Making a Noble and Sustainable Yarn

Mongolian Yak all dressed up 

(Photo by Dennis Jarvis)

Three weeks and I’m still ticking ! I had to go to the Specialist to get my bionic me and counterpart checked out and calibrated: All went well and is looking very good. The specialist was surprised how well I healed up and was still apologetic about the scar. The scar by the way is hardly noticeable and he did a brilliant job, but he was still apologetic. And you know what? I don’t mind scars : they show you survived and show how strong you had to be to get through stuff, kind of like medals after combat so to speak.

Energy wise it is still amazing but it tends to be a bit up and down still, mainly because on the days that I feel super , I tend to do too much and then I fall in a bit of a heap the day after. Balance is not my best feature… I am working on it..

In the last week I have also been working on more IxCHeL tweed colours and yarns, done some custom orders and preparing some much needed stock for the upcoming show on the 29th of September in Pakenham, organized by the Black n Coloured Sheep organization Victoria. (You can read all about it in the section called “Dates to put in your calendar” at the end of the blog. Photos of all these amazing new yarns later next week ! Also : I will post some photos of the September Club that was shipped out last week to all the members ! Sign ups for all the clubs starting in October are still open but not for long anymore ! So don't wait and become  a member of the Yarn, Fibre or Batt club! Or hey , why not all three ? (wink wink).

I have to do so much spinning because I have totally run out of angora handspun yarns, so that’s on the agenda for the next week together with some dyeing of a new blend! Or should I say 3 new blends? Lol So better get this show on the road and get back to it !

This update is a bit more subdued and far less colourful but nevertheless special: Mongolian Yak has finally arrived after months and months of anxious waiting and it feels absolutely divine! So let me tell you a bit more about the Mongolian yak and the importance to the Mongolian culture and sustainability there.

Mongolia is one of the world's largest supplies of cashmere, which is made from Mongolian goat hair. But due to global demand for cashmere, the number of goats in Mongolia has risen from 5 million in 1990 to 19.3 million in 2009. And the proliferation of goats has been damaging the environment. Their little feet really trample the ground and don't leave the fragile terrain to restore itself.

There are more animals than the land can support and as a result, 90% of Mongolia's land is at risk of permanent desertification. Critically, what was discovered was that the nomadic way of life and future of wild animals are threatened by rapid industrialization and desertification of the land, largely due to the intensive grazing of cashmere goats, which contributes to climate change.

 Nomadic herder families in Mongolia supply the world’s top fashion brands with cashmere fibres – contributing to the AUD15 billion global cashmere market. But many nomadic herder families live on subsistence wages of around $2 per day. While part of the reason is the increase in livestock, the fragile, dry country has also suffered from significant climate change. This is where the Khangai yak -- an indigenous wild species found in Western Mongolia -- could preserve the country's landscape, because they're gentler on the fragile steppes, and help save the herder families' nomadic lifestyle.

A mum with her baby yak

According to the United Nations Development Programme, as much as 90% of Mongolia is fragile dry-land, under constant threat of increasing desertification. Conservation biologists have found that unsustainable levels of grazing by cashmere goats and other environmentally damaging livestock have consumed up to 95% of forage across the Tibetan plateau, Mongolia and northern India, leaving just 5% for wild animals to graze. It’s no coincidence that in the last 70 years, temperatures have risen almost three times faster in this region than the global average.

Herding the Yaks

Over 40% of Mongolia’s three million people depend on herding. Nomadic herders in Mongolia maintain the traditional lifestyle of their ancestors, moving between four seasonal rangelands to provide good pastures for their livestock throughout the year. This method of livestock keeping is in symbiosis with the fragile ecological environment of grasslands in the Central Asian Plateau. Having collective organisation enables herders to establish a land-use agreement with local government, protect their traditional user rights and become stewards of the land. Working directly with co-operatives representing over 4,500 nomadic herder families in the Khangai region of Mongolia, ensures the Yak herders receive a fair-share income whilst establishing herder land rights. Yaks are so important to the Mongolian people that there is a very popular yearly Yak Festival :

Mongolian Yak Festival Opening Ceremony

Not only is the Yak important for the Mongolian people for their fibre and hair, but they also provide much needed milk and yak cheeses (Yum!)

