Today we’d like to introduce you to Studio Kelsey
Kelsey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I moved to Ireland in 2018 with my husband, Dave, who is from Dublin. I moved with two suitcases and left all my previous creative outlets behind. This caused me to take up knitting — Ireland has such a rich history in textiles and some of the most beautiful wool is being spun there. I bought my vintage knitting machine while living there and I taught myself how to use it. I had a full time job at the time and this was just a hobby, until it wasn’t! I eventually left my job and began designing and knitting garments and home textiles full time. We moved back to Nashville in 2023, and I still exclusively knit with wool imported from Ireland.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has and it hasn’t! Moving your life and your business across the ocean is going to bring up complications, but I’ve always just tried to keep on doing what feels right. Setting up my wool-centric business in the very warm state of Tennessee feels like a silly struggle to put myself through, but ultimately I know my business is not restricted to any location and I have to remind myself that when it is in the 90s here!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a textile designer specializing in knit garments & home textiles. I design and make all of my pieces in my Nashville studio. I use a vintage non-automated knitting machine, which means it is completely hand powered. Each piece is fully fashioned, meaning it is shaped row by row, producing little-to-no-waste. The production method of my materials is also low waste. I knit with a really beautiful merino wool from a sustainable mill in Ireland. I love this wool for its quality and unique depth of color that is created by the traditional methods of production in this region of Ireland. I also love the relationship I’ve built with this mill over the years. Having lived in Ireland for the first 5 years of my knitting journey, I’ve been able to visit the mill and see their process myself.
I am most proud of my intarsia work. Intarsia is a technique for knitting imagery or “pictures”. It is labor intensive and difficult to re-produce on an industrial scale, making it really unique to the handmade process. I knit intarsia pieces as wall hangings and as garments.
I feel that my processes, color palette, and sustainable Irish materials set me apart from others.
Any big plans?
I am looking forward to creating more textiles for interiors. I create knit wall hangings in various sizes with custom built frames. I started my business with a focus on knitting garments, but I really enjoy interiors and decorations, so wall hangings feel like the marriage of my interests.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.studiokelsey.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio_kelsey
