When I first started my natural dye project it was spring, and I looked at the flowers as sources for natural dyes. Then as spring turned to summer, I constantly accessed and identified the roadside shrubs for dye sources. In the fall, I scanned the woods and roadside shoulders for mushrooms (bad mushroom year), and now, as winter weather is here, I am amazed at the large quantity and variety of lichens that are brought down by the storms.
The symbiotic realtionship in lichens is that of a fungus and an algae or a fungus and a cyanobacteria.
A lichen is a symbiosis. That means that it is two or more organisms living together such that both are more successful within the partnership than they would have been if they were living on their own. With lichens the basic components of this partnership are 1) a fungus called the 'mycobiont' and 2) one or more algae and/or a cyanobacteria called the 'photobiont'.
There are about 13,500 species of lichen on the planet. Lichens are basically of 3 types:
Foliose - which means that they are leaf like in their structure.
Crustose - those are like a crust stuck to a surface and are usually very thin and tightly attached. These are about 75% of all lichens.
Fruticose - these are branched structures.
One of the problems with lichens is that they can be very hard to identify, but at least it's fairly easy to classify them by the above and work from there.
Found today in the Pygmy Forest, Lobaria pulmonaria, Lungwort Lichen.
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/lobaria_pulmonaria.shtml It can be used as a dye. I gathered what had been blown from a bull pine and scattered on the forest floor.
I learned today that Cladonia crispata is the most common mat in pygmy forest.
A couple of good sources for Linchen info and pictures:
http://macrolichen.com/PygmyForest/
http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/lichens/alphabetic_index.html
The Sharnoff pictures, authors of Lichens of North America, are very professional.
From a recent walk through our woods
Like shapes: Lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (Lungwort lichen) from Bull Pine in Pygmy forest and Oak Leaves from Cloverdale, CA bundled in silk, awaiting the unwrapping
Usnea rubiginea, Old man's beard, red, from the Pygmy forest, downed tree. I am going to do my first Ammonia extraction dye with this as soon as I get a little more. It's ok if it dries first.
Lungwort lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria) and unmordanted wool in water extract dye bath. Lichen was soaked overnight and then simmered for 2 hours, cooled, and then the wetted yarn was immersed. It's out on the porch to solar dye (except not much sun right now), so this may take a while. Water color is golden, rusty orange, yarn is tannish.
Lichen dyed yarns...Lobaria pulmonaria and Usnea sp. BWM (Boiling water method..soak, simmer, leave overnight, add soaked yarn and simmer again) Leave to cool and until color desired is obtained.
Usnea sp. mass gathered from fallen pine tree.
Usnea BWM dye bath with yarn being removed in net bag. The dye bath appeared colorless, but when the yarn was left to simmer for an hour and a half and sat overnight, it turned a lively golden color.
Usnea rubiginea in AFM (Ammonia fermentation Method) being left to sit for weeks and weeks. I shake the jar a few times each day to aerate. The dye bath will have to be neutralized with water and acid (vinegar) before fibers are added.
Like shapes: Lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (Lungwort lichen) from Bull Pine in Pygmy forest and Oak Leaves from Cloverdale, CA bundled in silk, awaiting the unwrapping
Usnea rubiginea, Old man's beard, red, from the Pygmy forest, downed tree. I am going to do my first Ammonia extraction dye with this as soon as I get a little more. It's ok if it dries first.
Usnea sp.? on branch
Lungwort lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria) and unmordanted wool in water extract dye bath. Lichen was soaked overnight and then simmered for 2 hours, cooled, and then the wetted yarn was immersed. It's out on the porch to solar dye (except not much sun right now), so this may take a while. Water color is golden, rusty orange, yarn is tannish.
Lichen dyed yarns...Lobaria pulmonaria and Usnea sp. BWM (Boiling water method..soak, simmer, leave overnight, add soaked yarn and simmer again) Leave to cool and until color desired is obtained.
Usnea rubiginea in AFM (Ammonia fermentation Method) being left to sit for weeks and weeks. I shake the jar a few times each day to aerate. The dye bath will have to be neutralized with water and acid (vinegar) before fibers are added.
