Cuteness Overload !

Cute and Beautiful: Valais Blacknose Sheep

I have a very soft spot for rare breeds, as you know. Today the focus is on a cute rare sheep breed with it’s origins in Switzerland but is slowly but surely taking over the world with its cuteness overload.
There are now herds and breeding programs that have been started in Scotland and the Netherlands. I would love to introduce this breed to Australia, but unless I win the lottery to deal with the import, quarantine etc, that is not going to happen. Instead I have been working to get this cute overload to you in another way in the shape of another one of my rare sheep breed adventures.

Tonight you will be able to sign up for either tops of batts and there will be options for undyed or several dye options. But more on this later in this blog.

 In the meantime there are some pretty stressfull times happening here at the IxCHeL bunny farm: a new Calici vaccine has been released all over Australia without a vaccine being made. The old vaccine is not covering the new dreaded virus that has been released by the government agencies. I have been protesting over and over together with so many others, but to no avail. Every morning I open the door to the Bunny run I hold my breath, hoping that everybody is still okay. Our biosecurity was already very high but now even more so. It is terrifying that humanity can allow this kind of bio warfare to happen I’m sure this would not be the case if it appears to kill race horses, dogs or cats. Unfortunately, not all animals are “worth” the same. This day and age truly is a carbon copy of Orwell’s’ Animal Farm. In my humble opinion it is NEVER a good idea to release a virus if you do not have an adequate vaccine in place, but hey, who am I and also, I would never ever think bio warfare is a good solution to anything. The powers that be have other ideas. Democracy nowadays looks more like a dicatorship in that respect, but I digress. So before I get into the idiotic world political issues that resemble an episode of Fawlty Towers gone wrong, I will get onto what this blog is all about: CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!!

 I have blended up some amazing Valais blacknose together with amazing super soft fibres to make it next to skin wearable and an absolute amazing experience to work with. The only downside of it all is, that I only have a very very VERY limited supply. You can sign up for tops or batts (or both undyed or dyed (see the info on the colours later in the blog) and it is as it has always been: first come first serve. So please do not wait too long to jump in. Contact me by email or message me on facebook, Instagram, email or ravelry. All the details are to be found at the end of this blog entry.

New Rare Sheep Breed Adventure Sign UP

This new adventure is all about the Swiss cutest sheep : the Valais Blacknose!

This adventure sign up is for all of you who want to desperately cuddle some of those cute sheep in fibre form. I will offer you tops and batts.

These lovelies hail from Switzerland and I have combined their fibre with some lovely super soft fibres. Their fleece is not normally close to skin wear, but as I keep telling people, blending a coarser fleece with angora and cashmere and doing some of my blending magic: it will be soft enough to wear close to skin!! Ofcourse a high micron sheeps fleece will not compare to super fine 13 micron merino or pure cashmere or angora, but every fibre has its purpose and every fibre can be blended to change the overall use. Everything has value, everything can be used and loved and cuddled.

The Valais Blacknose sheep originate in the Valais region of Switzerland. They are a dual-purpose breed, raised for meat and wool. The black patches on its nose, eyes, ears, knees, hocks and feet and otherwise light woolly coats make them quite unmistakable. They are a heritage breed, well-suited to living in the extreme climatic conditions of the high mountains. They are good at grazing steep, rocky slopes. Both sexes are horned. The earliest mention of the breed dates back to 1400 A.D., but they were first recognized as a separate breed in 1962. 

Here are some photos and inspiration mood board pictures on which the dyeing process will be based. You can also opt for the natural tops if you like.

The colour inspirations for this adventure came from the beautiful country side the Valais Blacknose sheep hail from.Here are some photos of the lovelies in their natural habitat:

Sign up Options:

The blend will consist of:

Valais Blacknose
Eco merino
Silver Angelina
Glitz
Angora
Cashmere


Sign ups are for Tops or Batts:
Tops (dyed or undyed) , 100+ grams:   $25
Batt +/- 150grams :  $38

The Rare Sheep Breed Adventure tops and batts will be shipped out Start of April and on my ravelry/facebook/Instagram group it will be part of the Magical Spin A Long for the April, May and June! It is going to be awesome FUN and there will be prizes!!!

Sign ups start today and because there is only a very limited amount I can blend and prepare there is a limit to the quantity.
 All I can say is that the last rare sheep breed adventure sold out in about 2 hours….

You can choose to receive tops or batts in their natural beauty:

natural Alpine Glitz Tops

OR:

you can choose to receive tops or batts in this variegated colourway which has combined the colours of the Swiss countryside: Deep greens and sky blues.

this is the Magical Creatures colourway shown on a different base. It is a combo of deep greens and blues.

OR;
you can choose to order tops or batts in a light to dark colourway, dyed with natural dyes:


Woad: a Mediterranean pastel blue

Japanese Indigo: a beautiful jeans blue with purple grey undertones

Mushrooms; A sweet pale pink

Oak Galls: Beautiful Classy grey tones

or

Walnut: a beautiful warm brown

this photo captured the oak galls dyed fibres in the fore ground and the walnut dyed fibres in the background

New IxCHeL Club sign ups are now open !

for the months : April, May and June 2017 

(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 2017

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 #31 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months (April, May and June 2017) 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$50 (airmail) Double serve AU$136+AU$50

If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #32 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! The April 2017 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 2017

Every month for three months (April, May and June 2017) 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  April, May and June 2017

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 2017.

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 april  Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me

Dates to put in your Calendar !!

March

Wednesday March 15th, 10am - 3pm

McClelland Spinners and weavers Group
THE MAD HATTERS TEA PART SPIN IN 2017

McClelland Gallery, McClelland Drive , Langwarrin, (Melways Ref 103E3), 

May

Saturday May 6th   10am-3pm

Healesville Spinners and Weavers Guild Chat, Spin and Shop

Please join me with the Healesville Spinners and Weavers on Saturday for their annual celebration.
I will be doing a talk about the IxCHeLbunny farm, fibres and yarns and lots more !!! There will be fibres to cuddle (and buy) and also spindles of all shapes and sizes.

The event is open to all but everybody is asked to bring a plate of food to share with the others to make it even more fun. The Hall opens at 11am with a group meeting and my talk will start around 12. After the talk there will be ample opportunity to browse, shop and mingle.

V.C. Mullett Hall (Badger Creek Hall), 358 Badger Creek Road, Badger Creek.
The hall is located next to the Badger Creek C.F.A. Station and opposite the Badger Creek Primary School. There is off road parking.

Sunday May 21st 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 14th- Sunday 16th, 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 !!!!

OCTOBER

date and venue info to follow soon.

Black n Coloured Sheep FIELD DAY  in Pakenham!

Landscape dyes 

 100g tubs   AU$11 
250 g tubs AU$26

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