Yakkity Yak !

Whaddoyaknow: it’s almost Halloween! 

I have to say, it’s always a bit like Halloween here, but the last few days have been really a bit scary…lol It has been raining and raining and raining , so much that last night apparently there was a car floating (as in not driving but FLOATING) in the Yarra Junction car park.

The little Yarra River has broken its banks…again, the back paddock is water logged or under water, everything is extremely soggy and muddy BUT the good news is, only our verandah roof is leaking and the house is not flooded , which would all in all be quite a feat because we are on high stilts against the side of a hill. Seeing the devastation la Nina is causing all over the state of Victoria and NSW it would not surprise me, but we are extremely lucky ! Saying that, we are experiencing intermittent power and internet, meaning we have more no internet/power than usual…lol but we cope, we have candles and batteries and a woodfire (because believe it or not it is cold as well as wet) and I have become extremely well at improvising.

So, what’s been happening this week? On Monday all the October club parcels were shipped out to all the members (photos will be shared on social media very soon!) and on Tuesday I had to have my bionic heart reset again. 

This time I was “invited” to go to the Epworth Hospital in town so it was a loooooong drivewe just got home on time because we realized after we got home that the route we took to get home (well the only route really..lol) was flooded ! again: so lucky !!! Anyway, the hospital and the specialist did a god job and must have reset my bionic battery to “Teenager mode” because I slept til 11am the next day ! Unbelievable !…..Best sleep I have had in a loooong time!

It has been a bit hard with all the wetness and power outages going on to get all the new handdyed tops ready that I wanted to , but hey, there’s always next weeks update and the week after. Let’s hope that the sun comes out soon enough because I need some good drying weather !

This week’s update is all about treating yourself: so I have compiled a special Halloween treat parcel at a very special price! And fabulous new harvest Tibetan Yak down fibre that is so smoochy soft it is out of this world AND there are new Tibetan support spindles by the Bearded dragon with semi precious stone inlay as well ! PLUS much more, like new IxCHeL Art Journey Club sign ups !!!! 

Please go to the shop at 8pm where all the New Fun Stuff will be available in the what’s new section to see everything that is available and start shopping !

 Link here: https://ixchel.com.au/collections/whats-new

Today’s rare breed is Tibetan Yak!

The softness of Tibetan Yak Down is amazing and when the down is prepped into tops it is even more amazing to spin: easy and so, so soft: 16 micron soft, which is comparable to cashmere!

milking a Tibetan yak. I am not a particular fan of Tibetan Butter Tea, 

but if it is below minus 25Celsius and the wind is almost blowing you off the mountain, 

I have to admit that Butter tea will keep you alive…lol

The natural colours of the undyed top is a gorgeous warm chocolate colour and is amazingly beautiful and easy to spin and felt with. Distinguished by handlebar horns and long hair, this high-altitude animal lives across the grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau. 

With three times the lung capacity of typical cows, yaks take in stride the thin air, rugged terrain, and harsh weather of Tibet—with frigid winter temperatures that can dip below zero—and have subsisted for thousands of years on a meager diet of grasses and sedges. Historically, yaks were essential to the survival of the people of the Tibetan Plateau, much like bison were to the First Nations Peoples in America. 

It is believed that ancient Tibetan herdsmen domesticated yaks some 10,000 years ago. Sturdy and sure of foot, these ultimate pack animals can cross high mountain passes carrying heavy loads of up to 150 pounds and are sometimes called the “boats of the plateau." For centuries Tibetans have been using the coarser “guard” hair of the yaks to braid ropes and weave material for their nomad tents. 

The yaks also produce a fine down undercoat that keeps them warm in the subzero temperatures of the Tibetan Plateau. Yaks have a thick warm coat that has typically two layers of hair. The outer hair, which is the most visible on the animal is dangly, longer, coarser, and stronger. This layer protects the animal from snow, wind, and rain. The inner hair, the so-called down hair is produced during the winter and is dense, fine, matted, and soft, hence providing great insulation. The inner hair is naturally shed during the spring and is easily harvested by combing; making the process of collecting fibre eco-friendly and sustainable.

Have a fun weekend with lots of fibre play and love!!

 

You can find all the new Tibetan Yak Down Tops in the what’s new section on my website here, together with NEW fabulous looking Tibetan Support Spindles from Lair of the Bearded Dragon and new IxcHeL Art Journey Clubs for January, February and March 2023! : https://ixchel.com.au/collections/whats-new