Another 'How Much Roving?" Thread

[zeara]

I know it gets really annoying to have the same threads come up over and over again, but posting in the old ones tends not to yield and responses.

I'm about to place an order for roving with Sara's texture Crafts on ebay and i want to make sure i get enough. I want to make about 60 DEs that are about 42in (106cm) long splitting the roving 3 ways. How much do i need? I thought i'd get about 600grams but i'm not sure that will be enough now. I really don't want to have to order more than once for this set because every time i have to pay shipping and because i HATE having to wait for things to come in the mail.

If someone can give me the information, i will try to make a chart with how many grams of roving produce how many inches of dread, unsplit and split into two and three. If i can make such a chart i will try to get it added to the roving general information thread so that other newbs like me can know how much roving they need to buy.

-zeara

[sammu]

I know VSB, Jungle Dread, LPF and Miffy would know... they're like... the rovingy people here. If you don't get a response here I'm sure if you PM one of them they'd help out.

[VixenSingsBlack]

The problem is this: there's no answer to your question. There are a lot of factors that come into figuring out how much roving to buy. You've got some of them, but there are more.

How many DEs? 60
How long tip to tip? 42in
How many times CAN the roving be split? [Each company's roving will be thicker or thinner. It's not safe to assume you can split it in three; maybe it will be thick and yield four, maybe it will be too thin and only yield two splits. If you've used the company's roving already, then you should know, or maybe someone else can tell you]
Smooth dreads, or wiggly? [I'm sure this is easy to answer ]
When I felt, does the length stretch? shorten? stay the same? [again, this is something that you'll know]

ALSO, I came up with this equation for figuring out "how much":

Not that I am any kind of "expert" but I did some math on roving. Here's how I figured out how much roving I'd need. Let's say you want 30 roving dreads that are 22 inch DEs.

STEP ONE. DETERMINE HOW MANY INCHES Of ROVING YOU NEED!

My findings are: If you cut a 12 inch length of roving, then felt, you wind up with an 8 inch DE.

So now you use algebra to do a proportion and you can find out how many inches you need to cut for X length DE. Let's say you want 22 inch DEs:

12/8=X/22 --> 264=8X --> 33=X

So you'd need to cut a 33 inch length of roving to start with, then felt, fold in half, and you'll have 22 inch DE.

NOW that you've worked that math, you know how many total inches you need. You need 30x33=990inches OR 82.5 feet.

STEP TWO. HOW MANY OUNCES DO I BUY?

This is the part I am less sure about but I'll tell you what I've gathered in my limited experience. I bought a 4oz skein of roving. When measured it was 12 feet long. So if 4oz = 12 feet then another proportion:

4/12=X/82.5 --> 330=12X --> 27.5=X

So you would need AT LEAST 27.5 oz of roving to make 30 DEs at 22 inches.

As you can tell from the above, I didn't split my roving, and when I felt the length stretches. If when you felt you don't stretch or shorten the wool, then you need 2,520inches. Assuming there are 144inches in 4oz of roving, AND that you can split it into 3, you'll need 24 oz of roving. 24 oz of roving = 680grams of roving. TADA!

So the way you can do yourself a favor for working this out next time is really pay attention for two things: when you felt, if your roving shrinks or stretches, AND how many inches of roving there is in x amount of grams (this will vary somewhat by brand as well).

[zeara]

Wow, that reply was incredible thank you so much VixinSingsBlack!

[Stilldawn]

Are you coloring it yourself?

[VixenSingsBlack]

Wow, that reply was incredible thank you so much VixinSingsBlack!

No problems! Good luck, I want to see pictures

[zeara]

I am dying it myself, there are various kinds of dye in the arts studios at my school so i will test them out and see what works best. if nothing does, i'll buy something (acid dye?)

No problems! Good luck, I want to see pictures

I will certainly post pictures when i finish. I'm so excited! i've been waiting to start this project for almost two months (had to wait until it was less hot out so i wouldnt be swimming)

[Stilldawn]

PM'd you!

[Hibiscus]

Pm'd you VSB, can't do math >.<

[Stilldawn]

Im so glad I am not the only one that was completely clueless here. I just ordered a pound and a half of wool. Hoping to make 40-50 20 inch (when installed) DE's. Which means I need 1600 inches. Im afraid I did not order enough........