Lessons in Mushroom Hunting and Fiber Dyeing

Proof that trying something new pays off + tips to start fiber dyeing

Welcome to the Offbeat Update published by Souls Like Wheels: a newsletter featuring all things creative, adventurous, and quirky. 🤓

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What’s the deal with mushroom hunting?

A few months ago I introduced readers to a more eccentric form of outdoor adventure: mushroom hunting. I had been mushroom foraging during peak morel season and I was over-the-moon excited about it.

You can read that original post HERE.

A lone morel peaks out from a log

But prior to a few months ago, I had no clue what a morel mushroom was and didn’t particularly care to even taste one. My friends had encouraged me to tag along on their own mushroom hunting excursions, and after a fair amount of prodding, I finally obliged. Honestly, I wasn’t excited for mushroom hunting – I figured I’d be bored within 30 minutes of stepping foot in the woods.

But I make it a point to accept any and every opportunity to try something new. No matter what. 

And to my surprise, I was absolutely hooked.  I spent most of my spare time for the next month trekking through burn scars and searching for these elusive shrooms. Here’s a photo of my biggest haul of the season:

I filled the cloth bag full of morels and then filled my flannel shirt too.

The colorful reward for trying something new

My reward for trying mushroom hunting was twofold: Not only did I find a new reason to meander around forests, but I also discovered that mushrooms can be used to dye fibers.

Next came the legwork:  I researched for weeks to learn the dye process and identify local mushrooms that might yield a color other than beige. I spent about $100 gathering equipment: stainless steel pots and utensils, a kitchen scale, and glass jars plus undyed wool yarn and mordants.

And then I tried it. I picked pounds of wormy, smelly King Bolete mushrooms, dried them with a box fan, and then spent a day mordanting and dyeing the yarn.

My apartment reeked of mushrooms all day and I spent most of a hot summer August day working over a stove.  

And I loved it. 

Here are my results:

King Boletes create yellow yarn!

Look at all these colors of yarn!

Let’s try something new

Once again, I had tried something new despite my lack of enthusiasm. And like always, it was a great experience.

I think there's something to be said about trying new things whenever you have the opportunity — saying “yes” to new experiences is a surefire way to maintain an open mind and cultivate new interests.

For me, I risked one potentially boring day in the woods and gained a new craft to explore, another excuse to get outside, and more yarn than I know what to do with.

So… what are you going to try next?

Go forth and forage

If you’re intrigued by natural dyeing, and more specifically mushroom dyeing, I’ve been researching this for weeks and am here to help you get started!

Here are a few resources I found especially helpful to learn this craft:

• Mushrooms & Makers: Learn the history and basics of mushroom dyeing HERE

• Myra Made Color: Myra’s blog and YouTube channel provide detailed tutorials.

• The Rainbow Beneath My Feet: This book is a great reference to keep on hand to learn the dyeing process and learn mushrooms create colors. Order it HERE

• Stitchcord: this Discord Server dedicated to fiber has a channel specifically for dyeing and it’s a great place to ask questions!

• Mushroom and Lichen Dyers United: Join this Facebook group to get help identifying mushrooms and see what other dyers are up to.

Let’s Chat!

• Have you ever tried something new that you weren’t excited about initially but ended up becoming obsessed with it?

• As we transition to fall, what outdoor hobbies are you taking up? Are your activities changing? If so, how?

• For the natural dyers: What is your favorite way to dye fiber and how did you take up this craft?

• For the mushroom yarn dyers: what’s your favorite mushroom to use for fiber dyeing and what color does it make?

Action Steps:

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