August 28, 2009
Ellen Gormley: A 2009 Kind of Designer
Crochet, crochet and more crochet. Ask anyone, “How do you describe Ellen Gormley?” and they will tell you she is always crocheting, where-ever she goes. This busy mom of two is today’s kind of crocheter, juggling the routines of everydayness and being actively involved with her children as well as finding the time to create amazing designs for all your favorite magazines plus write a book or two.
 Better yet, her designs speak to a spirit that rises above the ordinary and brings the world of yarn to a new stylish level. From adorable baby bibs to crocheted embellishments for your jeans, Ellen says the shape and the texture of the stitches inspire her.
"Obviously color plays a big role in designing, but for me even colors I don’t favor come alive with the right stitches," said Ellen. "You can see how shapes and textures play a role in my designs like the Brocade Afghan I made for Red Heart."
Using cues from stitch patterns, interesting shapes, a list of goals and even a crochet hook, such vision is what makes Ellen’s creations so contemporary. This very-well published designer contributes regularly to Crochet Today, Crochet World and Interweave Crochet magazines, to name a few. She also sells her original patterns in her Ravelry store.
"Ellen has been a regular contributor to Crochet Today since its launch. She is a diverse designer who has a knack for creating designs that are classic with a new twist—always providing something a little new or different for the crocheter," said Brett Bara, editor of Crochet Today magazine.
Truly still a thrill to see her designs and name in print, Ellen shares her creativity with her family -- it is part of their culture. Her 8-year-old daughter Maura is her biggest fan loudly proclaiming in craft stores, “Mommy isn’t that the magazine your designs are in?” Ellen taught Maura how to crochet when she was 5. She believes a skill, like crochet, is critical to a child’s self-esteem.
"All children, especially girls, should have a skill they can be proud of where they can give back to others, a skill that is essential to who they are and has nothing to do with their outward appearance," said Ellen. Her hope is her daughter will learn that what she is creating does not have to be perfect, that it is just yarn and it’s okay because it is hers. "I hope her fingers memorize the techniques and when she is in need of a hobby, her fingers will remember."
With her crochet hook always loaded with a project (by the way she has 80 hooks with her favorite being her green aluminum Susan Bates size K), her crochet addiction is a great connector to others. Children creep close to her to see what she is doing, clearly communicating with their faces, “Can you teach me?” Others always comment about their mother/aunt/grandmother/sister knitting or crocheting, recalling the hobby with such delight, as if reminding them of a happy memory.
 "If I could tell everyone in the world one thing about crocheting, it would be that it is a great way to relax and be productive at the same time," said Ellen. "I would also tell them there is something magical about taking a simple ball of yarn and a hook and making something that didn’t exist before. I love that!"
Currently Ellen is writing a book for Krause Publications to be released Fall 2010 therefore her hooks right now are creating for her book. But, with an estimate that she had made over 3 million stitches in her lifetime, she always has portable projects ready to go for soccer practice including several using Red Heart® Eco-Ways™ Bamboo Wool.
Follow Ellen on her blog Go Crochet, Ramblings of a Crochet Designer.
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