Mushroom Dyeing

[Frances]

On Sunday I attended an Southeast Fiber Alliance Association meeting and met Cornelia Cho, President of the Georgia Mushroom Club. She and a couple of others showed some silk and wool that had been dyed using mushrooms. I was surprised at the colors - not just beige's and browns but reds and blues. I have never been mushroom or fungi foraging but I think your location would determine the varieties you would find. I used the Google search engine and quickly found these resources.

You can browse them in your spare   time.


shroomworks.wordpress.com/category/mushroom-dyeing/



mycopigments.com/

[MTRuth]

Thanks for the resources, Frances.

[Shepherdess]

yes you never know what the colour will be. Usually nothing like the original plant. And then playing with the modifiers can change everything.

[penguin]

fascinating. I'd never thought of dying with fungi, though no reason why not!

[Pandagirl]

Thanks Frances. I've read about it before but haven't tried. Will you be trying it?

[halay]

thanks for the link, Frances. I might try this one day

[zed]

I came across mushroom dyeing years ago and was amazed at the colours, it seemed like witchcraft at the time!

[sundownalpacas]

Mushroom dyeing is huge here in N. MI. We have plenty of shrooms to hunt. There are several local classes and one fiber group of spinners, knitters and weavers have started a mushroom study group. Their first meeting is next week. They will be meeting monthly during the winter, then once mushroom season begins they will be hunting them. I personally have not dyed with shrooms yet. I am a Morell mushroom hunter during the early spring. My husband grows our mushrooms that we like to eat. Oysters, shiitakes, and wine caps. I will be checking those resources that you shared in hopes of recognizing any that might grow here.

[chookie2]

I have just had a crop of Chlorophyllum Brunneum (shaggy Parasol) spring up in my garden and am wondering if they can be used as a dye? Also have some orange Fungi growing on some logs that I think may be known as chicken in the woods fungi but not sure if they hold any dye. I need a dye book that identifies dye plants including mushrooms any suggestions?

[luvswool and dyestuff]

Although I have never before tried mushroom dyeing, it’s on my list. I know there are quite a few folks out there dyeing from mushrooms and having fun and great results.

Chookie, I do understand that if you are looking for a dye guide for mushrooms that you should try to find a regional author, as mushrooms vary greatly around the world. You might also check your local library for information.

[chookie2]

Thanks Cathy,I have downloaded an Australian field guide but it doesn't list dyeable fungi - just for ID and edible safety. I am checking Amazon for a book but again the fungi won't be Australian unless the book is- I have researched a fair bit and found a Spinners & Weavers Group in Melbourne that seems to have a dyers group but no response re fungi yet.(I am 300 klm from there).

[Shepherdess]

Check all the guilds you can get to. they may not have an active dye group but may have a book in their library. we don't have a dye group in our guild but we have a huge library and at least 2 regional natural dye books. I wanted to suggest and experiment in using you pot as mordant. You change your dye outcome by changing what your pot is made of. A friend did her final project for her master spinners on it.

[chookie2]

Thanks Ann,Only one group within 100klm of me, am talking to them and have joined their group. I have a dedicated aluminium pot for eco dyeing and use horseshoes for iron when I eco dye.

I have the fungi soaking in an alkaline solution but so far just brownish colour (3 days)so maybe no luck with this type - time will tell.

[Shepherdess]

Don't let the colour of the dye solution put you off some yucky looking dye solutions get you great colours.

[luvswool and dyestuff]

Look forward to seeing your results, chookie!