Rapunzel and other Magical Fibre Stories

Rapunzel let your hair hang down.....(Rebel version)

Last week it was wet and cold, this week we are experiencing super hot 42C (108F)…and…I am trying to enable you with wool. Go figure. But hey, it’s probably cold somewhere in the world AND let’s face it, when you are a spinner of a knitter, seasons do not really matter: we craft all the time. We are those magical creatures that knit sweaters in summer, just because we can and want to.

This update is especially magical because there is a new IxCHeL blend I want to introduce to you: Rapunzel. It is just as magical as it sounds: 17 micron merino, fine luxurious cashmere, silky smooth mulberry silk and a dash of gold stellina so you can spin stars into your yarn. It was quite a bit of work and lots of experimentation to get this blend right and smooth. The finer the fibres are, the more careful you have to treat them and to over blend them can often result in little imperfections , or nepps, in the top. It means that everything needs to be done slow, very carefully and most of all , not overblended. It took some doing, but I am extremely happy with the result of this new blend. It spins like a dream, has a gorgeous lofty drape and just enough weight to it.

I wanted to name this blend after a fairytale. 1. Because I love fairytales and folklore and magical creatures, but also because I wanted the next step, the painting and dyeing process, to add to the mystery and the magic. So every colourway has been made with a certain type of magical creature in mind and I have made the pigments to match them. Well, I try.

My whole life I have been sketching and painting and playing with colour. It is no surprise then that I am loving the process of creating pigments to work with as well. I have been trying to grow plants and making them into pigments I can use not only dyeing the wool tops and fibres and yarns but I have also been trying to make them into paints. It is extremely fun to do and I am close to realizing another dream of mine: to create natural water colour paints that are beautiful and magical to use. It will take lots more time and effort to get to the point where I can start to sell the pigments and paints, because the whole process takes such a long time from growing the plants and to processing everything to make a quality product that always performs the same way. Something that is not that easy to accomplish when you are working with plants and different climates when harvesting etc. See it as another adventure !

I have to admit I love the whole learning new things, the process of experimenting like a “mad” scientist in a colourful lab. I seem to ask myself a lot of questions and I always seem to find a problem that I want to solve. For example : how to make something that is absolutely not water soluble, work in water anyway. Something about that whole process makes me happy. I know it is not that easy for Paul to live with a mad scientist: I always seem to totally immerse myself in something, forgetting time and everything else around me. Thankfully I have Paul, the bunnies and the cat, to remind me that they are hungry or it is time for bed..although I have to admit , I still tend to forget to go to sleep every now and again..lol .

So, tonight it is time for some magical creatures and a new blend ! Have a fun time browsing through all the new colourways and the descriptions and looking at all the new goodies on offer.

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.

IxCHeL Rapunzel Tops 

100 grams AU$25

17 micron Merino (40), Cashmere(20), Mulberry Silk(35), Gold Stellina (5)

WATER NYMPH -sold-

 Also known as Naiads.
These are beautiful female spirits ruling over fresh water fountains, wells,
springs and streams. They love to dance and sing.

Unicorn Farts….   sold

dyed with the famous unicorn farts found deep in the forests at the time of a blue moon.
You have to be careful not to shake the magical unicorn farts too much :
it will release a potion that will put a smile on your face for a very long time.
I once made the mistake just before I had to do a very solemn talk
at a conference and the effects were so bad,
I could not stop laughing the whole time.

Saba Leipya -sold

 These cuties are guardian spirits of the rice paddies. 
There is one spirit assigned to each field and they take the form of butterflies.

Nixies  -sold-

These little fellas are cute little water spirits that are found in streams
in Germany and Scandinavia.
Nixies are shapeshifting creatures that are a bit fickle
because they somehow cannot seem to settle on one appearance:
they keep on changing over and over again.
When they take the shape of horses they are light pink and white and grey
and are extremely beautiful.
Although it can be a tell tale sign that you are dealing with a Nixie,
when you see some river weeds in their manes or they are constantly dripping water…
(dyed with Rose madder and oak galls)

Silver Moss Faerie   -sold-

Found in the dark forests and gently flowing over old trees,
protecting them from harm.
These are very old and wise faeries.
Every time you touch the moss they change into,
you can see tiny dew drops or tears forming,
gently telling you to step back and do no harm to the forest.
(dyed with Rose madder, plum leaves and oak galls)

Valkyries -sold-

These beautiful creatures are also known as “Choosers of the Slain” and
appear at battlefields, deciding who should die.
They then escort the souls of the chosen to Valhalla, where , as we all know,
everybody has a fabulous time partying and drinking big steins of mead.
(dyed with madder root, walnut, marigold, coreopsis flowers)

Selkies -sold-

 Another creature that can shapeshift.
The Selkies are know in the Orkneys
were they can turn from seals into humans and back again. They are very gentle souls who prefer dancing in the moonlight over luring sailors into dangerous waters.
(dyed with Indigo, woad and marigold flowers)

Mermaid Whispers -sold-

Mermaids are not commonly known to whisper a lot,
because they love to sing loudly and have a great time.
But at times when all the storms have died down and the weather is nice,
the mermaids come together in small groups and whisper stories to each other.

Kitsune 2 left

 Is the Japanese word for “fox” .
In some Japanese tales, foxes have magical powers and can shapeshift into women.
The more of a tail the kitsune has, the older and more powerful she is.
So beware of a fox with a long tail !
(dyed with Woad, Walnut, Coreopsis)

Storm Giants   sold

These creatures live in dark clouds and have a great time running around
and creating huge storms.
You do not want to mess with Storm Giants.
They can however be tamed by feeding them cookies and
singing a lullaby, while pretending not to be scared.
(dyes with indigo)

Hyter Sprites -1 left-

 These tealy green eyed faeries,
originally from England,
who can shapeshift and help lost children get back home.

Hob Goblins -sold-

These are closely related to the regular goblins,
but are more helpful and will even do household chores.
You do have to be careful though, because they love to play practical jokes on everybody.
So be careful when you want to put sugar into your tea,
because your hob goblin most likely will have replaced the sugar in the bowl with salt.
(dyed with Ivy leaves, Eucaluptus, Madder root, Coreopsis, walnut)

Dracae    sold

These are really weird water spirits who take the form of floating wooden dishes.
Back in the old days, they lured women into the river , by making them think
“ Yay! Free wooden plates!” and when the woman tried to grab a plate,
the dracae would get hold of her , drag her under the water
and make her be their nanny for ever.
They are not as successful now as they were in the middle ages though ,
so they are now practicing  shapeshifting into flamingo shaped pool ornaments.
(dyed with oak galls, walnut, elderberries, indigo, indigo)

Banshee  sold

 An Irish spirit that will show up when you least expect it
and starts wailing at you with such a high pitch, it will make you go deaf in no time.
The only way to counter act it, is
to always carry death metal music with you and start playing it extremely loud.
The Banshee will be totally surprised
and will disappear into the darkness, trying to change her tune.
(dyed with elderberries, Alkanet, hibiscus, oak galls)

Fire Bird -sold-

 A very rare bird in Russia that has feathers that glow in the dark.

IxCHeL Sock Yarn blend 

100+ grams 
 AU$29 
 +/- 410meters which is enough for gorgeous pair of socks or a shawlette!

Super fine Merino, Silk and Nylon (75/5/20) Spun in Victoria and hand dyed by yours truly at the IxCHeL Fibre Farm in the Yarra Valley

Fun Side of Venus NEW !!!! Hey, why not combine the fun side of Venus with the Dark side of the moon ?! They look awesome together and have the same brilliant pooling possibilities !

Dark Side of the Moon Yarn 

This is just one of the awesome pooling variations you can create with this yarn! The Sky-or should I say THE MOON- is the limit !!!!

