# Mystery wool roving, already drafted, picked up at thrift store?



## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Hi Fiber friends! I don't know how to tell what type of wool this is, or does it matter? It came in a big roll, already drafted in 6 strands. I bought both packages in the summer at a thrift store, they each measure 7 by 10 inches with 4 inches in height, by accident as it was in plastic, thought it was yarn..OOPs. I wasn't wearing my glasses at the time. Well it is a happy oops, it spins beautifully as it is the perfect thickness. The color is almost a light tweed as it is white to light blue to blue. Since there are 6 strands, I am winding the 5 strands onto the Hubby yarn winder and spinning with one strand. I started this while waiting for more Icelandic to dry and to have a fiber play day. The packages were just $4 each!

Isn't this pretty?


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

What a great find!!! Congratulations!


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## Osiris (Jun 9, 2010)

Ewwww....nice. I could see a great scarf or blanket out of that! ;-)


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

The colors are much nicer than the cell photo. I found if I use my right hand to unwind 5 strands, my left hand can guide the right single strand at the same time. This way I get a pile on my lap of one strand and a pile of 5 ply on top of the winder. Then I wind the 5 ply onto the winder and then, spin the single ply onto my spindle until I reach the round of 6 ply, repeat. I made a clip to secure my 1 ply to the spindle inbetween winding up the 5 ply on the winder. When I get it all done, I will have 6 skeins of single ply from each one. Then I can decide if I want to double ply.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Kasota said:


> What a great find!!! Congratulations!


Thank you! At the time, I opened the package and was like..bummer it is not yarn but then, I saw it had 6 strands. Now knowing that it would be a challenge, it went into my suit case and back here. After I took a break from the Icelandic yarn spinning, I remembered this...and thought..oh the yarn winder, that is how I can do that easily! 



Osiris said:


> Ewwww....nice. I could see a great scarf or blanket out of that! ;-)


Thank you! The subtle variation in colors is so nice, cell pic doesn't capture that..I will have to make something special.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

I took the first skein to the living room and used the flash on my phone. Hopefully you see the color better. It seems I can see the blue but not the variation as well. There was more to the roll of roving left, 1/4 more but I could only hold this much on my spindle. This is a good sized skein. So I guess I will get more then 6 of these to one roll (I thought each strand of roving would be one skein but they are more I guess). Gosh, what a good deal that was. So glad I bought both of the packages.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Looks like White Buffalo roving yarn out of Canada ........the stuff they sell to make/imitate Cowichan sweaters. It's certainly not known for single strand strength, but it sure is scrunchy and warm when knit up.
I'll bet that's what it is.......


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Forerunner nailed it, thank you! Spinning the strands does add strength to it and doubled plying is better yet. If a person tried to use a strand the way it comes, we'll that wouldn't work. I read about how it is used to knit outer wear, jackets as Forerunner says by using 6 strands at once. The cool zip down kind is the goal there but I figure with only two of these rounds, I will spin them into two ply and use them that way.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I got some like that from a mill near me. I was being shown how the machines work. The "cake" I was given is the yarn just before the final spin to put enough twist in it to ply it.
I added some twist by 4 plying it and made some awsome winter socks.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Pencil rovingI have a few wheels I bough years ago that are Icelanic wool. But as you say, does it matter? Spin it or don't, you can knit or crochet with it as it is, just carefully, I f it is Icelandic that is. Buffalo (Bison) would be way too short to knit as a roving and would need to be spun first. 

If you take a length of it between your hands start at about an inch apart, and gently try to pull it apart. Move your hands further and further apart (by about a 1/2" at a time) until it easily comes apart. Then do it again with the length you just pulled off only keep your one hand on the pulled apart side. Does that make sense? This will tell you the average length of the fibers in the roving and let you know about how it needs to be spun (or not). If the fibers are super short, 1" or less, it will need to be spun with a lot of twist to hold together and probably can't be knit with as a roving.

Have fun with this Romy, great find


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

It's not buffalo fur, silly, just Buffalo brand.

:bored:



















:grin:


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

What I could do is also try spinning it with some of the Icelandic I am spinning now. There is the part that is like long hairs, very strong and it would work very well to strengthen that. Then it would have more color variation.  

After spinning it single ply, it seems ok with a tug but I am thinking two ply to get a less chunky look. 4 ply would be very chunky if crocheted...probably be a slipper at that point! Ok I have to start knitting next. If you all saw me crochet, you would laugh anyway. I do it like a blend of knit and crochet motion. I do know how to knit though, just haven't been. I am self taught originally so I guess I blended the two motions. I don't twist the wrist when I crochet. I just keep seeing all the things I could make using knitting instead...then there is weaving....oh my I will never leave the house...LOL


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

I double twined it after spinning single ply. It can withstand a nice tug so I am happy with it. Then I twined some single ply which I did spin first with my freshly spun Icelandic single ply...


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

That turned out nicely Romy. What do you think you'll make with it?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Mittens ?!! :kiss:

That last hank looks really yummy.

Where's the snuggly/cuddly fiber-intoxicated emoticon ?

:shrug:


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Marchwind said:


> That turned out nicely Romy. What do you think you'll make with it?


First I am going to spin up the remaining 10 skeins I can make out of it. Then I will decide...LOL



Forerunner said:


> Mittens ?!! :kiss:
> 
> That last hank looks really yummy.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the compliment....It turned out so cuddly soft and not sure what I will make. I think I will just concentrate on spinning up the rest the same way, I have two hanks done with 10 more to go. 

What snuggly/cuddly fiber fiber-intoxicated emoticon?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

romysbaskets said:


> What snuggly/cuddly fiber fiber-intoxicated emoticon?


The one we've been needing so desperately in this forum.........but have yet to find ?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

FR I think this :buds: might be as close as we will get unless one of us knows how to design those things


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

If only each little chum there was holding a 500 gram skein of angora/alpaca blend......instead of a bottle of suds ?

:shrug:


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

:knitting:


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