Carding wool with dog rakes and slicker brushes.

I have used dog slicker brushes as hand cards to process wool and it can be done, if you are patient. Carding is a great excuse for sitting in front of the TV or watching DVDs.

I would sit down with a paper grocery sack of washed wool on one side and empty paper grocery sack on the other side. Make little mini batts with the slickers and put those in the empty bag. Be sure to have 3 or 4 empty bags on hand because the fluffy mini batts will take up much more room than the washed wool.

If you are really in need of obsessive compulsive activity, use dog rakes to pick the wool first, then use the slickers to make mini batts.

You can use a c-clamp to attach one rake or slicker to a table, to reduce the wear/tear on your hands.

Do not do this activity on the good sofa or wearing good pants. Put down a cloth if you do it over the carpet. Much dust and Vegetation Matter (VM) will fall out of your wool no matter how well you washed it.

It was this activity that allowed me to whole heartedly give my lovely wife Tracy permission to shop for a drum carder when she asked. We now have a Strauch Petite.

But I still plan to use my rakes and slickers just to keep my hand in. At least I have been using rakes to pick the wool before putting through the carder.

Dog rakes can cost less than $10 each. Slickers cost around $10 to $15 each, compared to $50 to $100 and more for a pair of regular wool cards and/or combs.

Have a good day!