Botanical dye range: these skeins have been dyed with woad

Tutti Frutti

Heather Semi Solid

Spinner’s Control, Yarn Gauge and Ply angle card

a great way to gauge the thickness of your yarn and plying. A nice tool with an info sheet to hang on your spinning wheel or carry wit you anywhere you go.

$5

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 !!!

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 also to be found at the end of this week’s blog entry.

Have a creative week!

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 here:

How To Order:

1. You can email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au 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.

Thank you so much for your help and support !

 RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly

Hebridean Adventures

So many things have been happening it feels like it’s March already ! : Rare sheep adventures, blending, very interesting blending trials and dyeing and getting all the clubs ready for their colourful dye coat, also some very interesting chemical dye experiments that I so want to work but I have to take it back to the drawing board and do some more calculations…and then ofcourse I sprained my ankle and somehow finished up in bed with a high fever after being bitten by a spider on my non sprained ankle while watering the veggie garden… I can laugh about it now but it was not funny. Anyway all good, but I am getting the faint impression that 2018 is handing out all these , let’s call them “tests” to see if I can really STAY CALM!!! As per my new years resolution…..I AM STILL CALM ! (promise!!!) (insert laugh)....



For tonight's  blog update I have something very special in the Rare Sheep breed adventure style for you that took quite a bit of organizing and blending and lots and lots and lots of prep work and more carding..I am totally in love with the end result though and it was worth every bit of the hard work that went in to it. So what breed is it you ask? Hebridean Sheep !

 The Hebridean is a sheep breed now classified as rare or at least a conservation breed. The Hebridean originated from the islands off the western coast of Scotland. Some say that they are closely related to the primitive sheep brought to the islands by the Vikings a millennium or more ago. They are classified as one of the Northern Short-tailed breeds. Over the centuries, Hebridean ewes have been selected by natural systems for hardiness in all weather, ease of lambing, milkiness and good mothering instincts. Because Hebrideans have not been modified by artificial selection they remain a small, economically efficient breeding ewe with a surprising ability to produce quality cross-bred lambs.

Hebridean sheep are a multi-horned breed. Both ewes and rams may have two, four, or even more horns, and some are occasionally polled. The two horned sheep are more numerous than the four horned. The horns of mature two horned rams are sought after by walking stick makers.

Hebridean sheep are relatively small, fine-boned and particularly attractive sheep. Fully grown ewes weigh around 40kg with rams being proportionately larger. More Hebrideans can be kept per hectare than a larger breed and, being lightweight, they do minimal damage to pasture even in wet conditions. In addition, their hard black hooves are not susceptible to foot problems. The sheep have black wool which sometimes fades to brown at the tips in the sun and often becomes grey with age; there is usually no wool on the face or legs. They have shown a greater tendency to browse than other sheep breeds which has made them useful in ecological projects where the control of brush and weeds was needed.

The Hebridean fleece has a deep colour, mostly black or very dark brown. The older the sheep get the more grey they become though (that sounds familiar…lol). The Hebridean sheep grow fleece that is exceptionally valuable in texture and is a double coat. The fleece may contain kemp or guardhairs, but this exceptional difference in outer hair and inner soft layer makes that the sheep can shrug off the wet and wild weather and stay warm and dry.

Hebrideans are hardy and able to thrive on rough grazing, and so are often used as conservation grazing animals to maintain natural grassland or heathland habitats. They are particularly effective at scrub control, having a strong preference for browsing. This desire to browse does mean that hedges alone are not sheep-proof barriers: you need stock fencing, or you will have lots of escapees. They are a prolific breed: ewes generally bear twin lambs, while shearlings mostly have singles. The lambs are keen to live and get up and suckle quickly. When cross-bred, this vitality is passed on to the cross-bred lambs. Today, when low intensity, low input farming provides the only viable option for many of our harsher regions, the Hebridean ewe is, once again, finding a role in modern agriculture and for environmental land management. Because Hebrideans have not been modified by artificial selection they remain a small, economically efficient breeding ewe with a surprising ability to produce quality cross-bred lambs. Trials have shown Hebridean flocks produce greater profit per hectare than mainstream commercial ewes.

