We’re looking forward to introducing you to Laurel Taylor. Check out our conversation below.
Laurel, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I find myself in a very different phase of life since we last talked. I call this version of myself “adventure Laurel” because I have to be flexible right now instead of relying on the rigid planner that I normally am. I would never describe myself as someone who goes with the flow, but right now, I have to be or else I may find myself slowly slipping into insanity.
Normally, I would be in the thick of my market prep season. Normally, when it’s in the triple digits in Texas, I live indoors under the comfort of AC and knit. Normally, I’m attempting to hit my inventory numbers for my busy season of selling my handmade knitwear. Normally, I am well stocked by the time market season rolls around (October – December.)
But 2025 has been anything but normal.
This April, my husband and I very suddenly realized we were moving from Texas to Kentucky. As in, I went to Costco on a Monday to do our normal grocery shopping, and the next day was when we realized, “oh, this is happening!” It was all so fast – we didn’t have any repairs to make to our house so we were able to list it on the market two weeks later (April 29th) and it sold in less than 24 hours, with less than 30 days closing. Sure. Why not.
To make things even more complicated, I decided to spend the summer in my home state of Alaska, June through August. Sure. Why not. I had seasonal work lined up, and could visit my family and and friends I hadn’t seen in almost 10 years. Bonus, I figured I would bring some of my inventory of handmade knitwear. Where better to sell it than the cold climate of Alaska? I figured the sales would at least cover my trip, and I could attempt to make some wholesale connections with local boutiques.
“As if packing up your life isn’t complicated enough,” I said to myself as I was sorting what goes in boxes to move or goes into suitcases for Alaska. “But noooo… you just had to throw Alaska in the mix!” But first, we had to get to Kentucky, packing up my small business as well as my husbands wood shop/carpentry business. As if that wasn’t enough, I only had a week of being in Kentucky before flying north to start my seasonal job. In that time, we had to find temporary and pet-friendly housing in Louisville, while also looking for a home to purchase. Amazingly, everything lined up, and I can only credit God. It was nothing short of a miracle.
This summer in Alaska has been physically exhausting but spiritually refreshing. I work full time through the week, and then set up at my local farmers markets on Saturdays to sell my knits. The Homer Farmers Market has blown me away, with its steady foot traffic each week. Locals and tourists alike come ready to shop. It’s the local “watering hole” and has given me the sweetest opportunity to see old friends and make new connections.
I write this after having set up only 4 Saturdays, and the inventory I brought with me is basically depleted. I wasn’t sure how much to bring, since this is my first time doing this sort of thing and had zero expectations. Thankfully, I had more knits back in Kentucky, and my husband shipped it to me. It *should* be enough to get me through the rest of my last 4 weeks here.
So what lies ahead? I truly have no idea. Normally that would make me sick to my stomach. But in this phase, I find it so exciting. Alabaster Purl is starting from scratch in a new state. I do best at selling in person, so I’ll be on the hunt for local shows. Will I have any inventory left? We shall see. Do I even attempt any events this fall? Maybe I’ll just attend them this season. Maybe I’ll just go for it and have really paired back inventory. Maybe I’ll just take the holidays off and enjoy them for once.
Normally I would say I am walking a path. I love routine. Comfort. Predictability. But “adventure Laurel” is really embracing this wandering season. And I’m so proud of myself for leaning into it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Laurel Taylor, the knitter and owner behind Alabaster Purl. I specialize in handmade knitwear, merino wool blankets, and designing knitting patterns. My niche is hand-knitted beanies and other winter accessories, and selling my products at in-person shows. People can see and feel the quality, and try on products to find the right fit. The best part is, they can customize their hats on the spot! I have a “Pick Your Pom” bar, where customers can (you guessed it) pick which pompom they would like on their winter beanie. It just takes me a few minutes to attach, and people love the personal touch.
In 2008, I learned to knit from my friend Jonathan, when I was having a hard time focusing during lectures at school. (Spoiler alert, it was undiagnosed ADHD.) I quickly found that doing something mindless with my hands helped to calm my mind and focus. Fast forward to 2010 when I was a newlywed, having moved from Alaska to Oregon. I found a love of extra time on my hands, not having any friends in a new town and state, so I knitted gifts for all of my family members that Christmas.
My business is a “slow burn” as I like to call it, not one of those instant, overnight or viral success stories. Instead, it was one that grew organically. I started small, like the Christmas gifts, sharing photos on my personal social media. Family and friends started ordering custom items from me, giving me the confidence to attempt to sell them at shows. I found a few very small pop-up shows locally, bringing a variety of handmade crafts, but my knits always sold best. The natural direction was to focus on knitting – so my niche was chosen for me!
