Another interesting week ! Busy with dyeing all the May clubs and they will be ready to be shipped mid next week. Funny thing about this is the following:
The art journey clubs have been going since 2018. Every month I am doing another artist and one of their art works as an inspiration for the colour way I could have sworn I did a Van Gogh but no matter where I looked in my “computer system” nothing could be found, I looked on my photo account in “the cloud” which I thought was pretty well organized (hahahaha), on Flickr and could not find it there either. So I thought, yeah hey, it must have been I THOUGHT I did Van Gogh because I have been dyeing his starry night colourway on yarns and fibre for so long now it must have been that.
So I made a teaser label and in about a few hours of posting, I received messages from a few longtime club members that yes! I did a Van Gogh before (in 2018) and not only that , I DID THE SAME PAINTING!!! Lololol
Safe to say by that time, I had already started prepping and dyeing.rofl The funny thing is that it seems that although I am doing the same painting, I am totally looking at the painting differently , the colours are a different tonal value, my technique of dyeing is different and the base fibre I prepped for the club is different as well.
The first time I dyed the painting concentrated on “what are the main colours” of the painting, now I looked at the whole picture, which also has an extraordinary amount of outlines in a dark colour. As if the artist wanted to make the colours pop in contrast. I did not translate that at all the first time I did that same painting for the club in 2018.
Anyway, I apologise to all for doing the same painting (unknowingly, because I am obviously losing my brain function faster than I thought it would….).
I hope you can see it as a Van Gogh , Part 2 so to speak and an interesting art journey none the less.
Here’s the teaser label for the May club:
The second thing that really stuffed up today: the power went out this morning..no light, no photos to be taken of freshly dyed fibre, so plan B was put in place : a natural rare sheep breed adventure.
I am typing this on battery power and with mobile phone towers still functioning now, but I cannot guarantee that being the case at 8pm. (SP Ausnet is saying that power will probably be restored by tonight around 8pm…fingers crossed)
It may impact my email and messages response time to get back to you but I promise it is, as always, first come first serve (I look at time stamps of msges and emails) but it just may take a bit longer than normal…so sorry about that !
I have also promised I’d open the sign ups for the new fibre and yarn and batt clubs starting in July. You can find all the info on how to sign up and all the details later on in this blog.
What else has been going on? Well, I am also still spinning, plying and dyeing lots of angora, mink, wallaby, vampire deer and guanaco yarns atm for the upcoming Yarn and Craft show at the Coburg town hall : NEW DATES for the event !! I already told you this last week but it never hurts repeating it again just so I hope everybody knows: it is now on the 28th and 29th of May.
Here's the NEW poster :
Tell your friends, tell your family ! and please, please share the poster around so lots and lots of people know! I have posted on facebook and Instagram and I would be very grateful if you could share it on your pages. Every bit of help is appreciated to let the new dates be known to as many crafty fans as possible !
You can book your ticket for both days or just the Saturday or the Sunday at the trybooking dot com site (see poster)
All the April clubs have been shipped out to the club members before Easter, but I have not put the photos up on this blog yet (I did show them on my insta and facebook).
Here they are:
So what rare sheep breed is on offer tonight? :
It is Manx Loaghtan !
The Manx Loaghtan conjures up images of the movie “Hell Boy” with all of it's majestic horns, but these sheep are the epitome of gentle awesomeness ! Here are photos illustrating the flow from little lamb to adult heroism:
The Manx Loaghtan conjures up images of the movie “Hell Boy” with all of it's majestic horns, but these sheep are the epitome of gentle awesomeness ! Here are photos illustrating the flow from little lamb to adult heroism:
The origins of these primitive sheep are not fully understood but their ancestors are thought to go back to the Iron Age.
They share many characteristics with other primitive sheep and are part of the Northern Short Tail group of sheep.
These related primitive sheep were spread round Scandinavia, Iceland, the Scottish Islands and the Isle of Man by the Vikings.
The Manx Loaghtan is still one of the rarest of breeds in the British Isles and since 1973 the Rare Breeds Survival Trust has helped promote these wonderful sheep.
