Spinning longdraw is my favorite method and to really, truly spin woolen longdraw in the purest way, you need rolags; lots of rolags. Rolags are traditionally made using hand cards but there is a way to make them using the drum carder. Lots of folks make them right of the drum. I don't like that method only because no matter how hard I try, I end up poking my arms and hands on the pointy bit and it hurts. So, I remove the batt from the carder and:
Split the batt into thirds across the batt (as opposed to long ways);
Grasp the sides of the fiber and pull it apart; it separates like the pages of a book. My goal is to get something close to the size of handcards;
Roll the fiber loosely around a dowel and,
Viola!
It is essential for easy spinning to keep the fake rolags a reasonable size and to keep them light and airy for a light and airy woolen yarn. The ones pictured here are made from some yummy alpaca from Great Rock Alpaca; the staple is a little long for rolags (for my taste) but they spun like a dream.
Well, I'm trying to master technology so pardon the noise in the background (and yes, those are our parakeets singing).
Here is a VERY short video of me doing a little long draw spinning:
Long draw spinning is the most fun and gets lots of yarn on the bobbin quickly. I'm spinning some really nice Corriedale that I bought at the Big E last fall. I ran the fiber through the drum carder to prep it. Sorry about the sloppy bobbin.
