IxCHeL Fibres, Yarns & Art: August 2016

Friday, August 26, 2016

Angelic Bunnies and Rare Sheep

Castlemilk Moorit Sheep
(photo:RBST Caledonian Support Group)

THe last week was all about care of Hilde, our smoke grey bunny with the eye problem and custom spinning and dyeing: a lot of it !!!
Hildes right eye in particular was giving me a lot of worries becaus eof a bump that was showing on top of her eye, her left eye was red and inflaed as well so last week we went to the vet who said it may be a tumour but here are some treatments for the eyes (different ones of the left and the right eye!) and you have to administer it every 4 hours. Like clockwork every 4 hours I treated her eyes, gave her a massage, took care of any naughty discharge of her eyes. almost a full time bunny nurse..lol So every 4 hours the ointment went in, a delicate eyemassage and presto !!! the inflamation is totally gone!!!! yeah !!! There is still a tiny little bump visible on her right eye ball but it is much smaller and the vet is really hopeful that keeping this treatment up will hopefully mean that the right eye can be saved ! I could not be happier !!! We have to go back to the vet in three weeks time..I will keep you posted!

So bunny care and ...special custom spinning were filling up this week for me ! One project especially where a very fluffy angora yarn with a bit of silvery sparkle ! needs to be spun for a very special occasion: a wedding. After a special bunny was selected to do this project ( if it is one garment I always like to take fibre off the one bunny because every bunny has different fibre qualities. Especially for this project excessive staple length and "fluffy halo" (yes technical term..lol) was needed to be able to create a magical bolero. I therefore made up a special long draw technique with an occasional nip so to speak. (very hard to explain in words but I hope you get my drift). THe thing is when you spin fluffy fibres and guide the fibres back with your drafting hand, the "halo" tends to stick to the rest of the fibres and the only way to get some kind of halo back is to whack it after spinning the yarn making it bloom or brush the yarn after spinning. I wanted to see if I could already create this halo effect while it was on the wheel with this technique and brush afterwards as well for double the effect. Nor every fibre is suited though: if your bunny fibres are very short it will not work and you will lose half of it before you even get started. It will work with a longer stapled bunny fibre though, especially an english angora. Long draw, not guiding the fibres back and a fairly low ratio is the trick. It is coming up beautifully !

Next update I will be able to show you some extra special custom order yarns I am working on this weekend: Art Yarns with a twist and lots of .....curls !!!!

Angel english angora bunny in full coat

very fluffy pure english angora bunny, spun with a special long draw technique with a low ratio

Angelic Bolero worn by Kate Middleton

By now you all must know I have a soft spot for bunnies and well...eh...rare breeds. So this update is going to have another rare sheep breed offering and I am very very busy trying to get new magical things happening for the fibre and batt clubs for the last three months of this year AND new rare sheep breed adventures as well for 2017 !!!! It takes a lot of blood sweat and tears sometimes, but I think it is all so worth it! Don't forget, if you want to be part of the IxCHeL Clubs: they are filling up fast ! Don't leave it too late to sign up.

In my search for the rarer kind of sheep breeds I have come across the story of the Castlemilk Moorit sheep. First I read about them and then, when I saw what they looked like and what their fleece was like , well, I was sold.

Castlemilk Moorit sheep are the cutest most feisty little things. The Castlemilk Moorit sheep breed take their name from the Castlemilk estate in Dumfriesshire, where they originated in the early 1900s. They were originally bred to provide meat, wool to make clothing for the estate workers, and also to prance around the parklands of the estate. They are graceful, elegant sheep with fine, kemp-free wool, which is mid honey brown (moorit is a Scottish word for brown) at the base and bleached to a fawn colour at the tips.

Castlemilk Moorit sheep have some Manx Loghtan sheep and mouflon sheep breed ancestry and have retained the interesting mouflon markings of white underbelly, lower jaw, knee, eye markings (‘spectacles’) and a white rump patch. They are also feisty and pretty fast!

