Day 176: "Diz" is not a valid Scrabble word. I checked, and yet anyone who has done much fiber blending for spinning probably has at least one diz in their tool kit, and knows it by that name. Essentially, a diz can be any object with a hole in it, through which carded fiber can be pulled to form top. And while we're having a vocabulary lesson, I should explain that "top" is preparation in which the fibers are parallel, smoother than roving. Top can be made from roving by carding it and pulling it through a diz. See? We've come full circle and are back to "diz" again." It was convenient that this gauge included three different sizes of holes for dizzing. I'm using the smallest to prepare my "Ice Caves" blend for the supported spindle because it's easier to see when I have a heavier bit of blue bamboo fiber coming up. When it does, I may want to take extra care to spread out into the white wool. The sheep gauge is easier to use than the hole in the top of a key, but that also makes a handy diz. A curved diz (made, perhaps, from a piece of PVC pipe) gives a bit more protection for your fingers where they might scrape against the carder teeth, and curved dizzes are available from various suppliers. Nevertheless, Scrabble aficionados will swear that "diz" is not a valid word. Goes to show how much THEY know about the subject!
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