I know people who are very very picky about how the fiber goes into the carder. Those folks all say "tips first" or "butt first". It always seemed to me that if you put the fiber in straight, it wraps around the drum without changing very much. It doesn't open out like it should. If you put it in straight sideways, it is likely to tear. Your batt ends up full of little short bits if the fleece is tender. So...I always open up my locks quite a bit and put them into the carder at an angle...usually with a corner of the butt leading. That seems to open up the lock nicely without tearing. Then I tear the batt lengthwise, draft it a bit, widen it out to fit the tray, and feed the parts thru again. Sometimes I card this way 3 or 4 times until I get a nice even prep. Usually I roll it lengthwise and predraft it into a roving before I spin. I don't spin to knit, I spin to weave and I like a fairly smooth yarn. A smoothly spun, even yarn depends on a really good prep.
Lynn C Seattle
