Combed Tops & Hand Blended Combed Tops
Combed Tops are a worsted type of fiber preparation where all the fibers are aligned in one direction. These are best used for worsted types of spinning, like using the short draw for a smooth and strong worsted yarn. But it can also be used for woollen types of spinning, like using the long draw, for a semi-worsted yarn.
Oh Nina! Combed Tops are hand dyed in different styled colorways:
Variegated - Random occurence of colors throughout the top, which includes tonals;
Gradients/Fades - Long gradual changes in color or tints/shades.
Long and Short Color Sequences - Colors are placed in a set order in a set succession or mirrored;
Double Take Sets - Two complimenting colorways in various combinations of the above.
Oh Nina! Hand Blended Combed Tops are also a worsted type of fibre preparation. Hand combed Farm fibre and/or Milled combed tops are blended on a hackle and hand pulled into a beautiful new colorway.
The hand pulled blends may contain different combed fibres with similar staple lengths and were created using a tool called the hackle. Each blend is hand pulled and thus, will have thicker and thinner widths throughout. It has a soft and delicate quality with the looser blending of fibres. Spinning from the fold is one technique that can be used if the spinner wants to preserve the colors better and have a less blended yarn.
