Be Fearless ... and smart

Happy Friday ! This Saturday it is going the be Halloween so this Friday’s update is the last of the IxCHeL Spooky October offers and it is awesome ! Not only is there a new blend with amazingly cute Ouessant/ Blue Faced Leicester sheep blend !!! (read all about them later in the blog),but there are also new Black Bunny Tops ! 

AND as if that is not enough: there’s new photos of tweed to entice you to embrace the new colour “Nephrite” : a gorgeous sage green beauty with colourful speckles ! AND THIS ! 

Can’t wait to start 2021? 

This is your chance ! The sign ups for the IxCHeL Yarn, Fibre and Batt clubs are now OPEN !!!!! 

I decided to start early not only because of the all over sentiment that we all want 2020 to just be over, BUT also to give me more time to prepare and make sure I have enough fibre stocks to have it all covered! Yes, believe it or not, in the midst of these pandemic times, I need to be even more organized than before…lol Just message or email me if you would like to join or ask any questions ! I’m here to enable !

This week has been all about catching up. I have done all the club preparation, the fibre blending and organizing for updates and also busy to get all the custom orders organized and finalized. Every day I spend hours in the dye room and carding. 

The start of my day is checking all emails and organize administrative stuff; then preparing the dyes and pigments and prepping everything ready to dye, making up recipes and calculating dye times and soak times ; then the dyeing starts for the rest of the day and letting things rest and cool down. 

That is when I hop over to blend and card more fibre, plan for the weeks ahead, take care of all the life stock and make sure everything is alright and combed and healthy. Which means : dinner time! 

 A lot of the time that means a mad dash to the pantry. Too bad if I feel like falafels and I forgot to soak the chick peas overnight….lol 

 Most of the time it’s like “well, it’s just gonna have to be this then” and slap bang something on the table to make sure that no one is going to be “hangry”. 

 After the feeding everybody and making sure all are fine and cleaning up what needs to be cleaned up, I leave the dishes for Paul (lolol) and then it is designing labels or spinning custom orders til late at night (or read….morning). 

 I don’t know about you, but calling what we do “slow fashion” or “Slow art” sure doesn’t feel slow, it more like “All involving”, “All enveloping”. “What monster did I create?” is on my mind sometimes. It is also a monster I cannot control. It is also a monster that is totally loving, relaxing and just so comfortable to be with. A fluffy monster. 

I know there are probably 95% of the people who think am totally mad and “does she have any free time???” and yes , while all of that is true, I would not change it a bit. I could not see my life doing anything else. This is when you realise you have found your “purpose” I guess. 

 Face it, you could not live like this without loving it with all your heart. You have to love what you do a 100%, because it is not a 9 to 5 job, it is not a side gig you do: it's a life style. 

I guess I am lucky I have the ultimate brain (dis?)function that makes me so excessively focused (OCD?) and to have a loving, understanding and super patient partner to put up with me…and my quirks and workaholic fluffy behaviour. I am so lucky that way! 

So when people ask me how I have been coping with the Pandemic, it is easy for me to say that I have had the luxury of my excessive, compulsive, workaholic behaviour , helping me to overcome any anxiety or angst. Focusing on my fluffy work and thinking about new products and adventures was a huge positive for me. Craft is , well, a saviour! I guess that is why so many people in these times have turned to hunker down at home with a ball fo wool and some knitting needles or a crochet hook or spinning yarn ! It centres the soul. It is, to put it in a Buddhist way, focusing on a single objective, a single point orientation ( or Samadhi). For those of you who think that meditation is just a bunch of mumbo jumbo and hocus pocus (and say to themselves: ” who can sit on a pillow and stare int nothingness, thinking of nothing and find that relaxing without falling asleep” ): When you knit or spin yarn, it is almost exactly the same thing. You focus on a single thing, a single purpose in a slightly (hopefully) better position than on a pillow on the floor.

Spinning, knitting or crocheting , creating, crafting: it is a single pointed meditation no matter how you look at it. It focuses your mind, you become calmer and you know what? It increases happiness, it improves short term memory and it reduces stress and anxiety ! I am sure you have all experienced all of this while crafting (except when you drop a stitch in the middle of an intricate lace pattern of course…lol…). This, THIS! Is why craft is so important It makes is focus on the simple things that we can control and make us happy. And why I have been able to survive in times of stress, uncertainty and utter heart break. 

It may seem so minimal and nonsensical, but it is my truth and I sincerely hope that in amongst these terribly stressful and uncertain times, you have been able to find happiness in your craft as well. 

I also try and tell myself that it’s best to be fearless (and smart. Fearless and stupid is dangerous...lol). 

I am over the moon to have found a pin to wear on my new Nephrite lace top at Bookgeek.com.au that expresses that sentiment from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein exactly:

This week I have my Black Bunny blend for you and a fab new blend : 

A Ouessant/Blue Faced Leicester blend that is so smoochy and soft and fluffy you have to try it ! The different colours in all the fleeces blended together made a gorgeous base to dye on and resulted in amazing tonal values of the dyed tops. 

I love dyeing tops that have different coloured fleeces in them: it is magical ! 

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

 Have fun !!!

There is only a very very VERY limited supply!! 

 
Located 12 miles off the French coast in the Sea of Iroise, the island of Ouessant (or Ushant in English) is the original homeland of Ouessant Sheep. 

 Ouessant sheep are the most primitive of the native French breeds. For centuries, they were raised in isolation on the island where they played an integral part of the self-sufficient closed economy, providing both wool and meat. By the end of the 18th century there were over 6,000 sheep on the island of Ouessant. But economic improvements along with a move toward modernization at the beginning of the 19th century radically changed the future prospects of this small primitive breed. ortunately, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, a number of wealthy families imported small numbers of traditional Ouessant sheep to the French mainland to graze the lands around their estates. 

Ultimately, this seemingly insignificant event insured the survival of the breed. Today, Ouessant sheep are sought after both as companion animals and as “environmentally-friendly lawn mowers”. 

They have also gained a certain amount of popularity in several different European countries : Most notably Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Great Britain. 

A member of the Northern European Short-Tailed breeds, Ouessant sheep are distant cousins of the Shetland and Icelandic breeds. The two most distinctive features of Ouessant sheep are their size and their color. 

Considered by many to be the smallest breed of sheep in the world, adult ewes measure less than 18″ (46cm) at the shoulders and rams are under 20″ (50cm). 

Additionally, Ouessant sheep come in a number of different colors : Including black, white, brown, and grey. It is true that the small size of Ouessant sheep contributes to the breed’s characteristic charm and appeal. However, their diminutive size also means that the breed is not commercially viable in the modern world of agricultural production. In fact, one of the primary objectives for breeding Ouessant sheep today is the preservation and conservation of the rare genetic resources that are found in the breed. 

Despite their small size, these charming little sheep produce a particularly beautiful and versatile wool. Ouessant sheep have a distinctive double-coated fleece with an average fiber diameter of 25 microns and, on average, fleeces weigh approximately 750 grams (1.5 lbs.). It is important to keep in mind that Ouessant sheep are an unimproved breed, which means that from one sheep to another there is less standardization and more variability in wool type and quality than one would normally find in modern improved breeds. 

For the handspinner, this variation presents a unique opportunity : From one small flock of Ouessant sheep it is possible to produce wool that can be used for a wide variety of projects, ranging from lace shawls to hats, cardigans, and even rugs. 

 I have taken great care to only select the finest of the Ouessant fibre and blending that with the shiny Blue faced Leicester to create a beautiful heathered effect when dyed.

IxCHeL Ouesssant sheep /Blue Faced Leicester Sheep Tops

AU$24          100grams

Weedy Seadragon   SOLD

Autumn Magic sold

Flowering Rainforest SOLD

Vampire Kisses

2 LEFT

Indigo SOLD

Wuthering Heights 2 LEFT

Dynamite SOLD

Loch Ness Monster

sold

IxCHeL Black Bunny Tops

Super fine Merino, Silk, Angora Bunny 

 AU$25             100grams     SOLD

NEW IxCHeL Tweed Yarn  

Hand dyed

Super soft lambs wool 70% and Kid Mohair 30%

Spun singles, fingering or sock weight yarn

+/- 200meters/218yards

50grams      1.76oz

AU$18

Botanical dyes 

(dyed with Eucalypt, Madder root, Walnut, Elderberry, Indigo,Acorn)

Indigo

Unicorn Speckles

Jewels

NEW NEW NEW NEW colours !!! 

