I know that I can’t be the only person who is always interested to see what people do at my favorite companies. I’ve always found it so interesting all of the different hats people wear to make things run smoothly, but I’m also nosey. I love seeing and hearing about people’s jobs, it’s always so fun to see what’s out there! 

Over here at the Sewrella Yarn Studio we have a lot of different people wearing a lot of different hats. This week, we sat down with the Studio Director, Brooke (who also happens to be Ashleigh’s sister!). Let’s get to know Brooke a little more and her job as Studio Director!

What does it mean to be the Studio Director at Sewrella Yarn?

I wear a lot of different hats, it’s never the same thing throughout the day. I manage the employees in the studio, handle scheduling, I get to be creative with Ashleigh and work on the development of new colorways. Really, my main focus is to make sure the studio runs smoothly.

 What brought you to work at Sewrella Yarn? How did you become Studio Director?

I started working with Ashleigh in 2018 when Ashleigh's main focus was still the pattern blog as her assistant and gradually picked up more and more responsibilities with that. I later played around with the idea of moving to Raleigh where Ashleigh was. Her yarn dyeing business was picking up but it’s very hard to work on yarn dyeing remotely. Once I moved here to Raleigh, I jumped into the deep end with the company and we grew so fast! We all took on roles that were needed. 

What does your day look like at Sewrella Yarn?

My day starts at 9 with coffee in hand! I start by making sure everyone is settled and knows what’s expected for the day. Then I meet with Ashleigh to get caught up on projects for the day. I’ll work on quality control for whatever collection that we’re working on - mainly checking the colorways and making sure that we’re meeting the standards for those. After that, I jump in wherever is needed! That could be working on development of new colorways, meetings, winding yarn, training new employees, dyeing, tying up any loose ends from my to-do list for the day. The work day ends at 5 but I’m usually in the studio until 5:30/6. 

What is your favorite part of being “Studio Director”?

The most fun part of being Studio Director is definitely bringing a color palette to life. This is where I thrive! It’s such an amazing feeling to get a color right and just know in your heart that it’s really good. Seeing something come from the beginning to end is just so much fun. 

What has been your favorite collection?

Ugh, how do I choose?! The first one that comes to mind is the Frozen collection, it was one of the first collections that I have ever worked on with Ashleigh in terms of development. The colorways were so fun and I’m also just a huge Frozen fan. But the Taylor Swift collection holds a special place in my heart, I have such a personal connection to that collection. I lobbied for a Taylor Swift collection for almost a year! My favorite colorway would be 1989 from Taylor Swift - that will be my lifetime favorite colorway. 

What are your hobbies outside of yarn things?

Outside of yarn things, I love baking and reading. I also try to be outside as much as possible as long as the temperatures aren’t too extreme. I walk a lot of nature trails, it’s a great way to clear my head. 

What’s your favorite book?

So I haven’t read this one twice yet because I have a huge stack that I need to read through but People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry is definitely my favorite. It’s so good, it’s a rom-com type novel. The storytelling in this book is definitely my vibe. 

Do you knit/crochet? Any other fun crafts you do?

Yes, I knit and crochet. I had a moment with embroidery but as I got busier I just couldn’t commit to it. I think I liked embroidery so much because I’m a perfectionist and it’s such a precise art to make it look good. I definitely like crocheting more, but I just say that because I’m not as well versed in knitting. 

What’s your favorite yarn to work with?

I definitely gravitate towards DK, worsted, bulky weight yarns, but worsted is my favorite. I love our Classic Worsted yarn, the stitch definition is just so nice. 

What’s your favorite quote?

“Be pretty if you can, be witty if you must, but be gracious if it kills you” by Elsie de Wolfe. I really like the three main qualities that it mentions. The message it’s sending is having grace and being a gracious person is of utmost importance. 

What’s it like to work with your sister?

One word: wonderful. It truly is a dream come true, I couldn’t imagine doing anything different. Growing up, we were so close and we would joke that we were twins and that our brains were the same. I’m thrilled with the way things have worked out. It’s nice because we have different strengths. I am very detail oriented and pay attention to the smallest detail that most people wouldn’t notice. That balances out Ashleigh's desire to bend the “rules'' in a creative way and push those boundaries to create something different. In the end, we share the same vision for the business. 

What’s your favorite show?

Younger, it’s definitely my comfort show. I have rewatched it about 4+ times from start to finish now. It’s such a feel good show and plus, I love Hilary Duff! And she knits! 

What colors are you looking forward to the most in the upcoming Sewrella Yarn launches?

For those of you who have read through this entire interview, here’s a little reward for you - some upcoming color names! 

• Mrs. Maisel for SURE! I’m super excited to share this one with everybody. We had a little trouble with this one at first, but it turned out perfectly
• You’ve Got Mail - this colorway was executed so well
• I am definitely super excited about the colorway that I made today that has yet to be named. I can’t wait to see how this one dries.