L’hiver est la période idéale pour se faire un stock de lichens. On va préférer ramasser ceux tombés au sol plutôt que d’aller déshabiller les arbres chauves.

Nous voilà avec différentes sortes de lichens. Et maintenant ?

Voici quelques ressources sur le process à suivre (liste qui sera enrichie au fil de nos recherches) …

Evernia prunastri :: rose à violet

- Wooltribulation - Fran Rushworth d’après le travaux de Eileen Bolton :
“ Eileen says this is an orchil lichen which gives a deep plum colour with ammonia on wool.  I picked up bits every time I was out, let them dry, then rubbed them through a sieve.  Adding household ammonia diluted one to two with water made the powder swell up.  Stirring several times a day gave a pungent reek to the whole room.  Within days the colour changed from green to khaki.  By day 12, dark plum. “ Site à garder dans le cartons pour d’autres expérimentations tinctoriales.

- Craftinviders - Making dye from lichen par  :
“ Half fill a glass jar with the lichen. Add a mixture of one part ammonia to two parts water. Oxygen is required for the chemical reaction to take place, so the advice is to fill the jar three-quarters full with the solution and to remove the lid to replenish the oxygen every so often. Keep the jar in a warm place and shake vigorously each day. The dye should be left to ferment for at least three months to achieve an intense dye colour. “

Letharia vulpina :: jaune - vert

- Instructable _ Creating Lichen Dyes par Andrea Blum :
“Using a boiling water method ( the other method uses ammonia and takes months), put the lichen in the pot and cover it with water. It’s best to let this soak overnight. The ratio of lichen to water is 2 cup of lichen for 1 ounce of fiber.Lichen dyes are substantive, meaning no mordant needed. All lichens contain acids that hold precursors of colors. It’s not until after you dye that you can play and use modifiers to alter the color.
The the next day, boil the water with the lichen and reduce to simmer. Add your presoaked fabric, in my case, wool, to the dye bath covered completely by the water and simmer until desired color. Maintain a temperature of 190 degrees for about an hour. You can let this bath sit overnight for more intense colors. It’s all an experiment and many factors determine the ultimate color: the age of the plant, the pH of the water, the type of fabric all are factors. “

Généralités ::

- http://mycopigments.com/