In 2016, I finally chose a name, and started Alabaster Purl. Over the next few years, I released a knitting pattern or two, as they came to me. I never want to force my creativity. I also continued to sell my knits at shows, and take more and more custom orders. I goal was to make more items each year, while balancing a full time job, life….all the things.
In 2019, my husband and I moved from Oregon to Texas. Moving is never easy, especially across the country, but it was especially challenging relocating two small businesses. (My husband is a talented carpenter.) My other main concern was moving to a hot climate, while selling warm knitted accessories. I was full of doubts. What did this mean for my business? Would I be able to make any sales or would I be laughed out of the room? Would I have to just switch to purely online, or wholesale to colder climates? I decided to give it one season, finding as many markets, craft shows, and pop-up events. I was relieved and excited to discover that Texans were still needing knits, surprisingly. Sure, it’s over 100 degrees for 100 days, but the winters can still be brutal, with drastic temp swings and intense winds. I’ve seen it drop 60 degrees in less than 24 hours. I’ve seen it drop 30 degrees in 30 minutes! Your body simply doesn’t have time to acclimate. Not only was there room for me and my niche in Texas, but I was able to make that my full time job for a few years. I grew Alabaster Purl more than I thought possible.
Now, I get to do it all over again, as we just relocated to Kentucky. I’ve done it before, I know it’s possible. And hey, Kentucky has more of a winter than Texas does!
I’m proud of myself for pressing on all of these years, through slow growth, battling imposter syndrome, moving across the country multiple times, getting reestablished, shows being cancelled due to Covid…I am so passionate about what I do, even if it doesn’t make sense from the outside. Selling knitwear in the south? People look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them about Alabaster Purl. Do the crazy thing. People will want to watch.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Being a people pleaser! I like to say that I’m a people pleaser in recovery, as it’s something that needs to be released over and over again. It’s not just a switch you can flip, and it takes years of unlearning. I’m doing this in both my personal life and in my business. Saying “no” has been so liberating, and is helping me gain back control of time as well as energy (emotionally, mentally, sometimes physically.)
I used to say yes to every single custom order. A sale is a sale, right? But over the years, I have learned there’s some projects I simply *dread*. I want to enjoy my work. Something so intricate shouldn’t be stitched with anger, but care and thoughtfulness. So I’ve learned the power of saying no to customers, and feeling zero shame.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Knitting? Never. But my business? Oh, multiple times. Moving across the country, Covid/2020, battling mental health issues, feeling defeated because of algorithms, battling burnout, feeling defeated because of the comparison game…
Comparison is the thief of joy. I try to limit my doomscrolling on my business account, which follows a lot of other knitters/crocheters. Nothing else kills my creativity faster than feeling incompetent. Like I’m not doing enough. Like I’m not growing enough. So I try to stay in my lane, stay in my own little world and be proud of myself. This whole business started because I love to knit. And sometimes I need to remember that, to come back to the simplicity and joy of knitting.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely! I honestly think it’s one of the main reasons for my success. I try to be as real as possible. Your vibe attracts your tribe. I want to make friendships with fellow makers and with my customers, so why would I try to be someone else? I may pull out the professional version of myself at markets, but I try to let the weird out on social media. (It helps with the views, lets be real…) but I also don’t know how to be inauthentic. That’s part of the beauty and hardships of ADHD, is that since you are real, you assume everyone else is real as well. Boy howdy, that sadly is far from the truth. So, I lean into it, and let it be one of my strengths.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
Having such an incredible market season in the middle of summer is out of the ordinary for me. What a blessing! It’s hard not to be buzzing with excitement. I am downright giddy every Saturday morning when I am setting up my booth at the Farmers Market, even if my body is battling exhaustion. But that’s the way of life here in Alaska. “Make hay while the sun shines!” We are solar powered. The sun is up? We are working. But the balance of that is hibernating in the winter. And it is absolutely the best.
This summer in Alaska has been so dreamy. Cooler temps (Texas summers were a beating…) The salty ocean air. Lifelong friends. 20+ hours of daylight….
Like I had mentioned before, my body is physically exhausted, trying to pack as much summer into my 3 months here. Working full time through the week, and then selling my knitwear on Saturdays. But my soul is absolutely refreshed.
I don’t know if I will have this opportunity again next summer, so I am soaking it all in while I’m here. I am incredibly thankful for every customer who has walked through my booth, and not even batted an eye at my prices. Most people don’t even look! They see the quality, but even more so the VALUE of a luxurious knit here in Alaska. It’s been a huge difference from my shows in Texas, where I would always get comments about “it doesn’t get cold here!” (It does, thanks, but it may not stay long…) Not having to convince folks that they need my product has been refreshing, infusing me with a much needed confidence boost.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alabasterpurl.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/alabasterpurl
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/alabasterpurl
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@alabasterpurl
Image Credits
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