Time for some happy fluff and cute sheep !

Make today Happy !

The weather is still totally wet but today was bright and a bit sunny , so that was a nice change and helping with getting the clubs dry. I had been planning to get all the December clubs out today, but the weather was against me PLUS my hip and back are totally killing me still, making it hard to sleep or stand or walk for that matter…. Not to worry! I can still make the overseas Christmas delivery deadline which is November 29th !!! I am going to have all the batts ready and everything braided, labelled and packed over the weekend, so that makes it shipping date Monday November 28th ! Yeah !!! That means everybody overseas will get their special December club parcel before Christmas! Lots of extra fun stuff will be in the December club parcel as well but…I am not giving anything away yet ! SURPRISE! Here’s a teaser label of the December club:

Talking about Clubs : The November clubs were shipped a couple of weeks ago so I guess it is time to show you what that November club looks like ! Don't forget to share your photos ! I always love seeing what everybody is making !

Don’t forget: the next round of IxCHeL Art Journey clubs start in January ! To sign up , please go to : https://ixchel.com.au/collections/clubs And remember: if you would like a combination of fibre or yarn or batt clubs, contact me at hop@ixchel.com.au because a combination of different clubs together which will be shipped out together will have a better shipping rate than individual clubs. This also goes for all the overseas customers: you can have all three of your clubs shipped out together to save on shipping costs! Although I am running a bit behind because of weather and health issues, I am really trying my best to get a bit ahead of the game so to speak. Who needs sleep right? LOLOL

There will only be three more new product shop updates left before Paul and myself take a much needed break. BUT!!! You know what all will be happening from December 1st til December 12th : THE IXCHEL TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS EVENT OF THE YEAR !!!

In those twelve days, EVERY DAY !  I will be offering lots of new & special items at super special prices for you AND also 10% of all sales go to a charity (the last few years I fundraised for endangered Animals and our Healesville Sanctuary/Zoos Victoria who have been doing an amazing job especially after the many bushfires in Victoria the last few years). The 12days of Christmas event is not only a gift to say thank you to all my patrons but also a gift to an organisation saving endangered wildlife. It is goi8ng to be so much FUN !! and!!! Every day the update is going to be at 12PM AEDT (that’s noon..lol ), which means that it is not a 4am start for those of you in the USA !!!

There are going to be more details on a later blog closer to the date on how its all going to work, so keep an eye out !

What is going to be happening tonight I hear you say? Well, tonight is all about the cutest little sheep you have ever seen: the Ouessant from France. Also known as the smallest sheep in the world. They are immensely cute and very, very spinnable!

The blend is a Ouessant/Blue Faced Leicester/Mulberry Silk 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 ! 

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. Fortunately, 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 colour.

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 and spun into a yarn.

Please have a look at the colourways available and if there are any colours you would like: please don’t hesitate to contact me at Hop@ixchel.com.au

To see all the goodies on offer this week, please head to : https://ixchel.com.au/collections/whats-new

Wishing you all a wonderful and happy weekend! 

Big hugs, 

Charly