As is often the case, this fiber endeavor began as the conclusion of another. My article in Spin Off Winter 2019, “Natural Dyeing, Navajo Plying, and the Australian Outback,” ends with a note that after seeing five colorful handspun afghans created with Australian natural dyes, several fellow members of the Berry Spinners and Weavers volunteered to collect natural materials for my future dyepots and color explorations.
The group collected a wonderful range of materials, including orange bracket fungus, yellow mushrooms, hairy she-oak needles, eucalyptus resin, bubble seaweed, and a range of lichens. My curiosity did not wane about what colors might emerge from any plant material that I suspected could be promising. I was also anxious to see if plants that had previously produced rewarding color would give a repeat…