Once clipped they look totally different – almost like deer – as they revert to the dark brown colour for a few weeks, until the growing fleece bleaches back to fawn at the tips. At one point in the early 1970s Castlemilk Moorits were reduced to only around 12 individuals and could easily have simply ‘disappeared’. However, those few remaining were rescued in two groups, including six ewes and two rams which were taken to Cotswold Farm Park. All of today’s Castlemilks, which include around 700 registered females, are descended from these two small groups.
In the past couple of years the breed has been downlisted from the ‘Endangered’ to the ‘Vulnerable” category on the RBST watchlist – a big success.

Cute Castlemilk Moorit lambs
4th barrier island from the top right of the picture

lambs with their mum

As with everything the way that you scour and process the fibre is very important. The fleece of the castlemilk moorit ranges from 28 to 32 microns and the staple length is about 6 cms. The outer edges of the staple are often bleached by the sun and the locks often have a pointy tip. I find it very easy to spin. It reminds me of Manx Loughtan but definitely finer and softer. It is not that easy to get hold of this quality fibre so I only have a limited amount, but it is oh so worth it !

Have a fun snaffle !!!

Warning : There is only a very limited quantity available.

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 !!!

Castlemilk Moorit Sheep Tops

100+gram tops, Natural AU$23

New IxCHeL Club sign ups are open

for the months : October, November and December 2016

(til quotas are reached or until October 1st)

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 October, November and December 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 #30 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months (October, November and December) 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$56 (Airmail) double serve AU$136+AU$56

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$72+AU$69 (airmail) Double serve AU$136+AU$69

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 #30 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! The October 2016 Club is going to be shipped out end of October. Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me your details

The IxCHeL Sock Yarn Clubs October, November and December 2016

Every month for three months (October, November and December2016) 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$56 (Airmail) double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$56

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$78+AU$69 (airmail) Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$69

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 October , November and December 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 October, November and December 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$56 (Airmail)

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$108+AU$69 (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 October Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me

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 here:

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
3. Message me on www.ravelry.com 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

Friday, August 19, 2016

Slow Chaos Creations

Smile !!

I’ve come to realise I was very tired last week: maybe it was because I suddenly saw that all the photos I downloaded on my facebook page were either of something or someone being asleep: a sleepy faery, sleepy bunnies or sleepy sheep…I guess my body was telling me something but didn’t want my brain to catch on too quickly. Probably because it knows my brain would deny everything and keep going like an energizer bunny.

So I slept a bit more and I spun yarn, very relaxed and soothing and I read (while spinning, because you know, multitasking is good..lol) and I finished all the august clubs for shipping on Monday and ofcourse prepped the update of tonight. I did it all without stressing or deadlines or pressure put on by myself, like I normally do. It made a huge difference to my state of mind. Sometimes I just need to force myself to do things “naturally” , by instinct, in the moment and not dwell on things that I feel I “have to” do.. ”Have to do”-lists can go on for ever and ever and be very very long and…terrifying. The longer my “Have to do” list became, the more stifled and paralysed I felt. I think that was the main problem. It became very tiring and not because I actually did a lot on my “Have to do “-list, but more so thinking of all the things I HAD TO do…I felt a bit like the writer with writers block, staring at a white page and not being able to get out of the stifling horror I created myself. Well, lists can be good of course, but it’s a bit like thinking too much about tomorrow and not seeing the beauty that happens all around us today. Again, I think I just needed to kick myself and just do what I normally do and that is: DO STUFF and not think too much about it. My inner Chaos theory fan just couldn’t cope I guess with all those clean and tidy “have to do”-lists so I am back to spontaneous , chaotic me and I feel much better.

