Raw Wool to Roving - Video #7: - Using a Drum carder to Card the wool and diz / Pull off roving
- Erica Henry
- Jul 7
- 2 min read
Welcome back to the Raw Wool to Roving Series! If you’ve been following along, you’ve learned how to wash and scour raw wool, spin out the excess water, drying wool and now we are going to use a drum carder to card the wool and pull / "diz" off some roving.
Why Use a Drum Carder and Diz to pull off / "diz" Roving?
When you card fiber with a drum carder, the result is a lofty batt—great for felting or woolen spinning if you pull it all off at once. But what if you want a more manageable, rope-like prep for your spinning wheel or spindle?
That’s where the diz comes in!
By pulling fiber through a diz (a small tool with various hole sizes), you can draft the batt into continuous roving. This makes the fiber easier to spin, store, and transport—and it’s incredibly satisfying to watch it form.
Why You’ll Want to Watch This One
If you’ve been following the series, you’ve already learned how to wash, dry, and prep your fleece. Now, this video connects the dots between fiber prep and actual spinning. Pulling roving from a drum carded batt is ideal for those who want to spin a lofty, airy yarn. It gives a woolen style prep so you can spin wool yarns, unlike combed top which gives a worsted prep to spin worsted yarns. Neither is better than the other, they just produce different results which can have pros and cons.
What You'll Learn in This Video:
How to prep your drum carder for clean, even carding
How to use a threader to pull fiber through the diz
The difference between batts and roving (and why it matters for spinners)
Tips for controlling fiber width and consistency with your diz
Why this method is perfect for small-batch, hand-processed wool
Whether you're prepping fiber from your own flock or working with purchased fleece, this method gives you a smooth, beginner-friendly way to transition from carded wool to spinner-ready roving.
Why You’ll Want to Watch This One
If you’ve been following the series, you’ve already learned how to wash, dry, and prep your fleece. Now, this video connects the dots between fiber prep and actual spinning. Pulling roving from a drum carded batt is faster than combing, and ideal for those who want to spin a lofty, airy yarn.
Materials and tools used:
For a full list of my favorite items check out: https://www.rebelstitchers.com/post/my-favorite-fiber-processing-tools-and-fiber-dyeing-equipment
Drum Carder - mine is very old so I cannot link to it exactly but this is the new model https://paradisefibers.com/products/standard-drum-carder-extra-fine-72-tpi
Diz
Catch Up on the Entire Raw Wool to Roving Series:
Video #1: DIY Wool Tumbler https://youtu.be/Juw7BJlrtXo?si=FQE4H-N44k2KKK3q
Video #2: How to Scour Wool - My Outdoor Setup https://youtu.be/DJQUlx5IGZ8?si=LlScza4DrGsNsG-w
Video #3: Dawn Vs Unicorn Power Scour https://youtu.be/rdSK_cXBaQ0?si=kfqVuHeZP-o8Q-FV
Video #4: How I Spin Water Out of Washed Wool https://youtu.be/vHXcyBC4CeE?si=ZOwNolTirADuvAU6
Video #5: What I Use to Dry My Fleeces https://youtu.be/vA6R8KjbyBw?si=u8RQ4CiEZx1m_RJF
Video #6: Using a Hackle and Diz to Pull Roving from Carded Wool https://youtu.be/XExF8K54w38?si=N45AwtRCiqqzEfXv
Video #7: Turning Drum Carded Wool into Roving with a Diz https://youtu.be/xQ3v-e_cstQ
🎬 Stay tuned for more videos coming soon! Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a new fiber arts tutorial.
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