with Dorothy and Myra Beebee
Photo by Therese Shere)
Photo by Myra Beebee
In the morning we dyed with the following fresh mushrooms found in drought-parched Sonoma County:
Phaeolus schweinitzii, Pisolithus azhirus and Gymnopilus sp. for a range of yellow, gold, rust, dk. green and brown earth tones.
In the afternoon we played with the challenging Omphalotus (photo inset) and Cortinarius dyes, adjusting the pH using white vinegar or washing soda as needed to enhance, brighten and change the hues on our wool samples. These modifications gave a range of “sunset” colors of orange, apricot, pink, lavender, violet and an incredible dk green!
(Photo of wool samples by Stacy Mora)
Samples of wool yarn dyed with Gymnopilus sp. growing on woodchips from Monterey Pine in Cotati, CA. Wool was premordanted with alum (for gold dye) and iron (for olive green dye) and all simmered together in the same dye bath.
(photo by Therese Shere) 
Pisolithus azhirus– “Dyers Puffball” very common in the fields and roadsides of Sonoma County late summer/Fall 
Phaeolus schweinitzii 
The 3 red gilled Cortinarius smithii (formerly known as Dermocybe phoenicia var. occidentalis) were found at Salt Point (photo of 3 Cortinarius by Stacy Mora)
A combination of dried and frozen Omphalotus olivascens (“Jack O’Lantern”) fungi produced lavender and purple dyes on wool when the acidity of the dye bath was lowered to pH 4 using white vinegar, but in a separate pot, dye turned a deep forest green on iron mordanted wool when the bath was changed toward alkaline (pH9) by adding washing soda.
Some creative use of the silk scarves in the left over Phaeolus and Omphalotus dyepots! 
Ancient dyer’s ritual of “swirling the yarn” captured by Izetta Feeny 
One dyer took home some left over orange Cortinarius dyes, and dyed the silk scarf (on the left). The scarf on the right was dyed in class with Phaeolus schweinitzii. (Photo by Doerte Mann)
Species = Myra & Dorothy
(photo of specimens by Stacy Mora)
Mushrooms for Color Website designed by Dorothy Beebee © 2014
All rights reserved. (This IMDI Website page was updated (with the help of Martin Beebee!) November 27, 2014)