I really like the rolags I make on my blending board with all the stuff, all the shiny, sparkly and loopy locks.

Some times I only want one or two of these rolags ,or sometimes I just don’t want to get out my blending board. When it’s that kind of a spinning day I use my hand cards.

That’s right, I don’t always use my handcards for carding or blending. Sometimes I use them just like a mini blending board. I work in one of two ways, either stuff then wool or wool then stuff for different uses.

I made a couple of rolags after taking a walk after it rained. I wanted to catch the changing of the leaves green, gold , a little read on a base a brown, with some shine for the water clinging to everything.

Stuff first, I paint on all the locks, silk, bamboo, intersperse with a little wool to stabilize it then topped with wool to hold it together.

I use the same tools I do for my blending board, a paint brush, a wallpaper brush, and dowels to roll the rolag off. It makes chunky, wild yarn.

There are times when I want the sparklies and locks to be more diffused, but not blended.

When I’m after this look I work with wool first, then all the bits.

I roll it into a rolag which looks plain, then I pull it into roving and, hello, all of my pretties.

I use both of these short and sweet methods of textured rolags when I want just a bit of that art/textured look in an otherwise plain yarn.

Sometimes I add them in randomly sometimes I plan the look like a painted colorway.

Do you use your hand cards this way?