Who but another mushroom dyer would get excited about what appears to be bits of slime interwoven with purple intestines? Just look at that colour! I had to grab a shot of this straight out of the dyepot—there will be time later to pick the bits out, dry the wool, and card it for spinning—the first purple of the season deserves to be documented here and now.

Ramaria is appearing in abundance this year, and as I learned from previous experience, they have to be used fresh. Given that I’ve come home with bags full of these gifts from the forest each time I go foraging, and given that my studio time is somewhat limited this month, I’ve chosen to process these dyepots in the kitchen (a practice I usually discourage, but I’m using dedicated pots and utensils and turning on the range hood fan).

I also decided to put the wool straight in with the the mushrooms, which is giving an interesting variegated effect, as the wool that’s in direct contact with them is much darker.

Being careful not to let the dyebath get too hot, I bring the temperature up slowly; the purple starts to appear at around 48°C (120°F). I bring it up to 70°C (160°F), then turn the heat off. I leave the dyepot on the burner and let it cool for a few hours or overnight, then repeat the process twice more. I don’t know if these repetitions are necessary, but I like to think the colour will have a better chance to set by doing that.

Is it any wonder purple has always been a royal colour?