Mycopigments for Dyes

with Alissa Allen

two separate classes, Saturday, December 6, 1:00-5:00PM and Sunday, December 7, 1:00-5:00PM

A Verb for Keeping Warm, 6328 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, 510-595-8372

$150 includes materials

http://www.averbforkeepingwarm.com/collections/frontpage/products/mycopigments-for-dyes-with-alissa-allen

http://mycopigments.com/alissa-allen

“Many wild mushrooms contain permanent, intensely colored dyes, and every region has its own palette of mushroom and lichen dyes! This four hour class takes an in-depth look at using local wild mushrooms as sustainable, safe dye sources.

We will be working primarily with wool and silk fiber. Starting with 10-12 different species, with the addition of safe mordants and pH modifiers, we end up with about 20 colors in all. This rainbow of samples will be showcased on a detailed recipe card, listing the fungi and all assists used in class. Students will also get the chance to practice shibori on a silk scarf, which will be provided.

Students will also receive a procedural handout to guide future exploration, and a customized guide to local dye fungi. This workshop covers all aspects of getting started with mushroom and lichen dyes and leaves the student with the tools to carry on their own exploration!

Don’t miss this special opportunity to learn more about the brilliant natural dye sources in your backyard!

No experience required.

Materials included: a silk scarf, yarn samples, dyestuffs

Materials required: rubber gloves.

Alissa Allen has been experimenting with mushroom-derived pigments for 15 years. Raised by a forager in the Pacific Northwest, she has been a student of the natural world her entire life. For the past three years, she has been traveling the US, studying regional habitats and sharing local mushroom dye palettes with fungophiles and fiber artists alike. Mushroom identification is her primary passion, but mycopigments are her obsession. In addition using mushrooms and lichens for dyes, she also uses them for paint.”