Bunny Escape Art ...silk hankies, hay and straw artistically sculptured by Tilda, TicTac and Trixie
I walked into the studio early this morning to find that the teenage run with Trixie, Tilda and TicTac was empty. Yes you guessed right: they escaped…Lucky for me I had the studio (almost) bunny proofed, but as bunnies do, they did find something: some silk hankie strips I had prepared and left lying around ready to be spindle spun. I found the silk in the middle of the studio as a message from the bunnies to me as it were: all crunched up with some additional hay and straw thrown in to make this cute little heart shape sculpture. It’s a little piece of bunny art !
The Bunny spin in day at the Grandvalley spinners and weavers was a fabulously fun day with heaps of spinners there to hear a bit about English angora bunnies, their care anad ofcourse see Chocolate Topping being clipped. Topping was in more than full coat and she was fine up to a point where the clip and me talking the audience through it got a bit too much and she made a run for it and jumped straight into the baskets in front of the clip table filled with fluff from other bunnies. I wish I had had a camera with me to tape the whole action. It was so funny to see her looking up from the rim of the black basket she fell in saying: I’m half naked, I am not happy at all with the hairdo you are giving me so Hasta la vista Baby!
The rest of the week was filled with taking care and getting the baby bunnies used to grooming and handling. The babies are doing very well and they are so good natured. It is a joy to watch them and handle them. In fact I have never haad bunnies that were so willing to be flipped on their back like these ones. I guess I was just so over the moon with these surprise babies that I handled them much more than I would normally do and that makes all the difference.
Here are some more Bunny photos:
Tackling a leaf part1
Tackling a leaf part 2
Tackling a leaf part3
"oh Bear! what big feet you have!"
Sleepy ButtercupI had heaps of spinning and dyeing for commissions to do this week so the update of this week is not a huge one but still very special. I had to prepare heaps of natural dye baths for the commission and thought it would be great to take advantage and dye some more Navajo Churro Bunny Tops for you. I used eacalypt, walnut, indigo and lichen. Now Lichens are not easy to find –or classify for that matter… Each lichen haas an upper and lower side and a circular or disc like fruiting body which vary in colour from one lichen to another. There are only a few lichens that contain pigments so please do not harvest heaps only to find out that they do not dye anything. What I do is I collect a very small sample and then determine whether it has the so calles lecanoric acids or orchil acids. They do not react with wtare that much so you will have to use urea (yes urine..lol) or ammonia to see if they react. In Holland we made a preparation known as Litmus and the process shows the colour vivid magenta or carmine. YUM! To test you have to break your sample of lichen into little pieces, put it in a glass jar and cover with a part of ammonia and 2 parts luke warm water. Stop the bottle, swish the solution around. For rich reds and magenta leave the liquid for 28 days! If you do not have any reds you can be fairly certain that you have harvested a lichen that does not have the orchil acids.
Old mans’Beard lichen has great orchil acids which will give you beautiful reds and magentasTodays offering are Navajo Churro Bunny Tops !
Navajo Churro sheep are very special just like the history they have : The Navajo call them "the Old Ones" and see the Churro sheep as a gift from the Gods. The wool from these sheep are the basis of the Navajo Weaving and also is a wonderful fibre to make socks and ponchos. The sheep were nearly wiped out during the tribe's forced relocation in the 1860s and again in the stock reductions of the 1930s: federal agents just went from hogan to hogan and shot a large percentage of the livestock and horses, more than 250.000 animals were killed and the Churro sheep were almost extinct with fewer than 700 head by 1990! But they are making a comeback, due to the efforts of the Navajo Sheep Project so they can return to their historic place and purpose among the Navajo and that it can benefit the Navajo People. The hand dyed tops that I am offering you here are blends of soft white Churro fleece with Angora Bunny: it makes for a wonderful mix and will make the most wonderful yarn, suited for socks and outerwear as well as sweaters. The Bunny added to the Churro makes it softer to handle and very easy to spin. Help in the fight against Extinction of this rare breed.
Navajo Churro sheep are very special just like the history they have : The Navajo call them "the Old Ones" and see the Churro sheep as a gift from the Gods. The wool from these sheep are the basis of the Navajo Weaving and also is a wonderful fibre to make socks and ponchos. The sheep were nearly wiped out during the tribe's forced relocation in the 1860s and again in the stock reductions of the 1930s: federal agents just went from hogan to hogan and shot a large percentage of the livestock and horses, more than 250.000 animals were killed and the Churro sheep were almost extinct with fewer than 700 head by 1990! But they are making a comeback, due to the efforts of the Navajo Sheep Project so they can return to their historic place and purpose among the Navajo and that it can benefit the Navajo People. The hand dyed tops that I am offering you here are blends of soft white Churro fleece with Angora Bunny: it makes for a wonderful mix and will make the most wonderful yarn, suited for socks and outerwear as well as sweaters. The Bunny added to the Churro makes it softer to handle and very easy to spin. Help in the fight against Extinction of this rare breed.