Up to the 18th century these sheep covered the Manx hills in their thousands. Gradually they were replaced by modern sheep that mature quicker and are heavier. Obviously modern economics are far from romantic..lol
In the last 120 years the Manx Loaghtan came close to extinction 3 times and was only saved by the dedication and foresight of a few people.
In the 1950s numbers were down to less than a 100!!!
Happily today there are just over a thousand and their future seems much brighter as people have come again to appreciate the wool which is naturally a dark tan colour, soft, light yet very warm.
The first thing that you notice about Manx Loaghtan sheep is their impressive set of horns. Both sexes have 2, 4 or even 6 horns!
As the name suggests, the Manx Loaghtan originated on the Isle Of Man. It is a small, ancient hill breed. Originally white with some grey and black sheep but few of the reddish-brown colour we see today (the word 'Loaghtan' comes from the Manx for 'mouse brown').
Like many other heritage breeds, the Loaghtan was once popular but declined in the early 20th century. The breed was rescued by enthusiasts both on the Isle of Man and in Scotland (where I got these beauties from) , and is now popular as a conservation grazer that will eat almost anything!
The breed is considered 'at risk' by the Rare Breed Survival Trust, with fewer than 1,500 registered breeding ewes.
Most Loaghtans have a medium staple length fleece, which in varying shades of brown getting paler with age, although they bleach to cream in the sun. The lambs are born black and generally achieve their particular shade of brown during the first year.
The fleece is very nice and soft with a staple length of between 70mm-100mm with around 22-28micron. It is great to spin for close to skin wear or for outerwear as well. Originally, most of the sheep were white – some were black or grey and the “loaghtan” color we attribute to the breed was quite unusual. Loaghtan is the Manx word for the brown “moorit” color of the fleece which is derived from two Manx words: “lugh” meaning mouse and “dhoan” meaning brown, or from “lhosht dhoan” meaning burnt brown. As it turned out, textiles made from the loaghtan color was prized and that color won out in the marketplace and breeders selected out the more common colors, keeping the recessive loaghtan. Today they should be of uniform colour. Sometimes a spectacled sheep shows up – this trait stems from cross breeding with Castlemilk Moorits in 1936 or some Soay rams in 1966 when they were trying to restore the breed, and is normally bred out of the flock. Fleece type is highly variable – some short, some long, and all the original colors can be found in flocks so long as the color on a particular fleece is uniform and lacking white markings. Some Manx retain the ability to roo – generally shedding their fleece in May based on weather conditions – but the majority are shorn. The grease rise makes this complicated in ewes with lambs – and frequently results in a distinct line of thick grease at the butt end of a shorn fleece. I love this sheep. It has such an old world feel to it and so ancient in a way and of course the fleece itself is just magic to spin up.
They share many characteristics with other primitive sheep and are part of the Northern Short Tail group of sheep.
These related primitive sheep were spread round Scandinavia, Iceland, the Scottish Islands and the Isle of Man by the Vikings.
The Manx Loaghtan is still one of the rarest of breeds in the British Isles and since 1973 the Rare Breeds Survival Trust has helped promote these wonderful sheep.
Up to the 18th century these sheep covered the Manx hills in their thousands. Gradually they were replaced by modern sheep that mature quicker and are heavier. Obviously modern economics are far from romantic..lol
In the last 120 years the Manx Loaghtan came close to extinction 3 times and was only saved by the dedication and foresight of a few people.
In the 1950s numbers were down to less than a 100!!!
Happily today there are just over a thousand and their future seems much brighter as people have come again to appreciate the wool which is naturally a dark tan colour, soft, light yet very warm.
The first thing that you notice about Manx Loaghtan sheep is their impressive set of horns. Both sexes have 2, 4 or even 6 horns!
As the name suggests, the Manx Loaghtan originated on the Isle Of Man. It is a small, ancient hill breed. Originally white with some grey and black sheep but few of the reddish-brown colour we see today (the word 'Loaghtan' comes from the Manx for 'mouse brown').
Like many other heritage breeds, the Loaghtan was once popular but declined in the early 20th century. The breed was rescued by enthusiasts both on the Isle of Man and in Scotland (where I got these beauties from) , and is now popular as a conservation grazer that will eat almost anything!