Milking Yaks

Yak is a sustainable alternative to cashmere. When they graze, yaks eat just the top of the grass, promoting biodiversity and sustainability. This is very different to the way non-indigenous cashmere goats eat – they rip out the grassroots, damaging the land and contributing to desertification. In Mongolia, the Khangai yak roam semi-wild, often at high altitudes, and endure extreme summers and harsh winter conditions. This means their coats are a robust and unique natural material, with textures and colours found only in animals native to this region, where they graze on mineral-rich terrain. Noble fibres is a term used in the textile industry to describe fibres sourced from rare animals. When spun into a ‘noble yarn’, it is so named for its rarity, superior quality and performance. The rare breed of Khangai yak produces the softest yak fibres on the market. Khangai yak fibres are as soft as cashmere, warmer than merino wool, hypoallergenic, resistant to water and odours, and more resistant to pilling than other luxury fibres.

As with all rare fibres it is so important to work with the farmers who work with the animals and that they receive the reward to keep their farms, their animals and their livelyhood sustainable.

Yaks are heavily built animals with a bulky frame, sturdy legs, rounded cloven hooves, and extremely dense, long fur that hangs down lower than the belly. While wild yaks are generally dark, blackish to brown in colouration, domestic yaks can be quite variable in colour, often having patches of rusty brown and cream. They have small ears and a wide forehead, with smooth horns that are generally dark in colour. In males (bulls), the horns sweep out from the sides of the head, and then curve forward. They typically range from 48 to 99 cm in length. The horns of females (cows) are smaller, only 27 to 64 cm in length, and have a more upright shape. Males weigh 350 to 585 kg , females weigh 225 to 255 kg. Wild yaks can be substantially heavier, bulls reaching weights of up to 1,000 kilograms . Both sexes have long shaggy hair with a dense woolly undercoat over the chest, flanks, and thighs to insulate them from the cold. Especially in bulls, this may form a long "skirt" that can reach the ground.

Here is  a video so you can see how the yaks are combed to get the down fibre !

Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time if you have any questions okay? Always happy to enable.
Don’t forget there are only a few weeks left to sign up for the clubs starting.
All my contact details are to be found at the end of this week’s blog entry. Have fun !!!

Khangai Yak tops  

A wonderful chocolate brown with an amazing soft handle. Beautiful soft down, gently handpulled into tops that are just begging to be spun into a fine, noble yarn.

50grams+ (+/- 1.75oz) AU$18

Beautiful Chocolate coloured , beautiful soft Yak Tops
ONLY TWO TOPS LEFT

IxCHeL Club Sign ups for the LAST trimester of 2019 are OPEN!!! 

 Here is the overview of all the clubs shipped out to all the members in 2018 and most of 2019. 

Teasers of the latest clubs are always be posted on my Instagram, Facebook and Twitter !

 If you would like to join for the next round just PM me.

Here is a photo compilation of the 2018/2019 clubs to give you an idea what the "Art Journey" Theme has been all about : The interpretation of art into fibre.

IxCHeL Clubs 2019

March Yarn Club

March Fibre Club

March Batt Club

IxCHeL Fibre Club October, November and December 2019

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$25 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 #41 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months (October, November and December 2019) is AU$75 + postage (parcel post or airmail). AND there are good value double serves available !!! 

 For Australia : single serve $75+$29 postage (parcel post), double serve $142+$29 (save $8) or triple serves $214 (save $11!) + postage 

For USA + Canada: single serve AU$75+AU$57 (Airmail) double serve AU$142+AU$57; triple serve $214 (save $11) + postage

 For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$72+AU$69 (airmail) Double serve AU$136+AU$69; triple serve $214 (save $11) + postage

 For Asia: Single serve AU$72+AU$50 (airmail) Double serve AU$136+AU$50; triple serves $214 (save $11) + postage 

If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #41 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! The October 2019 Club is going to be shipped out end of October, the November club mid November and the December club early December. Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me your details. 

 The IxCHeL Yarn Clubs October, November and December 2019

 Every month for three months (October, November and December 2019) you will receive: enough hand dyed luscious yummy yarn to make a pair of socks or a lush shawl or scarf of course! (the hand dyed yarn will be exclusive for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB and will range from a sockweight yarn (a 4ply/fingering weight yarn) or an 8ply / DK weight enough to make a pair of socks ; Every month a sock or scarf 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 or scarves extra long ! 

For Australia : single serve $87+$29 postage (parcel post) double serve $150( save $24!!) +$29 postage For USA + Canada: single serve AU$87+AU$57 (Airmail) double serve $150 (Save $24!!) +AU$57 

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$87+AU$69 (airmail) Double serve $150 (Save $24!!) +AU$69 

For Asia: Single serve AU$87+AU$50 (airmail) Double serve $150 (= Save $24!!!) +AU$50 

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 . The October 2019 Club is going to be shipped out end of October, the November club mid November and the December club ealty December.

