I am Claudia Gabriela, the person behind Isalloni Yarn. I was born in Bolivia, and since 2006 I have lived in Switzerland with my beloved husband Adrian and Max, my furry baby. I am a passionate knitter, and I genuinely love yarn and the process of making it. This love drove me to start dyeing and playing with colors.
It has been a long journey since the first time I went to a trade fair in Cologne, Germany, to find suppliers until today. I started dyeing yarn commercially in 2015, and with the help of my husband, I participated in local events as a vendor. The yarn initially had my name Gabriela Kos, but I wanted to give a new name representing my origins. That is how Isalloni was born.
Isalloni is a word in Aymara, a local native language from Bolivia. It means “the one that has a wrap, shawl or cloak” (“una que tiene manto” in Spanish.)
I could not find a better word to describe me and where I come from. When I was a little girl, my grandma and nanny used to buy raw wool from the farmers to spin and knit with it. The first thing I recall they made was a shawl in natural color. It was white as a veil, with basic cables and lace. I remember the whole process of making the yarn. Those skeins spun with a traditional spindle, so pristine. This shawl protected me from cold winters, and I could feel the warm love they put on every time I wore it.
I want to share the same love with you through my yarn and dedicate my work to these beautiful ladies who introduced me to the world of yarn makers.