Debiraymond, there's a joke in the spinning world that you should enjoy your thick yarn now as a beginner, 'cause later on you won't be able to spin thick! I used to snort at that. My fingers take over now and draw the fiber out so thin sometimes it's a miracle it holds together. As for dyeing, there's a lot of great products available on the web. When working with kids, I use Koolaid! Non-toxic and the colors stay fast for many years. My personal favorite is the Country Classics dye. It's easy, easy, easy! Here's a link to Paradise Fibers (you guys will love this site. Everything she puts together is beautiful and top quality.)
http://www.paradisefibers.net/Country-Classics-Dye-p/986.htm You can dye "in the wool", that means before the fiber is spun. Or you can spin, then dye the yarn. These days commercial dyes like Country Classics have the mordant (setting agent) already formulated in them, so it's basically a one-step process. Just follow the safety precautions and don't breathe the dust or use kitchen utensils. I have a variety of different sized pots and pans, wooden spoons, squeeze bottles for painting yarn, cookie sheets for felting, etc. etc. all out in my potting shed. I have water out there, a work table, and a propane camping stove to keep the whole works outside. Something I haven't done but would love to get into someday is dyeing with natural materials like berries and bark. Then I'll have to learn about all the different methods for setting the colors.
For anyone just getting started with spinning, try to find a guild or club near you. There aren't many in Florida, I think because it's so hot nobody wants to handle natural fibers, and Florida sheep (generally speaking) won't grow a nice thick coat because of the high temps. Also, who wants to think about buying a wool scarf at a summer craft fair? Therefore I'm self-taught from books (30 years ago we didn't hop on Google and gain instant knowledge like we can today). I joined the "Handweavers Guild of North America" and received their publication, which led me to other sources and gradually I figured out what I was doing. I'll never forget the moment I figured out how to ply! A light went on in my head and I realized I had to turn the wheel the OPPOSITE DIRECTION! Boy, I was quite a bumbler in those days.
I'd be happy to help anyone who lives near me and wants to drive through Arcadia on a Saturday or Sunday. I do sell my remaining stock of Grafton Fiber and Cascade spindles at cost, and can hook you up with some great cloud-soft Merino roving cheep cheep cheep.
Here's some of my handspun, dyed with the Country Classics, lambswool plied with Noro Silk Garden, and knitted up into a barn shawl with feather soft fringe. If anyone would like a sample yard of this yarn so you can deconstruct it and examine my spinning, PM me with a mailing address and I'll get that right out to you. I LOVE teaching and wish we could all get together and help each other learn something new! bye, Ella
