This has been a year of celebration for us at Miss Babs, having achieved 20 years in business. This is also a year when we have been working hard to ensure that Miss Babs, as a business, will continue into the future.
Let me start by thanking my wonderful customers for 20 amazing years! This journey has been one I would not necessarily have foreseen when I started dyeing yarn in my kitchen and driveway, but I am so proud of what we have created together.
The big news is: I am retiring at the end of 2025. While my time in charge of Miss Babs is coming to an end, I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the business I have poured so much of my energy into!
As of January 1, 2026 I will be selling Miss Babs to Ivy Campbell. Ivy has been my number 2 for the last 3-4 years, and has worked with us for the last 12 years. She has a deep understanding of the business and a great eye for color. When she joined us for the summers when she was in college I already had her earmarked as my successor!
It was important to me to sell the business to someone I knew would continue to care for our customers, maintain a strong sense of the importance of customer service, and support our staff into the future.
The rest of the team is not changing. As many of you know, we have a low staff turnover, so you will still hear from the same people, see the same people at shows, and receive consistent color and yarns.
As is the situation when change comes, it is often bittersweet. I will miss the daily contact with color in the form of yarn, but am looking forward to daily contact with color in various painting mediums. When there will be times when I am needed at the studio, I can show up as a set of extra hands. However, I am looking forward to connecting with family and friends in a way I have not been able to do over the years.
Thank you again for a wonderful 20 years of color!
42 comments
I’m so happy for you, Miss Babs (even while I’m sad to see you step away)! Congratulations on your upcoming retirement and thank you for the color genius and love that you’ve brought to the fiber community for so many years. I’m even happier now that I got a picture with you at MDSW!!!
Congratulations Babs on a job well done. Your yarns, colors and customer service are exemplary. The fiber community has been enriched by your presence. I just finished making my second Octodot Cowl by Veronica Ory with Yummy 2-ply that I got at Flock Fiber Festival in Seattle. Enjoy your retirement and all the best to MissBabs Yarn Co in the future.
Congratulations! You will enjoy & be busier than you can imagine (experience speaking). Thank you for all the color, yarn & inspiration over the years. Have enjoyed! )))hugs(((
Miss Babs, your yarns have been my favorite since I started knitting 8 years ago – they drew me in for that first project and any number of others since! My favorite color is Blue Mussel, but they are all beautiful :). Thank you for being one of the reasons knitting brings joy to so many. Jean-Louise
Congratulations to you and to your successor as well! I hope this will be a positive change for everyone. :)
Enjoy your well earned retirement and thank you for the beauty you have created through yarn over the years.
Congratulations, Babs! I am so happy for you. As a long-time user of your yarns I am so glad that Ivy will be your successor. She does have a wonderful color eye and it is always a joy to see her ideas. May you have many days ahead of wonder, creativity, social connection, and good health. Thank you for being someone I could always trust with my consumer dollars. I will continue to support MissBabs.
Thank goodness you were able to sell to someone like Ivy and not a big name conglomerate thing like many fine yarn businesses have had to do. I am an amateur student of economics and the business cycle typically means small fish get eaten by bigger fish when the market gets saturated. Yours is a rare piece of phenomenally good news in the current environment. I know I speak for others when I say we love Miss Babs and we look forward to 2026 with Ivy at the helm.
Well this is certainly the end of an era. I with you all the best in your retirement and much creative fun with your painterly endeavors. Since I know you picked your successor with the same care in which you built your business and created your yarn, I am certain that all will be well. Here’s to another 20 years or longer until it’s time for Ms. Ivy to pick her very own successor. Much love!!
So thankful I got to meet Miss Babs at trunk shows at A Good Yarn in Sarasota, FL. Bought beautiful yarns with your help. Your staff is amazing so I’m thankful they will continue your beautiful business. Best wishes in retirement.