Ellington

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A nurse. I really wanted to be a nurse when I grew up; that was my goal. My mom is a nurse. I just feel I have a spirit to help people, and that's the perfect field to do it.

Describe your work day in three words.

Peaceful, relaxing, quiet.

What tools could you not live or work without?

My crochet needles, my yarn, my scissors and my patterns. Nothing would happen without these.

What steps brought you to this position?

I like to learn to do things on my own. One day I went to the store with my mom, and I realized I liked the little knit hats they had. I thought, (they were) kind of cute but very flimsy and not good quality. They were charging $8 for these hats, and I was like,  'I could probably make that.' After I put that in my head that I could make it, I went to the store, bought some yarn and I started from there.

What's the strangest aspect of your job?

The things people ask me to make. People get a little crazy sometimes. I've been asked to make a thong, a boobie hat and a hat with a crochet beard attached. Also, people are always asking me why I chose to (learn crochet) since I'm so young. Usually older people do this.

What is the best thing about your job?

The look on people's faces when they get something I've made, and they love it. There's so much hard work that goes into what I make, and it's rewarding, not even financially but otherwise, because there's a certain feeling you get when you make something that started from nothing, and it turns into something wonderful.

What advice do you have for others who would like to become crochet masters?

Take your time with everything you make. You really need to love it in order to actually make great things because you have to have patience. So I would say take your time, move slowly and love it!