This Hebridean Adventure has some very nice selected fine fleece in gorgeous pure black, together with some very luscious hand dyed black mulberry silk (If there was anything like Black silk naturally I would have gone for that but unfortunately there is no such thing as black silk…) and a tiny bit of black diamond bamboo in it.

I added the silk because of,well, it is silk and it has amazing softness to it and shine.
I added the black diamond bamboo or as it is also known as : Carbonized bamboo because I was intrigued by it’s properties. Balck Diamond Bamboo has the amazing silky softness of bamboo and a gorgeous charcoal colour, and is a fiber that is actually beneficial to your skin.

 According to the American Chemical Society, Thomas Edison invented the first incandescent light bulb (1879). It used electricity to heat a thin strip of material, called a filament, until it glowed. Edison may also have created the first commercial carbon fibre. Early filaments, were made from bamboo slivers which were formed into the proper size and shape then were baked  at high temperatures. Since bamboo consists mostly of cellulose, a natural linear polymer made of repeating units of glucose, the filament was "carbonized," when heated.

Tungsten wire soon displaced these carbon filaments, but they were still used on Navy ships as late as 1960 because they withstood ship vibrations better than tungsten.
Black diamond fibre also absorbs moisture (like sweat) and is antimicrobial so it helps eliminate odour, making it great for socks, active wear, and anything that you’d like to wear close to your skin. This material is even used in fancy cosmetics and beauty treatments because it has so many unique properties! Like silk, this fibre will keep you warm in winter and cool in summer, and it’s also incredibly soft. The fibre resists pilling, is very durable, and it resists static electricity. Due to having the properties of far-infrared rays (which are used in quite a few different therapeutic treatments), black diamond fibre is also known to promote blood circulation

 Hebridean , spun, then woven and made into this gorgeous jacket

Here are all the offerings for tonight : the Hebridean Adventure and a new yarn colourway called "Fun side of Venus" to accompany the Dark Side of the Moon yarn. And please do not forget : if you would like something custom dyed, let me know! I love to enable ! Big hugs to you all !!!

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.

Rare Sheep Breed Hebridean Adventure Tops

100+ grams     AU$26   SOLD OUT ...sorry !

 Hebridean sheep fleece (60%), carefully selected with only the finest fleeces used making the tops close to skin wear with a comparable 20micron feel; Hand dyed black mulberry silk(30%), Black Diamond Bamboo (10%)

Hebridean Adventure Tops  close up 
Only a VERY limited amount available ! 
I only have about 3 kilos of this gorgeous blend this year!

IxCHeL Sock Yarn blend 

100+ grams 
 AU$29 
 +/- 410meters which is enough for gorgeous pair of socks or a shawlette!

Super fine Merino, Silk and Nylon (75/5/20) Spun in Victoria and hand dyed by yours truly at the IxCHeL Fibre Farm in the Yarra Valley

Fun Side of Venus NEW !!!! Hey, why not combine the fun side of Venus with the Dark side of the moon ?! They look awesome together and have the same brilliant pooling possibilities !

Dark Side of the Moon Yarn 

This is just one of the awesome pooling variations you can create with this yarn! The Sky-or should I say THE MOON- is the limit !!!!

Botanical dye range: these skeins have been dyed with woad

Tutti Frutti

Purple Haze -1 left-

Sunburnt Country -1 left-

Heather Semi Solid

Fizzy

Dusky Heather

Spinner’s Control, Yarn Gauge and Ply angle card

a great way to gauge the thickness of your yarn and plying. A nice tool with an info sheet to hang on your spinning wheel or carry wit you anywhere you go.

$5

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 !!!

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 also to be found at the end of this week’s blog entry.

Have a creative week!

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 here:

How To Order:

1. You can email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au 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.

Thank you so much for your help and support !

 RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly