Here are the results of this autumn’s pisolithus dyes (note that we’re coming into spring here at the moment). The changing weather made the fungi appear, then disappear, then reappear with enough to harvest some sizeable specimens and leave enough to reproduce.

All eleven balls of yarn are different shades, ranging from black – thine eyes deceive thee not – to beige. How did I manage to get so many shades? Mostly without trying.

I have no explanation for how I “achieved” black, and jet black it is. The gold was also a surprise, but the beige was as exhaust bath. The latter reminds me of the shade I obtained from hawthorn berries some time ago.

The intermediate shades could have been to do with optimal harvesting time, length of time between harvest and dyeing (no longer than a day), size and all the usual variables (soil, aspect, etc.).

One thing to note, as mentioned in the previous post, is that the yarn in most cases darkened when lifted out of the pot. Oxidisation, I reckon. One skein I didn’t pay much attention to came out with a woodgrain/ mottled effect; I hadn’t spent much time hovering over the dyepot, gently prodding this one down, and the oxidisation effect became permanent in patches.

These will be periodically brought out and admired until the right project for them is chosen (and all the ones currently on the go are finished).