Wool Roving & Spinning Fiber

We have wool roving from sheep and farms all over the world. Quantity discounts available on bulk wool roving for spinning at 4oz, 8oz, 16oz quantities.

Undyed Spinning Fiber Dyed Fiber Merino Wool Roving Corriedale Wool Roving Blue Faced Leicester Shetland Wool Roving Malabrigo Nube Merino Wool Roving

1180 products

Wool Roving and Top: Spinning Fiber for Every Craft

A good handspun single or a fluffy felted sculpture starts with good wool roving. We've been a fixture in the fiber arts world since 1997, and we still get a little giddy unpacking fresh bumps of fiber. This collection brings together carded wool roving and combed wool top across a wide range of breeds and colors, from soft next-to-skin merino to hardy, rustic wools. If you spin on a wheel or spindle, felt by wet or needle methods, or dye your own fiber, you're in exactly the right place. We're family owned and operated, and we don't stock lifeless, low-grade fiber, only quality preparations that are a genuine pleasure to work with.

Below you'll find the difference between roving and top, a breakdown of breeds, and how to buy by the ounce or the full bump.

What's the Difference Between Wool Roving and Wool Top?

Wool roving and wool top are both fiber preparations for hand spinning, but they differ in how the fibers are aligned, and that difference shapes your finished yarn. Wool top is combed, with all fibers running parallel for a smooth, lustrous, worsted-style yarn. Roving wool is carded, with fibers in a more random arrangement that traps air for a lofty, woolen-style yarn with more warmth and elasticity. Here's how they compare:

  • Wool top is combed and arranged parallel, spinning to a strong, even, lustrous yarn. It's best for worsted-style spinning, sock yarns, and any project that benefits from a dense, hard-wearing yarn.
  • Wool roving is carded and lofted, with more texture and air, spinning to a softer, fluffier yarn. It's best for woolen-style spinning, warm garments, and both wet and needle felting.

Most spinners try both. Top is easier for beginners learning to draft consistently, while roving for spinning rewards experienced spinners who want loft and bounce in the finished yarn.

Browse Wool Roving and Spinning Fiber by Type

Each fiber breed has its own staple length, micron count, and personality, so part of the fun is finding your favorites. Here's a guide to the breeds and preparations you'll find in this collection:

  • Merino wool roving: fine (19 to 23 micron), soft, and ideal for next-to-skin garments, shawls, and felted work.
  • Corriedale wool roving: mid-range (25 to 31 micron), forgiving for beginner spinners, and great for everyday yarns and felting.
  • Blue Faced Leicester (BFL) roving: long staple, lustrous, semi-worsted, and holds dye beautifully.
  • Shetland wool roving: traditional and hardy, ranging fine to coarse depending on source, and classic for Fair Isle and rustic knits.
  • Dyed wool roving: hand-painted and solid-color preparations across breeds, ready to spin.
  • Undyed spinning fiber: natural colors and white preparations for dyers and natural-color projects.
  • Malabrigo Nube: Malabrigo's signature hand-dyed merino roving in their full color range.

If you're a dyer who likes to start from scratch, our undyed yarn and fiber selection pairs perfectly with a spinning setup, and felters will find plenty to love in our felting yarn collection too.

Spinning vs. Felting: Does Fiber Preparation Matter?

Both spinning and felting work with wool roving for felting and wool top, but the preparation affects the result. For wet felting and needle felting, roving's lofty carded structure traps air and felts faster. For drop spindle and spinning wheel work, top spins to a smoother, more consistent yarn, while roving spins to a warmer, fluffier one. The fiber breed matters too, since Merino and Corriedale felt readily, while superwash-treated fibers are designed not to felt at all. If you're setting up to spin, our Ashford spinning wheels are a wonderful place to begin, and our team can help you match fiber to wheel.

Buying Wool Roving by the Ounce or by the Bump

Most fibers in this collection sell by the ounce, with quantity breaks at 4 oz, 8 oz, and 16 oz. Selected fibers also offer full-bump pricing (typically 4 to 8 lb) for spinners working on larger projects, dyers preparing inventory, or guilds buying bulk wool roving in volume. The 1 oz sample option lets you try a new breed or color before committing to a sweater quantity. With fast same-day shipping on most orders and free shipping when you spend $99 or more, stocking up is easy. Want a fiber we don't currently list, or have a question about staple length, micron count, or sourcing? Reach out, our spinning team is happy to help, and every purchase supports local farms and Freddy's Dog Rescue too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Beginners usually do best with a forgiving, mid-range fiber like Corriedale, or a combed wool top, because the parallel fibers of top draft smoothly and predictably while you're still developing consistent hands. Merino is wonderfully soft but its fine, short fibers can be a little slippery to control at first, so many teachers suggest starting with something slightly coarser. If you tell us how you're learning and what you'd like to make, we can recommend a beginner-friendly fiber and preparation to get you started happily.

In many cases yes, since breeds like Merino and Corriedale spin beautifully and also felt readily, making them versatile choices if you enjoy both crafts. The important thing to check is that the fiber is not superwash treated, because superwash preparations are specifically designed not to felt, which makes them great for spinning washable yarn but unsuitable for felting. If felting is your goal, choose an untreated wool roving, and our team can point you to fibers that work for both.

It depends on what you're making and how you spin or felt, but as a rough guide, a small needle-felted figure needs only an ounce or two, while a spun sweater's worth of yarn can take a pound or more of fiber. Because loft and finished yarn weight vary with your technique, it's smart to buy a little extra from the same batch to be safe, and our 1 oz sample option lets you test a fiber first. Tell us your project and we'll help you estimate the right quantity so you don't run short.

Micron count measures the diameter of the wool fibers, and lower numbers mean finer, softer fiber, which is why fine Merino at 19 to 23 micron feels soft enough for next-to-skin wear while coarser wools feel more rustic and hardwearing. It matters because it directly affects both softness and how the finished yarn or felt behaves, with finer fibers suiting delicate garments and coarser ones excelling at durable, textured projects. If you're sensitive to prickle or planning next-to-skin knits, choosing a lower micron fiber makes a real difference.

Wool roving is best stored somewhere cool, dry, and dark, ideally in a breathable container or bag rather than sealed plastic long term, so the fiber can breathe and avoid trapping moisture. The biggest threat is moths, so keeping fiber protected and periodically checking your stash, perhaps with cedar or lavender nearby, helps guard against damage. Stored well, wool roving keeps beautifully for a long time, ready for whenever inspiration strikes.