# roving question...



## mamajohnson

I am pondering buying some roving to facilitate the 'tour de fleece' 
so, what I keep wondering is,,, if I buy 3.5 or 4 oz of roving, how much yarn can I expect to get if it is spun into a sport weight? Say... singles...
I want to be sure to get enough that I can spin it for a project, not just have random small skeins sitting around. So, is there any rule to go by on how much roving to how much yarn you get? I know spinning itself will impact it, but I just need an idea of a guide or something.

Thnx in advance!


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## gone-a-milkin

Well, 3.5 oz is 100 grams. So, a 4 oz roving would make a pair of socks if spun fine enough. 
Think of all those 100 gram balls of yarn you can buy, it is like 'that' much yarn.
You could go and look at the sites and see how much yardage is in a sportweight skein of 100 grams.


Basically a single 4 oz roving is enough to knit a hat, or pair of gloves, maybe a smaller shawl if spun fine enough.

If you see something wonderful, you should get at least 8 oz of it.  
Then you could make something substantial like a long scarf or a hat/mitten set.

I am so excited for the TdF!!!


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## frazzlehead

Bah, just buy it by the pound. 

$24 CDN for a whole pound of roving. That'll keep you spinning for awhile!


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## Tommyice

So which breed is the easiest for a new spinner to spin?


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## mamajohnson

Thnx GAM and Frazzle! I think I will take both advises! 
I was thinking that 8 oz or 12 of the dyed roving would be good....

Frazzle...I love that website! I will for sure be checking out all those different types of fiber and making some solid decisions on a pound or two. :clap:


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## Callieslamb

I've been working on a pound of merino for a week now. I don't think I willl EVER get to the end of it. I ditto -buying 8 oz. I had 1 4-oz ball of roving and it made a decent amount of sport-weight yarn. Enough for a hat. I think I'd want more for a scarf. To be save - buy the 8 oz or more.

Tommyice - easiest all depends. I'd not try something slick - like merino.....corriedale maybe or a blend of different fleeces would be nice.


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## gone-a-milkin

Tommyice, are you talking about the breeds in that link that Frazzle posted? 

All their wools have been processed into roving and should be really easy to spin.
Romney is very easy, and Shetland too. 
Some of the others I havent tried, but I bet they would all be fine.


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## frazzlehead

Tommyice, try the Corriedale - it's very easy to spin.

The California Red is really great too - it actually DOES have red highlights in the wool and it makes the most beautiful natural coloured yarn! Very soft, too.

If you aren't sure, just email Flannelberry and tell her you're a rookie and ask her to give you advice. She is *really* good that way.

She's my Yarn Whisperer - if you read my book, you'll see her in the acknowledgements at the back. When I was starting the projects for the book I had all these vague ideas for what I wanted to make, but I was sooooo not well enough to be picking colours and yarns and ... gah it just overwhelmed me. I talked to her about what I had in mind, kinda sorta, and she just went down to the shop and picked out a whole box of yarn that fit in my budget (and I think she was pretty generous, actually!) and then mailed it to me. When I opened it, I was just amazed ... .it was EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED even though I couldn't have explained it before hand. She's awesome.


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## frazzlehead

Oh - another note about the Canadian Fibre - I love spinning this particular stuff because it is NOT processed within an inch of it's life.

There'll be the odd bit of VM, but not too much of it - it hasn't been scoured with harsh chemicals that kill the life in the wool. It is *real wool*, and it is awesome to spin. The CalRed in particular is quite different than your 'run of the mill' rovings, highly recommended.


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## Falls-Acre

I've noticed that Corriedale seems to be one of the more common beginner fibers for spinning.  I checked out that website too... too bad they don't ship to the US! LOL


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## frazzlehead

Flannelberry most definitely ships to the US! In fact she is right by the border, so it is even easier for her ... She can drive to the US and mail from there, which is very handy. Just email for a shipping quote.


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## Tommyice

Thanks for the advice ladies!


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