The breed is considered 'at risk' by the Rare Breed Survival Trust, with fewer than 1,500 registered breeding ewes.
Most Loaghtans have a medium staple length fleece, which in varying shades of brown getting paler with age, although they bleach to cream in the sun. The lambs are born black and generally achieve their particular shade of brown during the first year.
The fleece is very nice and soft with a staple length of between 70mm-100mm with around 22-28micron. It is great to spin for close to skin wear or for outerwear as well. Originally, most of the sheep were white – some were black or grey and the “loaghtan” color we attribute to the breed was quite unusual. Loaghtan is the Manx word for the brown “moorit” color of the fleece which is derived from two Manx words: “lugh” meaning mouse and “dhoan” meaning brown, or from “lhosht dhoan” meaning burnt brown. As it turned out, textiles made from the loaghtan color was prized and that color won out in the marketplace and breeders selected out the more common colors, keeping the recessive loaghtan. Today they should be of uniform colour. Sometimes a spectacled sheep shows up – this trait stems from cross breeding with Castlemilk Moorits in 1936 or some Soay rams in 1966 when they were trying to restore the breed, and is normally bred out of the flock. Fleece type is highly variable – some short, some long, and all the original colors can be found in flocks so long as the color on a particular fleece is uniform and lacking white markings. Some Manx retain the ability to roo – generally shedding their fleece in May based on weather conditions – but the majority are shorn. The grease rise makes this complicated in ewes with lambs – and frequently results in a distinct line of thick grease at the butt end of a shorn fleece. I love this sheep. It has such an old world feel to it and so ancient in a way and of course the fleece itself is just magic to spin up.
Please understand that I do not have a lot of stock of this exceptional rare breed fibre. Do not wait too long to pounce on this week’s update to avoid disappointment. I am offering you this all scoured and cleaned and pulled into luscious tops ready to spin in its natural colour.
Have a fun weekend with lots of giggles!!
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 !!!
Manx Loaghtan
Rare Sheep breed Tops
A rare sheep breed that is a magical addition to your stash !
100grams (+/-3.5Oz); AU$23
100grams (+/-3.5Oz); AU$23
Manx Loaghtan top
All my contact details and "HOW TO ORDER" are also to be found at the end of this week’s blog entry. And please remember: Every time you buy from a small business or a farm you are not only getting something unique and handmade but you are supporting so much more !
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
Juy, August & September 2022
are now open !
Here are some photos of the previous clubs:
January 2022 Batt Club
January 2022 Fibre club
January 2022 Yarn Club
June 2021Club
June 2021Club
November 21 Yarn ClubNote 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 Juy, August & September 2022
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 #52 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months (Juy, August & September 2022) 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 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 #52 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! Payment via direct deposit or credit card or paypal. Just PM or email me your details.
The IxCHeL Yarn Clubs Juy, August & September 2022
Every month for three months (Juy, August & September 2022) 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 sock weight 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 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 Juy, August & September 2022
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 Juy, August & September 2022
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 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”
Princess Bride Tweed Yarn
Black Superfine Merino, Super soft Lambswool Tweed 4 ply yarn with little pops of colour
50+grams (+/-1.75Oz) +/- 200meters AU$16
Princess in Training
Inconceivable
As you Wish
True Love
Have Fun Storming the Castle
a gorgeous colourwork jumper with
"have fun storming the castle" and "Kingfisher" mohair tweed yarn
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. Lock down or not: I am still working and mailing the parcels out fast as humanly possible :-)
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
Indigo 1 available
Jewels 2 available
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 +
A vibrant raspberry pink tweed with deep purple, lime and soft pink speckles)
Great Barrier Reef
Leafy Seadragon
Flying Fox
Airlie Beach
Sea Mist
Amethyst
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)
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 )
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)
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.
Wattle
(A beautiful sunshine yellow that goes so well with the kookaburra the silver grey)
(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)
( 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
250 g tubs AU$27
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 !!!
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.
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!!
Show the Love and Follow me on Instagram
RABBIT ON !
((hugs))
Charly
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