Natural Dye Interest Group

This month's topic is dyeing with lichen. Lichen is a combination of two very different organisms: a fungi and either an algae or a photosynthetic bacteria. The two organisms have a symbiotic relationship. It can take a lichen hundreds of years to grow so please collect it responsibly.  Lichen that has fallen to the ground can be collected but  please do not pick from trees or rocks. Bring algae that you have collected and we will test it to see which preparation we will use.  There are two ways to prepare lichen for dyeing: fermenting and boiling. Lichen can give yellow, greenish or red colors. As usual, mordant your fiber using the correct procedure for either cellulose or wool. Also bring some handwork to work on and anything you have for show and tell.