IxCHeL Funky Bunny Batt Clubs October, November and December 2019

Here are all the details. 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 170grams with luxury fibres like camel , angora, cashmere, silk, yak, llama even wallaby 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 2019

Price to join the IxCHeL Funky bunny for three months is : 

 For Australia : $114+$29 postage (parcel post) For USA + Canada: AU$114+AU$57 (Airmail) 

 For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$114+AU$69 (airmail) 

 For Asia: AU$114+AU$50 (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 October 2019 Club is going to be shipped out end of October, the November club mid November and the December club Early December. Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me 

To become a member just email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au or message me on facebook or Instagram. More on how to order the clubs and anything from this update later in the blog in the section “how to order”

More and more people are telling me they absolutely love working with the IxCHeL Tweed yarns. There will be lots of photos next week.

If you want to see more photos please go to my facebook or Instagram pages.

IxCHeL Tweed fingering weight yarn

Super soft lambswool 70% and Kid Mohair 30%

Spun singles, fingering or sock weight yarn

+/- 200meters/218yards

50grams      1.76oz

AU$16

Wattle
(A beautiful sunshine yellow that goes so well with the kookaburra the silver grey)

Kata Tjuta
(an intense pure red that goes well with the Kookaburra and the Wattle and the Amethyst colourway and soooooomany others)

Amethyst
(a bright purple colourway with bright red flecks)

Kookaburra
(a beautiful silver grey with ochre accents that complement the dingo colourway)

Dingo
( A beautiful warm honey ochre with pops of royal bluebell, kingfisher and kangaroo paw)

Grevillea
(a gorgeous raspberry base with pops of royal bluebell, flowering gum, grey and daintree)

Flowering Gum
( a gorgeous medieval warm red with bright red, kookaburra and fern forest accents)

Fern Forest
( a deep forest green with accents of bright red, dusky purple and daintree) )

Jacarandah 
( a fabulous deep purple with accents of royal bluebell, daintree, grevillea and kingfisher )

Wombat
( a fabulous deep walnut brown with accents of dingo and kookaburra)

Kangaroo Paw 
( a fabulous warm orange with accents of fern forest, royal bluebell and grevillea and dingo )

isn’t it gorgeous how the Kangaroo paw knits up?! )

Royal Bluebell 
( a deep blue with accents of flowering gum, kookaburra and fern forest )

Wallaby
( a warm light brown with accents of soft blue and kookaburra)

Daintree ( a soft green with accents of fern forest and dingo)

Kingfisher 
( a fabulous Turquoise blue with accents of fern forest, kangaroo paw, Jacaranda and Grevillea)

Pm me if you would like to give some of these amazing new IxCHeL Tweed yarns or the Buddhas tears tea a good home or if you want to sign up for the IxCHeL Clubs ! Enjoy looking and have a fun weekend !

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. 

IxCHeL Buddhas tears tea

carefully packed and presented in a special organza gift bag

50g/ AU$19

Two organically grown superior green tea leaves and a jasmine bud are plucked from the best quality tea bushes and mixed with delicately smelling jasmine blossoms, then sieved and hand rolled on bamboo trays, into small balls while the leaves are not quite dry. 

The leaf captures the fine jasmine aroma and releases it during brewing, giving a champagne coloured cup. 

 Brewing: 1-3 minutes 75-80degC , 

 4 pearls/cup, 

you can reinfuse 3-4 times so those 4 pearls last a looong time

Carefully handrolled tea

Enjoy the tea over and over again, by adding hot water again and again

All my contact details are here:

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 a fun weekend !!!

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.
4. message me on Instagram 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.

Dates to put in your Calendar

Pakenham Black n Coloured Sheep and Wool Show

September 29th at the Pakenham Library     10 -3pm 

Get ready for lots of new goodies that are planned !!!
I will be there with an amazing amount of new exclusive wool blends and yarns, batts, felt and landscape and botanical natural dyes and so much more !!!
I will also have spindles by the amazing Bearded Dragon and lots of fibre tools as well from darning mushrooms to noste pinne, Turkish spindles, Navajo and Mayan spindles, Turkish spindles and needle cases to distaffs, and something amazing  for spinners and knitters.

Get ready for a fabulous Sunday filled with lots of craft and fun !!!

 RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly