimberly

It does help, thanks for posting that!

Wow, thank you for your comment! Ah, yes, the 'waste' fiber. Of course it isn't really waste, just leftover fiber...my favorite thing to do with it is to make cloud out of it. I show that in a previous video with Paco-Vicuna. If it's clean enough, you could just card it into rolags and long draw it into a nice textured woolen yarn. Most of the time, I comb it again(it has to still be long enough to comb) and get what I call combing seconds. Shorter fiber but just as lovely as the longest first pass combed top. If you have no desire to do any of this but don't want to throw it out, it can always be used as natural stuffing for pillows or toys, or whatever else stuffing can be used for. It could be felted into batts for quilting, dryer balls, etc...I'm sure that's not everything, but it's all I can think of at this moment :) Thanks for asking! -Kimberly

Glad you liked it!

Thanks!

Good idea! Thanks, - Kimberly

Yes, great idea!

Hey there!!

You're welcome and Thank You! :)

Would you mind describing further your question, I’m not quite understanding your meaning? I feel like I should know what you mean, but I’m not sure. Thanks, Kimberly :)

Hi Kimberley. When I comb the comb that is taking off the fiber I turn sideways so the tips are facing usually to the right side. But when you comb your tips of the comb are facing up as you take off the wool from the stationary comb. PS Your fiber and work are so beautiful :)

Ah, yes. I do find myself holding the combs more up when I am transfering the fibers from the stationary to the moving comb. It’s the sharpness of the tines of the Valkyries. It’s also a more natural movement for me. When teaching though, I generally emphasize a more sideways movement as you mention. Just because that is a general rule in the combing book. The sharpness of the tines means that the fibers aren’t being pushed up off the stationary comb, so holding the comb more upright doesn’t cause me any problems. A more blunt tipped comb may push the fibers, so holding it sideways would be the better option. After years of combing, I have developed my own techniques that work well for me. It’s just experience and comfort level with combing. I also can watch TV while combing and only look at what I’m doing occasionally, because I’ve done it for so long. I LOVE to comb fibers!! Thank you for your lovely comment :) -Kimberly

Beautiful Kim... as always!

Hi Jillaine, How wonderful you got some Tarndie :) I sold two of the three I bought from Tarndie, not because I didn't love it, because I certainly did. I just needed to pare down. I got to love it for a while and I kept the darkest color. I will order more next year :) As for washing it. I did not wash it in lock form, but by 4 ounce lots in my mesh basket in side the bucket(which I still haven't done a video of...but I will soon). It was really easy to just find the tips and pull locks out to lash on to the combs. I've make a really nice skein from the dark grey I kept. It's so soft and lovely :) !! I'm really glad you found my video helpful! Thanks so much for posting again :) -Kimberly

TheNaturalSpinner I tried a variety of ways to wash it but had no luck pulling out locks unless I washed it in lock formation (neatly placed in mesh carefully folded around a row of locks). So I definitely want to see how you wash yours and are still able to pull locks out.

I should do a short tutorial on how to pull locks out from a randomly washed fleece. Not every fleece will allow you to do this, but with the Polwarth, I had no issues. -K

I'm using the Superfines and they are attached with what I could find at the time. I will do a video tour of my combing table soon!

It’s a good think they aren’t longer then ;) I hope you find time to finish watching. -Kimberly

Ravelry! Are you signed up already? Fabulous for all things fibery. -Kimberly :)

Hi Taylor, Personally, no, I would not put oil on my fibers. I only use water, but, if I did use anything other than plain water, I'd lean towards trying just a few drops of hair conditioner mixed in the water. I haven't done that, so can't say with absolute certainty that it works any better than just plain old water. If using water, it's best, in my opinion, to have a spray bottle that can spray a very fine mist. Big droplets of water tend to really wet it and then, as I've experienced, it makes it harder for the fibers to slide. The misting is just to cut static, not to really wet the fibers. Mist evaporates very quickly, so you may have to mist often. Oil is oil, it can leave residue on equipment, and I really just don't want that. It's all a matter of preference. Oiling fibers obviously works, but so does not oiling them. I've been combing for 5-6 years now and water works great for me. My combs are hardened steel, not stainless, so can rust, but they haven't yet. If they did though, a fine steel wool will take care of it. I hope this isn't too much info and you found it helpful. Thanks for posting! -Kimberly :)

That would be an interesting way to cut down static! Did you try it? Mixing natural colors is always fun!

@@thenaturalspinner I did not have success with the idea. I still got static and I got tangled in the static cord. I'll just deal with it like everyone else. I do leave some lanolin in my wool now when I wash my wool. That helps a great deal. Wool is a little greasy but not terrible bad. In the end it is a great way to reduce static when combing.

The Valkyrie Extra Fines work wonderfully on a wide range of fibers. Not all, but many. If you do some comparisons of other makes of combs and look for the tine size and spacing, there may be other brands that are close, so I can’t say that the VEF are the only ones that do a wide range of fibers, but they’re my favorites and I have used them now for many years with great success over a wide array of fibers. I especially love the gradual taper to the super fine points. Slides right into fibers without pushing them around ! They are also made of hardened steel, not stainless. This means the tines are less likely to bend, but that they can rust if the conditions are right. Fine steel wool takes care of any spots of rust with little effort. -Kimberly :)

Hello : ) If you went to the Valkyrie website, they do not list the superfines. If you send an email, they can send them when they have them. They tend to be a more specialty comb and they aren't always in stock. Another option would be to check Mielke's Fiber Arts. They have them in stock often (but as of writing this, they are out of stock). If you want the Extra Fine, Mielke's has them or you can request them from Valkyrie directly. I have the EF and SF. A set of combs of each and a matching hackle. There's nothing so far that I haven't been able to comb. -Kimberly

Thank you so much for your reply! I’ll see what I can find.

There are links to suppliers under the video.

General rule is the finer the fiber, the closer the tines, hence, the coarse the fiber, the wider space between the tines. There are exceptions, but that's a good gauge to use. Always best to do some experimenting to see which give the best results.

Hi Karen, I don't know much about that breed of rabbit. Could you possibly send me some pictures via email (thenaturalspinner@yahoo.com) of the fiber you have? Close-ups would be great and also tell me the length. That would be best for recommending a type of wool to blend it with. Thanks! -Kimberly

Hi Cyndi, Sometimes I do experiments to see what kind of yarns I get with different techniques or direction of spinning. Usually, if I put the locks on in the same direction, with cut end on the comb, when I diz off, I wind from the end where I started dizzing(the tip end), so I can spin from the cut end. This will aid in spinning a smooth yarn, as the scales of the fiber will be smoothed down as I spin. Then I wind the singles off of the bobbin, so that I can ply from the same end of the fiber as I spun the singles. That, to me, is a true worsted yarn. There are many opinions out there as to which is better. Always best to experiment and decide for yourself :) I believe I spun the Polwarth the other way to see what happened. I don't remember seeing any great difference, which is more common with fine fibers, with smaller scales, than with coarser fibers, with larger scales. It's easy to keep track of which end is which if you comb with one stationary, as the end on the stationary comb will always be the end you put on it. There is no way for it to get the other way around. If you are free hand combing, yes, it could be more difficult to remember, so to make it easy, you could put a piece of tape marking one tip and one cut or butt end. Does this make sense? I know sometimes in my explanations, I get carried away ;) Thanks again for your questions :) -Kimberly

NVM I found your combing waste video ;-)

Until it is free of neps, vm and looks smooth and perfect!! Usually, even with the dirtiest fiber, I've never done it more than three times. Generally two for fine fibers and once for medium wools. Once (one full round or pass) means, after it is lashed onto the stationary comb, it is combed off and then put back on the stationary and then dizzed off. Hope this helps :) -Kimberly

I think in this video, I wasn't paying as much attention as I would if I weren't talking for the video, so I think I actually did comb it one more time than necessary! But I do love to comb...-Kimberly

Thank you for watching and taking such an interest in combing :) Great questions :) If you watch when I comb, the fibers are not being turned around, but taken off the stationary comb and put back in the same direction, so it's easy to know which end is tip or cut end. Having a comb attached is so much easier as it leaves your free hand to help control the fibers. No one taught me that, it just developed over time as I learned to comb. I've got plans for videos with more details and tips on successful combing. Thanks very much and I'm so happy you find the videos helpful :) -Kimberly

P.s. I ordered some raw polwarth from the folks in Australia. The sheep are being sheared (sp?) next week! BIG GRIN.

Okay, I'm watching carefully. When you mount the fiber originally, the tips are facing you and the "butts" (cut end) are behind the tines. When you comb off the mounted comb, the tips are then now behind the tines of the hand-held comb. BUT I think I answered my own question: when you put the fiber back onto the mounted comb, the butt end ends up back behind the tines again. And since you always dizz (sp?) from the mounted comb, then the fibers WILL be in the same direction you initially mounted them. (But if you for some reason dizzed from the hand-held comb, the fibers would be in the opposite direction.) Am I making myself clear?

Yes! You got it :) Since I never swap combs, the fiber is in the same direction as when I first lashed it on. The keeping track part comes when you diz it off. If you are spinning a true worsted, you need to spin all of the fiber with the cut end towards the wheel, smoothing the scales, then wind it off the bobbin so that the cut end then goes first when plying. If you lose track, you can pinch a bit of fiber and run it back and forth between your fingers. It will always move towards the tip. -Kimberly

Enjoy! I won't be buying any this year, but next year it'll be on my list :)

I generally recommend the Extra Fines. Super Fines are only for extremely fine fibers and will not be as all around useful. If you have the funds, buy both sets, then you can comb just about anything : ) - Kimberly

Thank you for your reply to Carol. With that comment I went ahead with my plan and ordered the full size extra fines to accommodate hopefully the rest of the filthy fleece I’ve been dragging around the last 4 times I’ve moved out here in the Bakken oil country. Sad to see the money go but I’ll be oh so happy to have my own hoarded fleece to spin during the long brutal hopefully not too dark ND winter. When it’s -30° and my car won’t start I’ll be having FUN! Thank you for making these inspiring videos.

I would call you lucky if you have hair that color!! : )

I’ve no experience combing raw fleece. I like working with very clean fibers. It’s the perfectionist in me. If you wanted to make a traditional Gansey sweater though, you would want lanolin present as it’s the water shedding factor you’re after(although in this instance, fibers are usually carded for loft). If you want to comb fleece with the lanolin still present, I’d recommend using the cleanest fleece to start with and then at least soaking it overnight in cool water to remove as much of the sweat and loose dirt as possible. To help with the combing process, it is helpful to warm the fibers, next to a woodstove or leave in the sun in warmer weather, just until the lanolin softens. There is also the option of warming the combs themselves, as was traditionally done with English combing. Alternatively, if you could get your hands on a clean (think coated), freshly shorn fleece, that would be soft and no warming necessary. Remember also that lanolin will be left on your equipment and as I’ve never done it, can’t say how easy or difficult it is to remove. I’m imagining though, that as lanolin hardens over time, it may not be easy to clean off. If you cleaned it immediately after you were done, that may be easier. I enjoy handling raw fleece before it’s washed, but not to card, comb or spin, just becasue I don’t like the idea of my equipment getting all gummed up with the lanolin. It may not bother you. Others do it, and it was done historically, no doubt. Have you ever seen a sheep to shawl competition? They usually start with the shearing and move immediately to carding/spinning. It’s cool to watch! I would say give it a try and see if you like it or not. Maybe one day I will break down and try it just to say that I’ve done it :) Thanks for your question!

TheNaturalSpinner thank you for such a comprehensive answer. How do the brushes wash in water? If I purchase these beautiful brushes I'd like to know if they can wash well without ruining. But having said that I'm also very interested in knowing more about how sheep,were originally combed as you mentioned. Thank you for the fine food for thought, or research. I'd love to watch more videos of yours. Please make more. I could watch this one for hours! Thank you

When you say brushes, you mean hand cards? No matter which tool you are talking about, submersing in water is not recommended. Using a damp cloth may help, but now sure how much. Carding clean, dry wool can help to remove dirt and lanolin. A not great fleece that part of could be washed and used for cleaning tools. Just an idea. Like I said, I’ve not carded or combed unwashed wool. More research is needed before I can talk with confidence about historic wool preparation. -Kimberly :)

There is only one size of the Valkyrie Superfine combs. There is also a hackle available, but I think that is special order. The tine size of the supers is smaller than the extra fines and also the tine spacing is closer together than the extra fines. The superfine tines are set in a poly-resin material, which is bolted to the wood, to keep the tines from moving. They are worth their weight in gold to me, as they do all fibers 20 microns and under with ease. They will also do some over 20, such as mohair, that is slick and sometimes difficult to comb in wider spaced tines. All of the Valkyrie combs are made with hardened steel, making them, in my opinion, better lasting. I have NEVER had to straighten a tine, becasue they don't bend out of place. They do flex with enough force, but they go right back straight. They are definitely worth saving for. I've either tried or owned other combs and these are by far my favorites! I'm glad you asked :) -Kimberly

Very good information. Thank you. I think I'm heading down the path for the superfines... now just have to figure out which table I can "convert" to be like yours.