Navajo Churro sheep
cuddling a Navajo Churro sheepHow to order? Please email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au or message me on facebook or ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny. I will email you right back with all your order details and payment methods. Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to ask! Always happy to enable.
Next week get ready for some Bamboo Bunny Yarn to make yourself some fabulous socks or shawls !!!! and there will be more bunny news ofcourse and special IxCHeL hand dyed fibres galore !
Thank you so much for your help and support !
(((HUGS)))
Charly
hand dyed Navajo Churro Bunny Tops
(90% Navajo Churro, 10% angora) 100g /AU$20
Next week get ready for some Bamboo Bunny Yarn to make yourself some fabulous socks or shawls !!!! and there will be more bunny news ofcourse and special IxCHeL hand dyed fibres galore !
Thank you so much for your help and support !
(((HUGS)))
Charly
hand dyed Navajo Churro Bunny Tops
(90% Navajo Churro, 10% angora) 100g /AU$20
Buffalo Dreaming
Night Sky Dance -sold-
Walk the red road
Ghost Dance
Buffalo Sky
Harvest Moon -1left-
Wolf Dance -sold-
Silver Moon HEaling -1left-
Peyote Flower -sold-(my favourite colourblend this week because of its contrast, depth and magic)
yeha NohaCLUB SIGN UPS OPEN FOR ONE MORE WEEK!
IxChel Fibre Club #11 Sign up October-November-December 2011
The subscription is for a period of three months and you will receive one special hand dyed top/roving per month to the value of AU$20 , and as all of you past members know you get tops that are usually around $24 ! so it is a great deal!
All the tops will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of Ixchel Fibre Club !
Price to join the Ixchel Fibre Club #11 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months is AU$60 + postage (parcel post or airmail). AND double and triple serves are available !!! So in short:
For Australia :
single serve $60+$18 postage (parcel post)
double serve $120+$24
triple serve $160+$33
For USA + Canada:
single serve AU$60+AU$35 (Airmail)
double serve AU$120+AU$60
For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$60+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$58
For Asia:
Single serve AU$60+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$39
If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #11 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! the first installment is going to be shipped out mid October :)
Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))
IxChel Sock it to me Yarn Club October-November-December 2011
Every month for three months (october-november-december 2011) you will receive:
enough hand dyed luscious yummy yarn to make a pair of socks; (the hand dyed yarn will be exclusive for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB and will range from a sockweight yarn or a 3ply or a 4 ply);
Every month a new sock pattern, tips and instructions ! Now is that GOOD or is that GOOD ??! :)
I will even offer a double serve for those of you who like their socks extra long :)
Here is the nitty gritty:
For Australia : single serve $78+$18 postage (parcel post)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +$24
For USA + Canada: single serve AU$78+AU$35 (Airmail)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$49
For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$78+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$57
For Asia: Single serve AU$78+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$42
Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB! is September 30th ! And the first installment is going to be shipped out mid October 2011 :)
Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))
By the way: you don’t HAVE to knit socks if you don’t want to.. the hand dyed yarn is amazingly nice for scarves, cowls, beanies and even tops ! Anything goes :)
IxCHeL Funky Bunny Batt Club #11
Here are all the details and just pm me when you have any questions or want to be part of the funky bunny batt club Movement ;-) Welcome to the blingy dark side ;-DAll the tops will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of Ixchel Fibre Club !
Price to join the Ixchel Fibre Club #11 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months is AU$60 + postage (parcel post or airmail). AND double and triple serves are available !!! So in short:
For Australia :
single serve $60+$18 postage (parcel post)
double serve $120+$24
triple serve $160+$33
For USA + Canada:
single serve AU$60+AU$35 (Airmail)
double serve AU$120+AU$60
For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$60+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$58
For Asia:
Single serve AU$60+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$39
If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #11 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! the first installment is going to be shipped out mid October :)
Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))
IxChel Sock it to me Yarn Club October-November-December 2011
Every month for three months (october-november-december 2011) you will receive:
enough hand dyed luscious yummy yarn to make a pair of socks; (the hand dyed yarn will be exclusive for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB and will range from a sockweight yarn or a 3ply or a 4 ply);
Every month a new sock pattern, tips and instructions ! Now is that GOOD or is that GOOD ??! :)
I will even offer a double serve for those of you who like their socks extra long :)
Here is the nitty gritty:
For Australia : single serve $78+$18 postage (parcel post)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +$24
For USA + Canada: single serve AU$78+AU$35 (Airmail)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$49
For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$78+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$57
For Asia: Single serve AU$78+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$42
Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB! is September 30th ! And the first installment is going to be shipped out mid October 2011 :)
Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))
By the way: you don’t HAVE to knit socks if you don’t want to.. the hand dyed yarn is amazingly nice for scarves, cowls, beanies and even tops ! Anything goes :)
IxCHeL Funky Bunny Batt Club #11
The subscription is for a period of three months and you will receive one special hand dyed funky bunny batt per month to the value of AU$32 or more . The batts will range in weight from 100grams to 150grams with luxury fibres like camel , angora, cashmere, silk, yak, llama even MINK this time !