Doesn’t mean all is well on the IxCHeL fibre farm though: Our gorgeous bunny Hilde who is such a beautiful grey bunny with a wonderful nature, developed infected eyes, so off to the vet I went and on closer inspection of the right eye, we discovered there may be more than just an infection going on: a little bump that she may have gotten scratching her eye or ....a tumour on her eyeball, which would mean her losing her eye ! (insert very sad face emoticon). The verdict is not in yet, so every 4 hours I have to rinse her eyes, put an ointment in and massage gently. She is a real trooper and undergoes all the treatments like a true champion. Her left eye is clearing up already and her right eye is definitely getting better but there is still a little bump visible. We are going back to the vet next Wednesday. I will keep you posted.

Hilde o the grooming table before Her eye problems...
Let's hope she can look this gorgeous again very soon

Time flies when you’re having fun, it is Friday again and update day and this week, I am offering you something special and fluffy and exciting: a beautiful squishy wool for you to spin or felt !!!

The fibre I am offering you on today’s update is not exactly from a rare sheep breed, but it is a fibre that normally is not offered to spin because it is very hard to process due to its short staplelength being a down type of fleece: Charollais.

Charollais sheep are from the same region of France as Charolais cattle. Charollais sheep can be found throughout France, with a particularly high concentration in Bourgogne, the Massif Central, Poitou-Charentes, the Limousin and the south-west.

The breed has very recently been introduced to Australia as well, in SA and NSW and also in New Zealand. The main focus however of the breeders here is on meat production and not on wool, which is a shame because the fleece is really nice to work with.

The Charollais wool is short and very springy, exhibits a very nice fine crimp and takes the dye very well. It is the processing that makes all the difference though.

When you process shorter staplelengths and you overwork the carding it can result in a very messy and neppy top. As with everything slowly does it and a lot of care and love has gone into these tops on offer to you today. My heart told me to use natural dyes so I did: from walnut to woad, form dandelion stalks and leaves to dyers’ chamomile and fermented mushroom pigments. I love the results the natural pigments give: it all so easily flows together as in its’ own universe where nothing clashes but co-exists beautifully.

For a meat breed sheep, the Charollais has unusually fine fibre. Almost square, short locks with a micron of about 21 to 28 microns. Because of the short staple , about 4 to 6 cms) your singles will be better off spun with a higher than normal twist to give them the integrity they need in a stable yarn. You can spin them in a woollen style, which is great to give it that elasticity, but a worsted style spinning gives you more control over the fineness of your single.

The Charollais is by no means a superfine merino, but I really love this down type fibre , which reminds me of Hog Island and Hampshire Down and makes soft next to skin garments from socks to jumpers and shawls.

Have a fun weekend and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions! You know me: I always love to enable! Custom spinning and dyeing and creating blends Please contact me: I am here to help .

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

New IxCHeL Club sign ups are open

for the months : October, November and December 2016

(til quotas are reached or until October 1st)

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 October, November and December 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

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$48 (Airmail) double serve AU$136+AU$48

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$72+AU$69 (airmail) Double serve AU$136+AU$69

For Asia: Single serve AU$72+AU$45 (airmail) Double serve AU$136+AU$45

The IxCHeL Sock Yarn Clubs October, November and December 2016

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$48 (Airmail) double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$48

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$78+AU$69 (airmail) Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$69

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 October , November and December 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 .

Sign up now and you will receive an Ixchel Hand dyed , super luxurious funky bunny batt for October, November and December 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$48 (Airmail)

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$108+AU$69 (airmail)

For Asia: AU$108+AU$45 (airmail)

Charollais Sheep Tops

Beautiful lofty down type fibre, very nice to spin and yes, felt with! All dyed with natural dyes and also available in natural creamy white
100grams AU$22

Woad-sold-

Woad Walnut-sold-

Woad & Dyers’ Chamomile-2left-

Walnut-sold-

natural-2left-

Mushroom-1left-

Mushroom Walnut

Mushroom Fields (Mushroom, Dyers Chamomile, Walnut)

Jeans (Indigo dyebath exhaust)-sold-

Indigo-sold-

Dandelion (stalks and leaves)-sold-

Dates to put in your Calendar !!

OCTOBER

2nd of October
Black n Coloured Sheep FIELD DAY 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 : 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 here:

How To Order:

Thank you so much for your help and support !

RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly

Friday, August 12, 2016

Dreaming of sheep...

Dreaming of sheep

Did you ever find you have so much to do and so much to catch up on and finish and start and ..well, DO!, that it kind of catapults you in a dream state? And by dream state I mean not an overall idea of panic (like the Pre Bendigo show “I don’t have enough stock panic”, no I mean, I cannot possibly do all this now, why don’t I wait til it’s REALLY passed the time that I can possibly finish any of it and start later. You know , the ultimate artist cop out and existentialist denial of dead lines, trying to imitate you are Michael Phelps swimming in a majestic way to get all the deadlines done and dusted with time to spare, having a glass of wine and watching other people still getting out if the starting blocks.

Well, I feel like that at the moment, so much so that no matter how much ai do and get accomplished, I cannot seem to get to the end of the pool and relax. Instead, I have this sinful idea of not getting into the pool at all and sleeping all day , no doubt dreaming of sheep. Yes, I think you can say I am tired and exhausted, but my feeling is that I is not a physical thing going on.

There is so much going at the moent with new ideas and plans of action in my head, the ideas , instead of pushing me into action, paralyse me. Which is so totally contradictory to any physics, it is frightening.
I think it is due to the fact I have always been a bit, well, strange…lol..meaning , I tend to leave lots of things til the very last minute. Like my brain has this allergy for being on time, being absolutely precise and have a good sensible timing in general.

Normally, I counteract that by tricking and challenging my brain and saying : aha!!you hate heights and slippery surfaces; "Well! Have I got news for you I will go climb that mountain no matter how slippery it gets!” but now,,,,and I guess while typing this, my energetic challenging my brain mode is off balance… You know what I did the other day? I spend 3 hours reading the new J K Rowling book "the cursed child" !!! I have been anticipating that book ever since the deadly hallows; last page slipped through my fingers…..I guess I feel guilty. I guess, that I spend heaps of time feeling guilty not working my butt off and fantasizing about “free time” like reading or doing stuff like going to exhibitions. This time I actually did it! I sat down and read a book! (I’m a speed reader so I finished it in 3 hours but still…) the guilt sinks in, quickly replaced with a sense of pride: because you know it is not enough just thinking about what you will do after you finish work *cos let’s face it, work never ends..lol) no!!! it’s about actually DOING IT !!! It’s like : don’t wait to climb that mountain or have that holiday, don;t put it off, because if you wait for your brain to tell you that it is now safe and okay to do what you always wanted to do, your body might say : "mate ! are you kidding me?? You want to climb Mount Everest now!!??? I can hardly get out of bed!” lol

So, yes, I guess , this weeks’ lesson for me was: don’t dream but do. I started with just 3 hours of total solitude reading a long awaited book, but….I already have planned my next adventure : Seeing Frida in Sydney. I won’t put it off. I know it’s not quite like climbing the Himalayas but I’m afraid my mountaineering stuff is not up to date..lol

I haven’t been completely idle: the august clubs are prepared and drying and getting batted, which is a huge task. So for this update , I have a blend I offered you last week but that had not quite dried yet at the time of offering last week: GAGA! Part 2

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

New IxCHeL Club sign ups are open

for the months : October, November and December 2016

(til quotas are reached or until October 1st)

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 October, November and December 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

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$48 (Airmail) double serve AU$136+AU$55

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

The IxCHeL Sock Yarn Clubs October, November and December 2016

Every month for three months (Ocober, November and December2016) 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$48 (Airmail) double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$48

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 October , November and December 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 .

Sign up now and you will receive an Ixchel Hand dyed , super luxurious funky bunny batt for October, November and December 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$48 (Airmail)

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$108+AU$60 (airmail)

For Asia: AU$108+AU$45 (airmail)

Handspun Angora Yarn

English Angora bunny fibre,(for the woad dyed ones it is also blended with silver Angelina; the natural white is pure angora bunny handspun and eq 8 ply),
50grams AU$28