Carder
Strathnaver Museum

Hand cards are typically square or rectangular paddles which were manufactured in a variety of sizes. Small cards, called flick cards, were used to flick the ends of a lock of fibre, or to tease out some strands for spinning off. A pair of cards was used to brush the wool between them until the fibres aligned in the same direction and could then be peeled from the card as a rolag.

Carding was normally done outside or over a drop cloth, depending on the wool’s cleanliness.