All the batts will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of Ixchel funky bunny Club ! Every month you will receive a HUGE luxury funky bunny batt !
Sign up now and you will receive an Ixchel Hand dyed , super luxurious funky bunny batt for the last three months of 2011 !
Price to join the Ixchel Funky bunny #11 :)) for three months is :
For Australia : $96+$18 postage (parcel post)
For USA + Canada: AU$96+AU$35 (Airmail)
For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$96+AU$38 (airmail)
For Asia: AU$96+AU$28 (airmail)
If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FUNKY BUNNY Batt CLUB#11 now.
Numbers are strictly limited !
the first installment is going to be shipped out mid October 2011 :)
Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me
Dates to Remember:
Bunny Spin in at the Ixchel Fibre Farm (11am-5pm)
There will be BUNNY SPIN INS again in October !! Yeah!
Saturday October 15th
Thursday October 27th
Bring a plate to share your wheel or spindle, knitting or crochet, yourself and a smile and have a fun day out amongst bunnies and friends ! Please contact me to secure a spot ! Bunny food like cabbage, bok choi or broccoli is always welcome: the bunnies will cuddle you more for it ;D
Gippsland spinners Group Visit Sunday October 16th
I will bring heaps of new yarns and fibres ! Don’t miss out! Contact the Gippsland Group on RAVelry for more info. I will add more info closer to the date as well.
Little Yarra Steiner School Fair & Open Day
Sunday, October 23rd
A very special family fun day : I will be there with heaps of handspun and hand dyed yarns, art yarns, tops, soaps and tea ! no to be missed !
Contact me on Ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny, message me on facebook there or email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au
RABBIT ON !
((hugs))
Charly
Bunny Spin in at the Ixchel Fibre Farm (11am-5pm)
There will be BUNNY SPIN INS again in October !! Yeah!
Saturday October 15th
Thursday October 27th
Bring a plate to share your wheel or spindle, knitting or crochet, yourself and a smile and have a fun day out amongst bunnies and friends ! Please contact me to secure a spot ! Bunny food like cabbage, bok choi or broccoli is always welcome: the bunnies will cuddle you more for it ;D
Gippsland spinners Group Visit Sunday October 16th
I will bring heaps of new yarns and fibres ! Don’t miss out! Contact the Gippsland Group on RAVelry for more info. I will add more info closer to the date as well.
Little Yarra Steiner School Fair & Open Day
Sunday, October 23rd
A very special family fun day : I will be there with heaps of handspun and hand dyed yarns, art yarns, tops, soaps and tea ! no to be missed !
Contact me on Ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny, message me on facebook there or email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au
RABBIT ON !
((hugs))
Charly
Two Bunny Spin ins, preparing for the Bunny day at Grand Valley spinners next Monday the 26rd of September in Montrose and preparing all the clubs : a huge week. And talking about Huge the bunnies are getting bigger and bigger and furrier every day ! It is really amazing how those naked wrinkly little bunnies grow up so fast ! I am so happy they are in the studio with me so I can keep an eye on them and get to know them so well. 
Jaz on the cuddle couch
Jo and Zoe cuddling a bunny
Dan with Bear
a bundle of Joy (Jen with Buttercup)
aaaaaw ;-) 
You can email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au or message me on facebook or ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny. I will email you right back with all your order details and payment methods. Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to ask! Always happy to enable.
Complex Universe
Barbie Conundrum
Velvet dusk
Black Pearls
Bush Berries
Wallaby Sunset (one of my favourite colourways this week –together with Bush berries- because of its complexity and use of natural dyes. Really happy how it came out!)
Sea Turtles
Flux Capacitor ( I was very happy with this rainbow combo that is just a bit different: its tone although rainbow, has that 1950s kind of look about it that just is so fabulously retro)
Swimming with Dolphins
Whalesong
Berry Monster
Black Purl
Scarlet letter
Belize 
Ocean Grove
peacock
Back to the future
It was promising to be an eventful week: Millie should normally be delivering on Monday the 12th, Tuesday I had to go into hospital for the regular poking and prodding sessions for my cancer check ups and the studio had to get ready for the first bunny spin in after the whole disaster that happened to us with the mutated calici outbreak end of May , start of June.
just leaning
posing
snoozing baby angora sandwich
Tawnee “Kid, you ‘re sitting in MY foodbowl!“
Tilda:"no grooming until I get more food!"
Plethora (2 available)
Tussie Mussie (sold)
Gadgeteer(2 available)
Welch Rabbit 
Hubble Bubble -sold-
It’s a Daisy -sold-
Huckleberrry-sold-
Fiddle Faddle
Periwinkle
Steampunk -sold-
Moonshine -sold-
NiffyNaffy
Supernovaembulous
Hubbub -sold-
Nigmenog
Twiddle Diddle
8 Shaft table loom
8 shaft table loom top view
the 12/inch dent
easy to thread heddles
all folded up and ready to go to its new home
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