I have recently added a new line to my Etsy shop, Coolclimates, the Upcycled and Eco Friendly yarn line! These are made from yarns from unraveled sweaters, accessories and second hand yarns. Since most of the components in these yarns are on their second (or more) lives, there may be some slight curl and/or knots. I pick my own combinations of different yarns to spin together into unique compound yarns.

Be sure to keep up with the latest news by following my Twitter account, @Coolclimates! I also have a second one at @Fibereasta. Frequent updates on both!

When I was in Portland in February 2011, I started on a new body of work. I'm currently working on a series of collages using mainly paper (but also some fabric and stickers). I have collected many beautiful papers and am cutting them into various shapes to make these creations. I'm also stamping on to blank paper to create my own patterns and am then cutting them up.

I had the pleasure of staying in Portland, Oregon during the month of February 2011. During this time, I made many connections with the artistic community, visited numerous art and craft venues, got aquainted with the layout of the city, the public transportation and many distinct neighborhoods. I also created some new artwork (pictures coming soon) and worked on some more items for my Etsy shops. This was a great opportunity for me and I'm hoping to return again soon.

I have started offering several new lines of yarns in my Coolclimates Etsy store. These include component yarns, Coolclimates yarn samplers and most lately, fabric ribbon yarns.

Component yarns:
A unique line of Coolclimates yarns, the component yarns are deeply textured and colorful skeins made from many strands of different yarns tied together, often 3 at a time. Most of the yarns are commercial, although some are also handspun. The yarns are often those left over from projects (you know those small amounts of yarn you don't know what to do with?). They are all different kinds of fibers, textures and weights, although uniformly the weight tends to be bulky.

Coolclimates yarn samplers:
small samples of several yarns in one order. These often have underlying themes in color, etc.

Fabric ribbon yarns:
These are made from vintage fabrics that have been ripped into strips and knotted. Some are vintage fabrics. They are mainly cotton (but other fiber blends as well). The strips are approximately 1/2 inch or 1 centimeter wide. The many knots add an organic look with lots of interesting texture.

Labels: new coolclimates handspun yarns

On January 14, 2010, I opened a second Etsy shop Coollight. This shop specializes in materials for fiber artists (fiber batts, fabric grab bags, stitch markers, etc), handmade jewelry and home decor. Essentially, I carry everything else besides handspun yarn, which is for sale in my Coolclimates shop.
Please visit my new shop and take a look! Frequent updates.