Turkey Tail Mushrooms for Dye

March 6--Found some Turkey tail mushrooms gorwing on a decaying pine log in the Pygmy Forest.  This black and green striped mushroom, Trametes versicolor or

Coriolis versicolor, is sometimes used for dyeing.

I washed the mushrooms, about 1 cup, broke them into pieces (the directions said to mash but they were too dry), and covered them with water. They simmered for an hour, at 185 degrees, and produced kind of a grey looking liquid, I may experiment further, or put in a bit of yarn, one knot for alum mordant as per Mushrooms for Color by Miriam Rice. I did see glints of green in the depths of the dye pot; maybe I will try again tomorrow, reheat and brew. March 7--put small (one knot) strand of mordanted wool into dye pot, simmered 190 degrees 1 hour.  Forgot to wet first, part mustard yellow, part almost no change

Pits and Peels: Adventure in Avocado Dyeing

I love the idea of dyeing with avocadoes.  It's one more useful step before they hit the compost pile.  I saved up avocadoes for a week or 2, washed carefully and frozen, for dyeing. I had about a cup of each, pits and peels, and much wonderful guacamole. February 27--mordanted silk scarves 8 oz. in .1 oz alum .03

oz. tartar 8 pints water trying to keep at 180 F for an hour

Put pits and skins of avocados (about 3 cups each) in 2x

Amount of water, bringing to simmer, repeat every 2 days

for 9 days

February 29--binging avocado dye pots to simmer this AM

pits dye looks pink purple already

Just brought it to a boil, which one is not supposed to do,

now it looks greyish.  I hope it's not ruined.  More Guac.

Peel dye pot brought to 180 degrees, used thermometer

like a smart girl, looks OK

March 2--brought both pits and peels to simmer

March 5--brought dye pots to simmer, put in wet silk,

simer one hour.  Pits take on lighter color, peels seem

deeper rose. Let cool in dye bath, rinse, dry, then

mordant a couple for flower smashing

tied a couple of loose knots on 2 scarves

Lightened as they dried

March 6--dyeing bamboo rayon alum-mordanted scarf in leftover avocado peel dye pot, brought to simmer wet scarf immersed, simmer 1 hour, then cool, rinse Noticed faint tie-dye lines in Peels scarf when ironed Bamboo scarf noticably lighter, whether due to material or spent dye, I know not.  A light peach color which will be good for something

March 6--dyeing bamboo rayon alum-mordanted scarf

in leftover avocado peel dye pot, brought to simmer

wet scarf immersed, simmer 1 hour, then cool, rinse

Noticed faint tie-dye lines in Peels scarf when ironed

Bamboo scarf noticably lighter, whether due to material or

spent dye, I know not.  A light peach color which will be

good for something

AVOCADO PRESERVED LEMON GUACAMOLE RECIPE

Mash 2 ripe Haas avocadoes with 1/4 cup chopped red onion (save the peels for more dyeing), 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 ripe tomato, chopped, 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, 1 diced fresh Serrano chile (or to taste), 1/4 Preserved Lemon, rinsed and diced, plus 1 Tbsp. Lemon juice from the preserving liquid.