You can make one out of so many things. Look around and see what might work. All you have to do is make a small hole if one doesn't already exist. Think 1/8 of an inch. It doesn't need to be big.

Firstly, when you say raw, I assume you mean unwashed, with lanolin still on the fiber? If yes, then I personally would not recommend putting unwashed fleece on a blending board. The lanolin and dirt would build up and be very diffecult to clean off. Combing raw wool is done by some, but, same as above, it will make them very dirty. Combs will be easier to clean however. Combing and using a blending board are two very different ways of preparing fiber. Combs align the fibers and separate out the different lengths of fibers. Blending boards are basically a holder for the fiber that you put on, and when there is an appropriate amount of fiber on the board, then you can either roll it off into rolags, or pull up off the board as a batt, to spin however you like. You could flick locks and carefully put them on the board, so that when you are ready to take off the fiber, if you were to pull it off as a batt and then roll it lengthwise, you would have basically worsted prep for spinning as the fibers will be as parallel as you put them on. Most would call this semi-worsted prep. I have done this before, and after rolling the batt, pre-drafted it into a ‘top’ before spinning. Works pretty well actually. Thanks for your comment! -Kimberly :)

TheNaturalSpinner Yes, when I said "raw" I do mean just sheared and un-washed fiber. I have Llama, alpaca and sheep wool, Dorset. the sheep woold does have lanolin but I'm sure you know the llama does not. Thank you for the tips about the lanoline building up on my combs and blending board. I did not think about the lanoline. My husband bought some nails today and is going to make me a hackle and 2 combs. Do you have any tips on the nail spacing when making these? thanks again. I love your videos... keep them coming.

Ah, yes, I shouldn't have assumed you meant only sheep wool, sorry. The camelids that you have, as you know, will have lots of dirt in them. Even though they do not contain lanolin, I would always wash first, before any sort of processing. I once bought a batt of Alpaca from a friend...this was in my early years of spinning and I didn't think to ask if it was washed. Well...live and learn...when I was spinning it, I noticed my fingertips getting black with dirt. I eventually asked her if it was washed and she told me no. If I'd known, I'd have never bought it. It was lovely fiber, just dirty. I usually have to rinse Alpaca and the like more times than I do sheep wool, because of all of the dust and dirt. As for the spacing of the tines of the hand made combs...I'd start by looking up different brands of combs...some of the sellers give the specifics of tine size and spacing, which will be helpful to your husband in making them. It should give at least a starting place, even if he decides on different measurements. If he used larger diameter nails , but the same center spacing, than the tines of a certain brand, the spacing will actually be closer between the nails. I know there are some blog posts as well that cover hand made combs, so I'd do a search and see what you find. Good luck! -Kimberly :)

TheNaturalSpinner Thank you Kimberly for all your wonderful tips and help with all my Q's. you mentioned searching for "blog posts" where would I find "blog posts"? on the websites or on YT? I am new to all these different App's, channels, IG, Snap Chat, etc. Thank you again for your wonderful YT videos, I love them... "Thumbs Up"

You are very welcome:) Below the video, click on ‘show more’ and you should see the link to my blog. I haven’t been putting much on there lately, but am hoping to change that soon. -K

Not really. My very first video I made shows how hand cards can be used to make a sort of top, where all of the fibers are made parallell and dizzed off of the card. This is only really good for very small samples. In no way is it efficient. Some people would argue that it isn’t top, but as long as the fibers are made parallel, it would be the same in that way. At least in the basic sense. The general reason to use combs is to separate out the shorter fibers from the longer ones, making them all parallel for worsted spinning, to get a smoother, denser yarn that is excellent for weaving cloth. Of course I use worsted yarn for all of my knitting, but it’s a different yarn than woolen spun. Combs are awesome and if you can borrow some to try out, I highly recommend the experience!! Your own hand made combed top can’t be beat!!! -Kimberly :)

TheNaturalSpinner Thank you. I've been looking at different techniques. I'm trying to learn as much as I can.

Hi :) I only use water to reduce the static. It helps if it is in a fine mist and not big droplets. The point is to cut static, not wet the fibers. I have found that wet fibers do not comb well. Thanks for your question! -Kimberly :)

For LL, you could use the Extrafine or Fine Valkyrie combs. I have a friend with LL and will eventually have her farm tour uploaded! Glad to be of help. Hope all goes well with your new sheep! -Kimberly

@@thenaturalspinner Thank you, Kimberly!