Heart and Soul

When asked “what is your job”, a multitude of thoughts race through my brain. How do I explain what I do, especially to someone who is unfamiliar with me, or anything that I do at all, to people like  bank managers or official government entities. No matter how I try and phrase it, it never seems either enough..or too much..or doesn’t reflect what I do at all. Especially when dealing with drop down choices, where the only option offered that was in any way shape or form related to what i do was “art director”?  Lol

To say I dye and paint doesn’t cover everything either. I feel like an imposter saying I’m an “artist”, which is weird, because on a day to day basis I strive to be one: always learning, trying to be better at everything I do and connect feelings and meaning to colours and forms. “Artist” does not appear on any drop down choice I have seen though and maybe that’s because, well, it’s not considered a “job” but rather something you pour your heart and soul into, which doesn’t necessarily reward you with a good income. Reward yes, income…not so much…lol  it’s super hard to keep going just because of that, but there comes a time you come to the realisation that there is nothing else you’d rather do. How do you explain that to a banker  ?  

Anyway, that were just a few brainwaves of this week, while I was prepping and dyeing heaps of fibre for this update, while also trying to get my head around taxes. I know what I’d rather be doing and it ain’t taxes🤣

So, the January clubs have been shipped last month and I have just posted heaps of photos on my socials, so please have a look and a read. I have also opened up the sign ups for the art journey club nxt quarter, starting in April. The prepping and dyeing of the February clubs have already begun so keep an eye on my Instagram, Facebook, threads and Bluesky socials for any hints on what the artwork is, which inspired the colourway of the February clubs.

This weeks update is a special blend of Ouessant sheep with bfl and cashmere. The colours of the Ouessant sheep are a variety of browns so the blend is very interesting to dye. Dye in or rather over dyeing on a base of coloured fibres is absolutely wonderful: it creates a depth of colour and tonal values that you simply do not get on a bright white. 

I love dyeing tops that have different coloured fleeces in them: it is magical ! spinning this blend will give you a gorgeous heathered and saturated, magical colour play yarn, that is soft and suitable to close to skin wear with a gorgeous drape.

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. ortunately, 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 color. 

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 and cashmere  to create a beautiful heathered effect when dyed.

You can find all the new Ouessant bfl cashmere tops here on the IxCHeL shop: www.ixchel.com.au/products/ouessant-bfl-cashmere