Friday, March 25, 2016

Happy Hoppy Easter!

Bunnies & Chocolate: what a great duo

Happy hoppy Easter everybody! What an amazing time for bunnies: well..busy..again..but hopping along. I remember Easter when I was a kid with my mum and dad , boiling and painting eggs and having a great time.

We didn’t much get into the whole chocolate egg thing (not to worry I have caught up by now..lol) but I generally remember it as being a wonderful happy weekend filled with painting and crafting and ..eggs…so I thought I would share some of my natural egg dyeing (which ofcourse can also be applied to yarns (hint hint)!! What’s not to like ;-)




Natural Dyed Easter Eggs with Trout Mayo and Herbs
Author: http://wholesome-cook.com/ (really a fab site with heaps of healthy recipes ! Go check it out!)
Recipe : Easter, eggs, fish and eggs, egg dye, natural
Prep time: 3 hours
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 3 hours 15 mins
Serves: 2-4 Eggs:
For best results use white-shelled eggs if you can find them , always organic free-range.
 Method and Timing: We cracked the eggs before dyeing to colour the egg whites in a pattern, this is optional, but works well for eggs that have already cracked. The dye takes time, longer on darker shells, so you may have to leave each egg in the dye for 2-3 hours. prepare extra dye containers if you want to colour more eggs and multiply the quantity of dye by the same number. Staining: both the turmeric and beetroot dyes can stain porous surfaces such as benchtops and floors.
Make sure you work on layers of old newspaper or a plastic table cloth to protect the surfaces. This recipe shows how to dye 3 eggs, one each in pink, orange and duck egg blue. Assumes eggs have been boiled (for 3-5 minutes) beforehand.
Serving suggestion follows.
Ingredients For the natural dyes: • 1 small beetroot • 2cm piece fresh turmeric root •
1 packed cup finely shredded red cabbage
 • 3 cups of water For the Eggs with Trout Mayo and Herbs:
• 3 natural dyed eggs
• 25g smoked trout (salmon or mackerel)
• 1 sprig spring onions
• a few dill or fennel fronds
• 2 tablespoons organic mayonnaise
• pepper, to taste • wedge of lemon, to serve

Instructions
To make the Beetroot (pink) or Turmeric (orange) Dyes: 1. Blend beetroot or turmeric with 1 cup warm water. Transfer to a glass or a jar to dye the eggs. To make the Red Cabbage (duck egg blue) Dye: 1. Place cabbage in a small saucepan and add 1 cup water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes for the colour to develop. Discard cabbage and transfer to a glass or a jar to dye the eggs. To dye boiled eggs in plain colours: 1. Place an egg at a time into the dye and steep for 2-3 hours for a lighter shade, or overnight for a darker tint. Allow eggs to dry on a paper towel. To dye boiled eggs - shells and whites in patterns: 1. Crack each egg gently all over. Place an egg at a time into the dye and steep for 2-3 hours for a lighter shade, or overnight for a darker tint. Pat dry with a paper towel before peeling. To serve the Eggs with Trout Mayo and Herbs: Cut eggs in half lengthways. Arrange on a serving plate. Top each egg with a little smoked fish, decorate with herbs. Season with pepper. Serve with a little mayo and a lemon wedge.

Apart from the cooking , I have been dyeing up a storm and spinning lots of bunny yarns for you for this weeks update. I could not resist offering you some luscious bunny to Rabbit On with in your knitting ! Today is the first outing so to speal of my new 4ply “EweBunny” yarn spun with 25% angora and 75%superfine merino !! Yeah !! Very exciting and wonderful to work with: it is smooch, soft, has a nice fine twist and an amazing meterage of about 201-205meters per 50grams! That means that you will be able to make a pair of socks or make a wonderful scarf or shawl with just two skeins. The other yarn on offer tonight is a very fluffy handspun one: an 8ply handspun pure English angora yarn from our bunnies in 50gram skeins with a meterage of about 100-110meters. The fluffiness is totally decadent!

On another front: I feel much better only to overdo it (yeah I know) and now I torn a muscle in my shoulder connected to my spinning arm ! Really ! (insert angry face) ..not to worry..I am still spinning..be it very carefully…lol

Anyway, Here’s to a great weekend and a much better Easter week next week !!!! The club sign ups are still open for another week. Don’t wait too long to sign up to get your hands on some luscious very special club blends and fibres I have planned for the next three months !

Have a fabulous weekend ! Enjoy !

Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time if you have any questions okay? Always happy to enable. All my contact details are to be found at the end of this week’s blog entry. 



New IxCHeL Club sign ups are now open! 

The Batt Club is almost filled up and the fibre club as well, so do not wait too long please!

for the months : April, May and June 2016 

(til quotas are reached or until March 31st)

For all our international club fans there is a possibility to ship all three clubs together to save on postage if you want :-) Just pm me and enquire about the options available.

IxCHeL Fibre Club April, May and June 2016

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$24 or more
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 #28 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months (January, February and March 2016) is AU$72 + postage (parcel post or airmail). AND there are good value double serves available !!!

For Australia : single serve $72+$28 postage (parcel post), double serve $136+$28 (save $8) or triple serves $204 (save $12!) + postage
For USA + Canada: single serve AU$72+AU$51 (Airmail) double serve AU$136+AU$51
For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$72+AU$60 (airmail) Double serve AU$136+AU$60
For Asia: Single serve AU$72+AU$45 (airmail) Double serve AU$136+AU$45
If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #28 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! The April 2016 Club is going to be shipped out end of April. Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me your details

The IxCHeL Sock Yarn Clubs April, May and June 2016


Every month for three months (April , May and June 2016) you will receive: enough hand dyed luscious yummy yarn to make a pair of socks or a lush shawl or scarf ofcourse! (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 !



For Australia : single serve $78+$28 postage (parcel post) double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +$28

For USA + Canada: single serve AU$78+AU$51 (Airmail) double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$51

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$78+AU$60 (airmail) Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$60

For Asia: Single serve AU$78+AU$45 (airmail) Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$45


Numbers are strictly limited ! 
Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal . 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 Clubs April, May and June 2016

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 ;-D
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$40 or more .
The batts will range in weight from 140grams to 180grams with luxury fibres like camel , angora, cashmere, silk, yak, llama even wolf and bison and rare sheep breeds !!!! 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 April, May and June 2016.

Price to join the Ixchel Funky bunny for three months is :
For Australia : $108+$28 postage (parcel post)
For USA + Canada: AU$108+AU$51 (Airmail)
For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$108+AU$60 (airmail)
For Asia: AU$108+AU$45 (airmail)
If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FUNKY BUNNY BATT CLUB now. Numbers are strictly limited ! The first installment is going to be shipped out end of April :) Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me


EweBunny Yarn Yarn   

75% superfine merino/ 25% angora bunny

50+gram , 4 ply
AU$17

a whopping 201meters)
Needles 2.25-4mm



Shades of Grey

Purple Power


Moss Queen

Moss Queen close up


Indigo


Indigo Dark





HobGoblin


Dusky Purple


Dream


Walnut Rose



Velvet


Steampunk


Rose


Rainbow


Ice


Happy


Glacier


Autumn Leaves


IxCHeL Angora Bunny Handspun Yarn   

100% angora bunny (lovingly and humanely grown on our farm) appr 8ply, +/- 100-110meters per
the softest yarn !!!! 

50+gram skein
AU$28



Natural


Spring Fest

Rose Petal

Rainbow

Moss and Ice

Frozen Forest


Qiviut, Angora bunny, Cashmere, Tencel and silk 

Handspun 4 ply Yarn   

appr 160meters 
+/- 50grams
AU$32



Natural





Dates to put in your Calendar !!

April 18th

Monday 10am-2pm


Grandvalley Spinners and Weavers Spin in

Tapscott Hall, Corner Cambridge and Montrose rd, Montrose


May

Sunday May 29th
10am-3pm
Victorian Hand Knitters Guild Show Coburg Town Hall
THE extra ordinary super fluffy yarny event in Melbourne !!! I will be there with lots of hand dyed tops for spinning and felting and happy rainbow yarn and sock yarn, some extra special art yarns and much much more!!!! As well as some amazing Lair of the Bearded Dragon spindles and bowls that are pure magic to spin with !

JULY

Friday July 15th- Sunday 17th, 9am-5pm

Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show
THE event of the year !!!! Not to be missed!! I will be there in the Flower (Power Bunny) Shed again with heaps of new goodies, hand dyed and hand spun, IxCHeL new blends and rare sheep breed adventures and much much more ! Including a world first of something AMAZING AND FUN!!!!! Shhh not telling ! but it is AWESOME !!!!


August

Date to be confirmed

Black n Coloured Sheep Show in Cranbourne

Landscape dyes 

 100g tubs   AU$11 



Want to dye your own with easy to use acid dyes? I have been selling these Landscape dyes at my workshops and shows for a long time, just never thought to put them on my blog. 
They are extremely easy to use and come in great shades. 
Just contact me with the name of the colour you are after and I will get right back to you.


Have a creative week!
Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time if you have any questions okay? Always happy to enable.

All my contact details are to be found at the end of this week’s blog entry.
Have fun !!!




How To Order:
1. You can email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au or ixchelbunny at yahoo dot com dot au
2. 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? Any custom orders for yarn or dyeing fibre? Please don’t hesitate to ask! Always happy to enable.
Thank you so much for your help and support !



 RABBIT ON !
((hugs))
Charly
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