Northern California Fibershed
We are located within the Northern California Fibershed, which spreads from San Luis Obispo to the Oregon Border, and are proud members of the Northern California Fibershed Cooperative! All of our tools are made in Pinole, California. Wood and other materials are sourced from within the US and particularly within our Fibershed whenever possible.
We have hand cards and flickers available that are made with Pacific Yew wood that was grown and milled right here in Northern California. You can find those by clicking on Flicker, Wool Cards, or Cotton Cards below and selecting “Pacific Yew” as the wood choice.
Below, you will find some of the most popular fiber prep and hand spinning tools that we make. We’ve also included our NorCal Wool Sampler from Good Clean Fiber, and books from authors who live within the boundary of our Fibershed.
If you want to know more about what is produced in our region, please visit the Northern California Fibershed Cooperative and the Fibershed Marketplace. To learn more about the Fibershed movement and find your region’s Fibershed, visit Fibershed.org.
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Books
A Spinner’s Dozen
$24.00 Add to cartThe second offering from PLY Books, A Spinner’s Dozen is a guide of invaluable spinning tools.
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Hand Cards
Curved Back Wool Hand Cards
$149.00 – $256.00 Select optionsOur most popular style of hand carders feature 72 teeth per inch and curved backs. This tooth spacing is versatile enough to handle most wool breeds and blends. These are the go-to hand cards for most beginning spinners, teachers, and historical demonstrators. Sold as a pair.
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Drum Carders
Elite Convertible
$1,675.00 Select options- Mill-style carding cloth that can process a wide variety fibers including wool, alpaca, & cotton
- Will not tear fibers or create nepps or noils
- Creates up to a 4 ounce batt
- Includes six tools for efficient carding
- Maintenance free and easy to adjust
- Convertible to motorized with our Electric Drive
- Built for a lifetime of use
- Free US shipping
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Drum Carding Tools
Flicker
$40.00 – $62.00 Select optionsOur Flicker utilizes a turned maple handle tenoned into an alder back. This combination of woods puts the bulk of the weight in the palm of the user’s hand, making this flicker as ergonomic as possible. The smooth, round handle provides for a comfortable grip in small or large hands. The 2.5” x 4.5” carding pad has 72 teeth per inch set in a vulcanized canvas foundation.
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Books
Knitting Comfortably by Carson Demers
$46.95 Add to cartThis is THE book on ergonomics for knitters and fiber artists. It is written by a health-care professional who is also a knitter and spinner.
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Drum Carders
Lock Pop
$138.00 Add to cartThe Lock Pop is both a versatile stand alone fiber preparation tool and a great tool to pop open a lock before carding or combing. By popping a lock up and down a few times on the teeth, then pulling it through the teeth of the Lock Pop, the lock will often be spinnable as is, and will be ready for hand cards, a drum carder, blending board, hackle, or combs. Each Lock Pop comes with Free Shipping in the U.S.
Designed with speed and efficiency in mind, the Lock Pop functions equally well as a standalone tool and as an opener before carding or combing. The Lock Pop excels at:
- Loosening tight tips
- Removing vegetable matter
- Quickly preparing fleece for spinning from the lock
- Separating dual coated fleece
- Opening slightly matted or felted fibers
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Drum Carders
Mini Standard Drum Carder
$690.00 Select optionsAll the features of our Standard Drum Carder in a 4” width. The mill style carding cloth allows the user to card any fiber – from cotton to churro and in between – without making any adjustments or creating neps or noils.
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Fleece for Sale
NorCal Fibershed Fleece Sampler
$85.00 Add to cartSample the Northern California Fibershed with this collection of washed wool. This sampler includes two ounces each of six different breeds, with each sample sourced from a different ranch in our Fibershed.
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Books
Raw Material
$21.00 Add to cartIn Raw Material, Stephany Wilkes tells the story of American wool through her own journey to becoming a certified sheep shearer. What begins as a search for local yarn becomes a dirty, unlikely, and irresistible side gig as the author leaves her high tech job for a way of life considered long dead in the American West. Stephany shears for our family and we are thrilled to help share her story through this book.
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Drum Carders
Standard Drum Carder
$950.00 Select optionsThe name says it all. Since this model went into production over 40 years ago, it has been the standard that all other carders are measured against. The mill style carding cloth allows the user to card any fiber – from cotton to churro and in between – without making any adjustments or creating neps or noils.
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Drum Carders
Elite Crankless
$3,195.00 – $4,725.00 Select options- Mill-style carding cloth that can process a wide variety fibers including wool, alpaca, & cotton
- Will not tear fibers or create nepps or noils
- Creates up to a 4 ounce batt (or 8 ounce with Doublewide)
- Includes six tools for efficient carding
- Maintenance free and easy to adjust
- Can be hand cranked with included handle
- The safest motorized drum carder on the market
- Built for a lifetime of use
- Free US shipping
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Modern Wheel
Modern Spinning Wheel
$200.00 – $1,765.00 Select optionsOur Modern Wheel is a versatile, durable wheel with modern styling and components. The heavy drive wheel allows for comfortable spinning for hours. The flyer is virtually unbreakable, making this a good wheel to toss in the back of the car for spinning lessons, a farmer’s market demonstration, and guild meetings.
- Double drive
- Single treadle
- Optional Bulky, Quill, and Distaff
- Approximately 4 ounce bobbin
- 5.5 flyer whorl ratio
- Current lead time is six to twelve months
- Double drive
