Roving - Yarn Spinning, Fiber Preparation Process

Roving is a long and narrow bundle of fiber. Rovings are produced during the process of making spun yarn from wool fleece, raw cotton, or other fibers. Their main use is as fiber prepared for spinning, but they may also be used for specialised kinds of knitting or other textile arts. After carding, the fibers lie roughly parallel in smooth bundles. These are drawn out, by hand or machine, and slightly twisted to form lengths suitable for spinning. These unspun strands of fiber are the rovings. Roving can also mean a roll of these strands, the strands in general (as a mass noun), or the process of creating them. Because it is carded, the fibers are less parallel than wool top (which is combed) and are not of uniform length. Carded rovings look fluffier than combed top, which looks smooth and has a high lustre. The fibers in combed top tend to be of a fairly uniform length due to the method of preparation. Though drawing it into strips may line the fibers up a bit. Roving is not to be confused with sliver as there is twist in roving. 

The roving process is a preparatory process used only for ring spinning. Finisher-drawn carded or combed slivers are fed into a simple roller drafting system where the linear weight is reduced to a size that is optimum for the yarn count to be spun. Since the linear mass is now drafted to a very lightweight, some twist insertion is also necessary to give the roving enough integrity to be pulled from the bobbin on the ring-spinning frame. The roving is wound in a precise manner onto a bobbin that varies in length from around one foot to over 15 inches. A full bobbin can weigh over 5 pounds.