Cool Climates Handspun Giveaway!

When does yarn become Art-yarn? I wonder this sometimes as I look through etsy listings that entitle themselves as such.

I personally consider fine crafts like handspinning, an art form. But, like all art forms, mastery, technique and a certain need for expressing an idea are what separates the arts from the crafts. Don't get me wrong, there is also good art and not-so-good art, but I think intention is what separates art and craft.

They say, all you need to appreciate good art is a chair. When you first happen upon art yarns like the ones in the Cool Climates shop, you might wonder how will I use this? What can I do with this? But, perhaps these are the wrong questions to ask. Instead, consider looking (or better yet, experiencing in person!) at the yarn and deciding for yourself if the execution of the piece was successful. I'm going to use Rachel's "Mongolia" hanspun as an example of what I mean. Browsing her shop, I was immediately drawn to this listing. I did not read the description, I just studied the photo and thought to myself "what a pretty yarn" and then "What could I possibly do with this?" Having some basic knowledge of Mongolia, I felt the yarn was a wonderful interpretation of the country, especially with Rachel's add-in choices like bone beads and fur. The colors very much reminded me of the indigenous dress as well. Now, reading some background information in the description about Rachel's extensive research on the Mongolian culture, I understand why I feel this was a well-executed piece. This piece of artwork, like all art yarns, are ones that I consider "interactive". Rachel is inviting us to finish the journey to articulate Mongolia with her, by using her work. This opens up lots of exciting possibilities for the yarn, doesn't it?

I did want to mention before closing that Rachel has another shop where she sells her art batts. Check out the Coollight shop.

I'm inviting you to take a look at Cool Climates, find something you like, and write about it in the comments section below. We'll be drawing for this "Melanie" art yarn giveaway later in the week. Please consider gaining extra entries by using twitter, facebook, or ravelry to let everyone else know about Cool Climates.