Primrose Yarn Company has seen really beautiful growth over the past few years. When I first started working with Kelsey, she had a small dyeing operation out of her home. We would have long conversations about growing pains, difficult business relationships, and all that comes with wanting to grow your small business in the right way. I've really enjoyed seeing the changes she's made in Primrose over the past two years, taking a leap to expand in space and staff, and I love seeing it pay off.

You may have noticed here on the blog or on Instagram, I've been loving on Primrose over the past few months.I just wound a skein of Black Magic in Sophia MCN yesterday, and I'll be casting on and sharing my progress on Instagram throughout this coming week. And over the past few months I've knit her Ultimate Sock twice in Grumpy Jello and Forbidden Forest. So far, Primrose seems to be my 2018 go-to! Since we have such a stunning collection of yarn right now from Kelsey and crew, I thought this would be a great time to learn more about her. So here's 10 Questions with Primrose Yarn Co.
Allison @ SSYC: What brought you to dyeing yarn, and therefore creating Primrose Yarn Co?
Kelsey @ Primrose: I graduated from Tyler School of Art in 2012 with a BFA in Fibers and Material Studies. A few months later I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, Paige, and when my nesting instincts kicked in I wanted to learn how to knit to make things for her. My mother-in-law is an avid sock knitter, so she was happy to teach me everything she knew. That fall we attended the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck and I was blown away by the number of vendors and the variety of their wares. That trip convinced me that I wanted to become a part of the knitting community as more than just a consumer - I wanted to dye yarn. And so I began dyeing at home in my kitchen… and the rest, as they say, is history!

Allison @ SSYC: Sounds like your education really set you up nicely on the path to this success. Tell us about the growth you've seen in the past few years since we started carrying your yarn- going from one employee (yourself) to how many employees? Moving from your home to a studio? How has your role changed from the beginning to now?
Kelsey: We have grown a lot in the past few years! We grew out of my kitchen into a 3800 sq ft warehouse space, from dyeing in 2 pots to 10, and from just me to having 2 full time employees. We also transitioned from using Etsy for online sales to our own website. My role has changed for sure - I am now an employer, so I’ve taken on that role as well as delegating some tasks other than dyeing so that I can remain focused on that aspect of the business.
Allison: What are your current fave colors to dye? What about to knit?

Shown above is Bohemian in Adelaide Singles
Kelsey: My “current” favorite colors are always changing as I’m always creating new ones! But right now I’m really enjoying dyeing Bohemian, Dark Caster, Bramble, Skateboards & Snowcones, and Istanbul. As far as knitting is concerned, I’m currently obsessed with Mercury in Retrograde and Where Is My Mind.
Shown below is Where is my Mind in Ultimate Sock

Allison: I've seen you work with several well-known pattern designers. They seem to connect with your aesthetic. Tell me three patterns you think are totally on trend right now.
Kelsey: Right now there are so many fantastic patterns being released! Top three for me, that all use fingering weight, are Joji Locatelli’s Suburban Wrap, the Zweig Sweater by Caitlin Hunter, and True Colors by Melanie Berg - which is perfect for mini skeins by the way!
Allison: Those are all great designs that would show off your colors beautifully! Where do you find your color and name inspiration? Are all the ideas yours or do you now trust a team to imagine new hues?
Kelsey: A lot of the color names I come up with are references to music we listen to in the studio, pop culture, television, and other daily influences. We try to tie well known things in everyday life that people can relate to into our yarn.
Shown below, Dark Caster in Adelaide Singles

Allison: It sounds like you and your team are really in sync- bringing in influences from your lives and culture to create a cohesive line. Tell me more about your staff and what their roles are in Primrose.
Kelsey: My team is made up of two full time employees that I rely on heavily for the running of everyday studio activities like breaking down or labeling yarn, as well as keeping the website up to date and shipping products. Lauren - my studio manager - takes care of all of our customer service communications, wholesale orders, shipping, website maintenance, newsletters, and a variety of other tasks. She keeps us all organized and on track! Tiffany - my studio assistant - only has one speed and it's 100 miles per hour! She breaks down all incoming raw yarn, counts and organizes finished product for sale in the shop, skeins and labels, helps with photography, and does most of the heavy lifting. These two ladies are the perfect support team to keep everything running smoothly and allow me to focus on dyeing gorgeous yarn!
Allison: Finding the right people is a cornerstone in growth and sustaining a small business. Without the amazing ladies at SSYC, I wouldn't have any balance in my life. And it's still a constant struggle. How do you find balance in your work/life?
Kelsey: I do my best to keep weekends for family time, and aside from knitting on personal projects I don’t do anything work related between 5pm on Friday and 8am on Monday. This work/life balance was a major goal when we moved out of my house. By literally removing my workspace from my home, as well as hiring staff and setting studio hours, I’ve been able to spend more time with my family friends on evenings and weekends.
Allison: Other than knitting (obviously), what fun things does your downtime include? Me, I spend my time playing volleyball, eating great food, playing cards with friends, exploring with my kids. You?
Kelsey: I love attending baseball games at Camden yards with my family, Taco Thursdays with friends at a local pub, and finding time to travel and explore new places. I also love watching horror movies and Live PD on Friday and Saturday nights with my husband.
Allison: Now that we are entering the busy fiber fair and festival season, is that something you'll spend off-time doing?
Kelsey: The only festival we currently vend at is the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, where you will again be able to find us this October! We occasionally attend other festivals, but not as vendors.
Allison: What's the biggest thing to happen for you in 2017? What do you hope for in 2018?
Kelsey: The biggest change for my company in 2017 was moving into a dedicated space and hiring employees in order to grow as a company. In 2018 we hope to continue that trend of growth, as well as partnering with fabulous designers, and pushing the creative envelope to come up with new and exciting colorways.
Allison: With so much change in the past two years alone, where do you see Primrose going in the next 5 years?
Kelsey: We have experienced so much change and growth in just the last 12 months, that we put no limits on our future possibilities and where we might be in 5 years. We are constantly looking towards what could be next for our company, staying on the cutting edge of color and design trends and keeping an open mind about the new and unknown. We are so excited to continue our journey and see what the future holds!
Allison: Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your life with us. An even bigger thank you for keeping us well stocked with your beautiful colors!
Have questions for Kelsey and crew? Feel free to leave them in the comments below. Or just kind words and encouragement, if you like! If you would like to keep up with Kelsey and the adventures at Primrose Yarn Company, their Instagram is a great place to start.