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

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$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

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$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 .

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$48 (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

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:

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