 IxCHeL Tweed Yarn 

Super soft lambs wool 70% and Kid Mohair 30%

Spun singles, fingering or sock weight yarn

+/- 200meters/218yards

50grams      1.76oz

AU$16

Nephrite Jade 

 (A beautiful deep sage green colour with fun blue, lime and salmon speckles)

Grevillea + new ! 

 A vibrant raspberry pink tweed with deep purple, lime and soft pink speckles)

To order: email or message me on facebook, Ravelry or Instagram, quoting the colourway and the quantity you would like, together with your postal address and I will get right back to you with all the payment details.

To become a club member just email me on ixchelbunnyart at gmail dot com 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”

To order: email or message me on facebook, Ravelry or Instagram, quoting the colourway and the quantity you would like, together with your postal address and I will get right back to you with all the payment details.

IxCHeL club sign ups for January, February and March 2021 !!!!! are open ! 

 Here are some photos of the previous clubs.

August 20 Fibre Club

August Batt Club

August Yarn Club

June Club

June Club

Note to all International club members:
All international club parcels are now being shipped with tracking and expedited. 
There is an option if you want all three of your clubs to be shipped together to save on shipping cost:  Just ask me for a postage quote !

IxCHeL Fibre Club January, February, March 2021

The subscription is for a period of three months and you will receive one special hand dyed and special blended top/roving per month

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 #45 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months (January, February, March 2021) is AU$78 + postage (parcel post or airmail). AND there are good value double and triple serves available !!!

For Australia : single serve $78+$30 postage (parcel post), double serve $150(save $6) +$30m postage or triple serves $225 (save $9!) + $30 postage

For New Zealand : single serve $78+$45 postage (parcel post) double serve $150(save $6) +$45 postage

For USA + Canada: single serve AU$78+AU$60 (Airmail) double serve AU$150+AU$60; triple serve $225 (save $9) + AU$60postage

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$78+AU$78 (airmail) Double serve AU$150+AU$78; triple serve $225 (save $9) + AU$78postage

 For Asia: Single serve AU$78+AU$57 (airmail) Double serve AU$150+AU$57; triple serves $225 (save $9) + AU$57postage 

If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #46 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! The January Club is going to be shipped out end of January. the February club mid Feb and the March club early March. Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me your details.

 The IxCHeL Yarn Clubs January, February, March 2021

Every month for three months (January, February, March 2021) 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); 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 $96+$30 postage (parcel post) double serve $177( save $15!!) +$30 postage

For New Zealand : single serve $96+$45 postage (parcel post) double serve $177( save $15!!) +$45 postage

For USA + Canada: single serve AU$96+AU$60 (Airmail) double serve $177 (Save $15!!) +AU$60 

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: Single serve AU$96+AU$78 (airmail) Double serve $177 (Save $15!!) +AU$78

For Asia: Single serve AU$96+AU$57 (airmail) Double serve $177 (= Save $15!!!) +AU$57

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

IxCHeL Funky Bunny Batt Clubs January, February, March 2021

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 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 January, February, March 2021

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

For Australia : $114+$30 postage (parcel post)

For New Zealand : single serve $114+$45 postage (parcel post)

For USA + Canada: AU$114+AU$60 (Airmail)

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$114+AU$78 (airmail)

For Asia: AU$114+AU$57 (airmail)

If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FUNKY BUNNY BATT CLUB now. Numbers are strictly limited !

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

To become a member just email me on ixchelbunnyart at gmail dot com 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”

IxCHeL Tweed fingering weight yarn

Super soft lambs wool 70% and Kid Mohair 30%

Spun singles, fingering or sock weight yarn

+/- 200meters/218yards

50grams      1.76oz

AU$16

Great Barrier Reef

Leafy Seadragon

Flying Fox

Airlie Beach

Sea Mist

Amethyst

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

Kata Tjuta           BACK IN STOCK !!!
(an intense pure red that goes well with the Kookaburra and the Wattle and the Amethyst colourway and soooooo  many others)

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)

Dusky 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)

Landscape dyes

 100g tubs   AU$12
250 g tubs AU$27

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.

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 ixchelbunnyart at gmail dot com  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.

Keep your eyes out for any news on the 

ixchelbunny Instagram feed and the IxCHeL facebook page!!

 RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly