Black Magic

People who know me are used to the fact that it is always a bit of Halloween here. 

I have to admit that I am a huge fan of Gothic architecture, Gothic novels (anything about vampires, werewolves, Frankenstein, witches, etc) and you can find replicas of good olde Yorick around the house with or without some black drip candles…I know…I would not stand a chance in medieval times ! 

I would be thrown in a pond expecting to float like any herb loving, cauldron dyeing witch would. And , I would…float I mean…physics demand it…lol 

 Anyway..I digress… I was going to call this a pre-Halloween update, it being focused on something so purely and deeply black it just had to be, but it is all but black magic I’m afraid. Sorry to disappoint!

Black is extremely hard to accomplish dyeing yarn or fibre. Together with that other evasive colour: Blood red… Somehow the hues of black (and red for that matter) tend to hide and show their middle finger towards the innocent white witch dyer by displaying  either a blue or a purple or a grey. And, when you finally concoct something resembling a deep black in your cauldron, gently lay the yarn or fibre in it to suck up all that blackness…you will then find that you were too gullible, because when you take it out : “there are black purply blue spots all over”…. 

 After about 20 years of this kind of things and improving this that and the other, I have finally found that black magic is not only about getting the pigments right, the temperature right, the fibre contents right BUT also: movement. With black more than anything: it needs heat and MOVEMENT. It’s a bit tricky when it comes to movement and heat because you will wind up with a statue of fluff rather than something you can spin. So let me start again explaining: It is all about GENTLE rotational movement not causing any upset for any fibre. Don’t ask me to do a video: it is a very dreary, time-consuming process. Although I have heard that loooooooooong hour and hour long youtube videos seem to be somewhat popular, I would not like to chain you to your computer screen for hours and hours. Believe me, it’s time better spent doing something more fun….lolol 

 Anyway, you may have guessed I have done lots and lots of dyeing black this week both for custom orders and this update (plus more). 

 Apart from that: there has been lots of wood tattooing (aka pyrographing) of spindles, painting and, last but not least: the AUGUST Art Journey Clubs !!!! Yeah !!! All the August clubs have been shipped this morning. A bit later than I wanted to, but…and stay with me here….. there has been so much printing of labels and more for the upcoming products on the website that I lost track of the availability of my printer ink, which, yes, ran out !! And, yes, I ran out of printer ink and yes, because we are in the middle of nowhere , it takes a while to get things delivered. So yeah, the shipping was delayed by a few days because of my terrible oversight. My sincere apologies. 

Apart from that, this week has been a bit of a “head spinning aka the Exorcist” kind of week, because …are you ready???? So many things going on at the same time (and I am not even talking about my dental and medical appointments, which would make any head spin anyway..lol) It is getting extremely exciting here: the website is getting EXTREMELY close !!!!! so close I can almost touch it !!!! and so can you !!! Which reminds me to remind you to check out www.ixchel.com.au and look at the count down timer. See !?!?! See how close it is????!!! 

 So, next week is going to be both exciting AND nerve-wracking….lol 

It is not too late to sign up for the newsletter for the website by the way: not only will there be a special something for all of you who have signed up but also something extra EXTRA special..WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE!

Anyway: here is the teaser vid for the August batt club

For tonight’s update is a fabulous blend which took a lot of patience and effort ( that is the other word for “magic”). : Black Bunny Tops. 

These tops are not only super deep black, but also a fabulously fine, fluffy and soft tops to spin. You may say to yourself that you don’t like to spin or knit or weave with black but, and here’s the most important thing: black makes all the colours POP ! It’s like “only when you know the darkness can you fully appreciate the light” or something to that effect.

The IxCHeL Art Journey club sign ups for the next round starting in October are open now ! So, if you want to be part of some awesome fun and receiving a yarn, batt or fibre lovingly hand dyed and inspired by a unique artwork : Please sign up ! You will receive a fluffy parcel every month with an extra surprise too ! All the information on all the clubs you can find further down on this blog. 

And : don't forget there is TWEED YARN too !! some amazing colour that can be used to make fabulous colour work magic.

Have some questions? Please let me know and email or message me ! Always happy to enable !

Also , like I said before, there are some amazing behind the scene stuff happening to get the IxCHeL Website up and running ! 

Better show you everything about tonight’s offering !

Have fun !!!

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. 

Black Bunny Tops Tops

Organic Super fine Merino, Silk, Angora Bunny 

100+ gram tops      AU$27

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 

October, November and December 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 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 October, November, December 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 #53 and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months (October, November and December 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 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 #53 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 October, November, December 2022

Every month for three months (October, November and December 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 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 October, November and December 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 October, November and December 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 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 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

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!!

Show the Love and Follow me on Instagram 

 RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly