COMBED TOP
Combed top is specially prepared fiber where all the fibers are in alignment, close to each other with little air in between, and mostly the same length. Combing is especially good for fine-grade fibers such as Merino, Rambouillet, or Cormo, but you can comb medium and coarse grade as well.
Combed top makes a very sleek, smooth yarn when spun using a worsted draw. Worsted yarn is wonderful to use for designs such as cables as they are much more distinctive than if you used a fluffier woolen yarn.
A combed top is most often seen in those pretty braids you see online. It is quite easy to make at home using wool combs.
Wool combs come in a variety of sizes and rows of tines. This may help you choose the right wool comb for the job.
page from the book The Art of Washing Wool, Mohair and Alpaca by Mary Egbert
If you want to make a "true" worsted combed top you would make sure the locks are all in the same direction, but this is left to the hard-line worsted spinners. If you don't want to do it that way, you don't have too.
See the video on how I comb a dual coat fiber and dize off a combed top.
If you want to dive deeper into worsted prep and spinning check out my online spinning and fiber courses at the Camaj School of Fiber Arts. Click the photo below to head on over and join a fiber class today.
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