Mixing dubbing...

I'm not sure who it was who was wondering about mixing dubbing for Stonefly
patterns, I lost the original email and I apologize...

Anyway, someone had advised to use a coffee grinder, (not the one in the
kitchen, a new one)... It works great and makes some nice fine and
superfine dubbing... Following is another alternative that works fantastic
and it's using "Carding Brushes":

"Carding Brushes," are called cards in the fiber trades. They're much like
cat or dog slicker brushes, except they're much larger and the teeth are
bent. They're meant to straighten, smooth and align fibers like wool,
cotton and silk, and to blend colors. They're available from weaving and
spinning shops.

Cards produce parallel fibers that aid in spinning into yarn. They don't
break up the fibers into short bits. If you buy them at a fiber store, ask
the folks there how to use them. It isn't as intuitive as it may seem.

The easiest place to get "carding brushes" is to go to your local pet store
and buy the Slicker brushes meant for grooming dogs and cats. These have
a heavy black plastic handle holding a rectangular brush head that has
dozens of metal pins set into a rubber base. The size I use are smallish
- about 1-1/2" x 3" and you need TWO.

Just about any store that sells pet supplies have them. They are not
cheap - each one costs $7-$9. But once you got em, you got em forever.

You take a big pinch of unfluffed, unblended dubbing pieces and place them
on one brush, then you scratch at it with the other brush to transfer it a
little bit at a time to the second brush. Do that repeatedly in different
directions, and voila! mixed dubbing.

Rodney...
aka smokeater734
Paramedic/Firefighter
Los Lunas, New Mexico