Best place to buy Roving? (US)

[lustfullocks]

i know there is the same question for the UK.. but in the US where is the best place to buy roving? I'm really curious on experimenting with it

[Stilldawn]

I use bluegooseglen.com

weights are accurate and prices are reasonable

[miasmahair]

I'm gonna get all nepotistic and say Ashford Corriedale is a really good sort of roving to start with, felts really easily! If you go to http://www.foxglovefiber.com/_dealer/index.php and enter your zip code it will find the closest dealer for you. Hope that helps!

[VixenSingsBlack]

BlueGooseGlen.com for me too! Beware their color chart, it seriously sucks. I know the colors from buying a pound of wool bits off of them, so if you'd like one describe I can arrange it.

EDIT: I used that FoxGlove website. Closest store is -- 219.42 miles away from me! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

[miasmahair]

Haha, the problem is, your country's just too freakin BIG!

[VixenSingsBlack]

Problem is I live in the deep south, where only a handful of sheep breeds can survive. No one wears wool down here either. No one felts or spins. There are some knitters, but not many. We're more of a gardening kind of place, because we can grow tropical plants ALL year.

[miasmahair]

Ahh, tropical, sound divine! But not ideal for wooly-based activities

[jennyswool]

i have been using merino top, because it was suggested to me that top is better for things that are going to be near your face, like scarves and... hair! haha. but roving is processed differently and that's what everyone else seems to use.

can anyone offer any advice on this? why one would be better than the other?

(sorry for the million questions today, i am beyond thrilled to find this forum and i'm a very new felter!)

[VixenSingsBlack]

i have been using merino top, because it was suggested to me that top is better for things that are going to be near your face, like scarves and... hair! haha. but roving is processed differently and that's what everyone else seems to use.

can anyone offer any advice on this? why one would be better than the other?

(sorry for the million questions today, i am beyond thrilled to find this forum and i'm a very new felter!)

Mmmmm, I've been told to user "merino tops roving." Does that help you?

[jennyswool]

yes! it does. that means i'm using the right kind. people often use the word "roving" to desrcibe any "reel" of wool but technically top and roving are two different types. they are processed at different levels. i think roving felts easier but top is much softer and better to have near the face.

you can tell by looking at the threads. if they are all going in different directions, it's probably roving.if they seem to mostly be going in the same direction, it's a top. (a good way to make top felt faster is to needle felt it shortly before wet felting, or even after. it helps the threads integrate more.)

thanks for the info!

[VixenSingsBlack]

You can also check this thread about where to buy-->viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7457

I think there's been some discussion in the replies.

[pixychick]

Problem is I live in the deep south, where only a handful of sheep breeds can survive. No one wears wool down here either. No one felts or spins. There are some knitters, but not many. We're more of a gardening kind of place, because we can grow tropical plants ALL year.

I know what you mean I live in Texas, central and South texas ( the southern most tip of texas so we are on the Gulf and tropical as well).
I am thinking about trying wool dreads, since you live in NOLA you have about the same weather I have, will they be horrible to wear during the summertime?
Will I sweat like crazy with them in? Will they smell horrible? Should I just wait for our 5 weeks of winter to wear them?(lol)

[VixenSingsBlack]

Problem is I live in the deep south, where only a handful of sheep breeds can survive. No one wears wool down here either. No one felts or spins. There are some knitters, but not many. We're more of a gardening kind of place, because we can grow tropical plants ALL year.

I know what you mean I live in Texas, central and South texas ( the southern most tip of texas so we are on the Gulf and tropical as well).
I am thinking about trying wool dreads, since you live in NOLA you have about the same weather I have, will they be horrible to wear during the summertime?
Will I sweat like crazy with them in? Will they smell horrible? Should I just wait for our 5 weeks of winter to wear them?(lol)

I wore 52 short, purple, pink, wool dreads in the dead heat of July. Really, the only time it got "uncomfortable" was getting into cars, since they sit in the sun and get SUPER hot. If my head got really hot, I'd take one cup of ice water and gently pour it over just my scalp. It was like... the wool wasn't really that hot, but getting into the car caused all the heat to get trapped under the dreads by my scalp. Then the heat could not escape, even though my body was cool. The cup of water made it all better immediately though! Just keep the dreads short, short, short. Here's pics of the hair during dead heat of July> viewtopic.php?f=29&t=7470&p=117970&hili ... ds#p117970

[pixychick]

Wow you are one brave soul. I have long thick dark brown hair and it soaks up the summer heat like no other, I usually have to wear sunblock on my part or my scalp will get sunburned . So I know how uncomfortable it is to have a ball of heat on your head and having that and a bunch of wool doesn't sound all that great to me. I need try it out though see if I can handle it. I need to find some and buy some though.
One question though, when you pour water on your head to cool off will the color leak out on dyed dreads?


OT but:My husband and I are hopefully planning to go to NOLA for our 1 year wedding anniversary so maybe we could meet up and have a drink!!

[miasmahair]

Yeah dude, I was wearing these ones for a month in the middle of summer viewtopic.php?f=29&t=10426 and admittedly is was a pretty average summer, I had absolutely no overheating problems at all. If it got super hot I just tied them up so the back of neck could get some airflow and it was tickety boo! My ones were dark, but if you were really worried you could try light-coloured ones that reflect all the light.
Oh, and dye shouldn't wash out of wool dreads, especially with cold water, I've only ever had problems with, er, "leakage" if I boiled the dreads

[pixychick]

Shweet!! I love those green/black dreads btw they are really pretty.
I need to just try it out and see if i can take it. lol
Now I need to decide if I want to make my own first or if I'll just buy some from someone and try those out.

[christbarr44]

hi
ebay lots have been good for me

or

www.homesteadweaver.com used to be great

[Candied_Angel]

I've heard about this place in PA called West Earl Woolen Mill that's pretty cheap when it comes to batting and roving. I haven't ordered from them but I'm sure I will in the near future. They don't have a website so it's basically call only.

West Earl Woolen Mill
110 Cocalico Creek Rd
Ephrata, PA 17522
717-859-2241