I did some cooking of plants for dies when I was in HIGH SCHOOL back in the 60's. I can't even remember the names of the plants that we picked out of the woods. Bad me. I did not stick with it, obviously.

Onion skins, walnut hulls, and goldenrod/Solidago make a nice series of browns and golds that are stable over time. Berry dies don't tend to last well.

My husband built a spinning wheel for a friend YEARS ago. He used a plan given to him.

Germination proceeding apace. Madder (supposedly tricky) has germinated while sitting atop the fishtank, while one of the indigo varieties (persicaria) is up. Sowed carthamnus, agrimony and anthemis ...as well as the usual annuals I like to sow at this time of year. Have sourced a spinning wheel and am on the lookout for fleece. Also, still invested in knitting...while the coming coldsnap (the 'beast from the East') gives me no reason to move off the sofa and out of my pyjamas - my new FairIsle cardigan is growing and also a 'man shawl;' in fine alpaca and Estonian wool - I am not a monogamous knitter. However, the parlous state of the allotment beds can not be denied so I am glad for an enforced weather related slowdown.

If for any reason the spinning wheel doesn't work out, an easy way to get into spinning is to just get carders and a drop spindle.