After 9 Years, A New Chapter

After 9 years, June 5, 2026 officially marked the end of my full-time chapter at Lion Brand Yarn.

Even typing that feels surreal.

This was not an easy decision for me. In fact, it was probably one of the hardest career decisions I’ve ever made because Lion Brand has been such a huge part of my life for nearly a decade — not just professionally, but personally too.

When I started at LBY back in 2017, life looked very different for me.

At the time, I had already spent years working for myself creatively. I had run my own business, taught dance and violin, taught Zumba, performed music, and built my life around creating things. Creativity has always been part of my DNA.

But I was also exhausted.

I was overwhelmed trying to manage a business that had grown faster than I was prepared for, while also going through a difficult and emotionally draining breakup. Life felt heavy and unstable, and honestly, the idea of finding a steady job in an industry I genuinely loved felt almost impossible.

Then somehow… Lion Brand happened.

I still remember feeling shocked that I got the job.

Not only did it give me stability during a time when I desperately needed it, but it also allowed me to stay connected to the fiber industry and creative world that had always felt like home to me.

And over time, Lion Brand became so much more than “just a job.”

The people there became part of my life.

I have so many memories from those early NYC office days — train rides home talking about everything from yarn launches to weddings to dating disasters to decorating projects and all the random life chaos in between.

There were stressful launches, last-minute campaigns, creative brainstorming sessions, and plenty of laughter mixed into all of it.

When Covid hit and the world suddenly changed, everyone stayed connected online and continued supporting one another.

When Rick had a major surgery, coworkers sent care packages filled with yarn and Uber Eats gift cards.

When I was pregnant with Maggie, my manager organized a virtual baby shower and the entire Marketing and Design team showed up — even the CEO.

Those are the kinds of things you don’t forget.

Lion Brand always talks about being a family-run business, and honestly, that feeling extends far beyond just the Blumenthal family. There’s a level of understanding that family comes first that I don’t think exists in many corporate job structures. The people there genuinely care about each other, and I’ll always be grateful for that.

Professionally, I grew enormously during my time there too.

Before working at Lion Brand, I was primarily focused on knitting design. I crocheted occasionally, but if I’m being honest, I definitely had the stereotypical knitting bias that crochet was somehow a “lesser” craft. Turns out I was completely wrong.

Working at LBY opened my eyes to an entirely different side of crochet design and helped me see how modern, wearable, creative, and exciting crochet could actually be. It pushed me creatively in ways I never expected and helped shape the designer I am today.

Over those 9 years, I learned so much — not only about marketing, branding, design, product development, and the yarn industry itself — but also about collaboration, teamwork, and balancing creativity with business.

And now, after a lot of thought, I’ve made the decision to step away from my full-time role at Lion Brand and return to working independently.

I'll continue collaborating with Lion Brand in a freelance capacity, but I’m no longer an employee. Instead, I'll have more flexibility to focus on my own creative work while continuing to support a company that has meant so much to me over the years.

When I first started at LBY, I needed stability and support while rebuilding my life. At the time, stepping away from running my own business and creative work full-time was the right decision. It gave me the foundation I needed to grow both personally and professionally.

Now, years later, life looks very different.

I have Rick.
I have Maggie.
I have a beautiful home and a peaceful life that once felt impossibly far away.

And somewhere along the way, I realized I finally felt ready to make space for creativity to take center stage again.

I’m incredibly grateful for the last 9 years, for the opportunities, the experiences, the friendships, the support, and everything I learned along the way.

And this definitely isn’t goodbye to Lion Brand.

While my full-time chapter has come to an end, I’ll continue collaborating with them as a freelancer, designing with their yarns, and cheering them on every chance I get.

This is simply the beginning of a new chapter.

One that feels both terrifying and exciting all at once.

So here’s to new beginnings, creative risks, and seeing where the next row leads. ❤️