The Cotton Sliver (4606) supplied by Historical Folk Toys has been through several stages before arriving in its current state. After the cotton is picked, separated from the seed, and cleaned, the raw fiber -- which is referred to as "lint" at this stage -- is compressed into bales and sold to textile mills. The mills produce the "sliver," a continuous, untwisted, rope-like strand. The sliver proceeds to a combing machine that removes the shorter fibers and impurities, thus making the sliver smoother which will produce a uniformed yarn. But before yarn is made, the sliver is drawn out into thinner strands and given a bit of twist and wound on bobbins. It is now referred to as "roving" and ready for spinning, either on a hand spindle, spinning wheel, or by a manufacturing mill.
Please see our Cotton Hand Spindle Set (4604) for the historical background of spinning cotton. Likewise, see our Cotton Hand Spindle Only (4605) for the historical background of hand spindles for cotton.
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