Say hello to Ellen (@ellenscrochet)- our new Ribblr of the Week and the designer behind @ells.crochet
Tell us a little about yourself
Hi~ Iām Ellen, the designer behind ells.crochet! Iām 22 years old, living in Indonesia, and Iāve just graduated with a degree in Visual Communication Design. Some of you might have guessed this because Iām very picky about how my pictures look :3
Making cute and detailed crochet plushies is definitely my aesthetic! I love watching K-drama and anime, vibing to R&B and Japanese groove songs, hearing my cat respond to my call, and Iāve recently gotten into cosplay! Iām also currently learning Japanese and Korean, so feel free to hit me up for a convo if youāre a native speaker or learning them too ;)
When did you start crafting and how?
Iāve always been that crafty girl who loves giving handmade gifts to the people I treasure, and one of them is my uncle. He used to visit my family every month, but he hasnāt been able to visit us for years. On Chinese New Year 2023, I had a sudden idea to give my uncle a handmade prayer cap when my dad wanted to send him a parcel.
And that was my first introduction to crochet! I really jumped head first by following an advanced beginner level tutorial on Youtube XD I learned the basic stitches, and thatās it LOL. I struggled so badly at first and even rage quit after a while. But when I decided to pick it up again, I somehow understood crochet much better :D I eventually finished the prayer cap and then got hooked on making plushies! I immediately made 4 dinosaur plushies by @crafter_frog on YouTube that represent my dad, mom, brother, and me~ And I couldnāt stop crocheting ever since. My plushie collections, yarn stashes, and storage boxes just keep on adding up!!
And how did you start designing?
My pattern designing journey began when I wanted to give my college friend a birthday giftāScarameow from Genshin Impact! She loves the character so much and I wanted to crochet one for her. But I couldnāt find a pattern for itā¦ so I decided to make one! :D She was the first person to encourage me on my crochet journey, and she even commissioned me even though I just started crocheting XD Iām so grateful to her for that!! A little tip: Honestly, the best way to start designing is to justā¦ start! Grab your hook and yarn, crochet the design based on your vision, and adjust along the way. Experiment with your design as you go! ;)
Do you have a favorite craft type and if so - why?
Right now, crochet is definitely at the top of my mind! I also love exploring other types of crafts, such as punch needle, macrame, jewelry making, knotting alpha patterns, making accessories with a sewing machine, and more! I used to do illustrations and painting as well, which were the first things that introduced me to the creative side. They sparked my interest and curiosity in exploring different crafts! My first introduction to fiber art was actually from my elementary school taskāfelt sewing! I loved the experience so much that I asked my mom to buy me more materials!! Itās so amazing to rediscover fiber art and reconnect with my first experiences.
What has been the most memorable project you worked on?
My first pattern test!! Itās the Lolita Bunny by @Luv2Crochet (@luv2crochet on IG). It was just about a month after I started crochet and opened an Instagram account, so it was so exciting to be chosen as one of the pattern testers <3 Much love to her for choosing me! The Lolita Bunny was definitely my first complicated and detailed project since I began crocheting, but I found it so interesting! It was quite hard, yet I enjoyed working on the details so much!!
What are you currently working on? Be honest - how many WIP do you have right now?
Iām currently working on a new patternāthe calico cat from Sumikko Gurashi in a sailor outfit! Itās a birthday present for my friend who has been accompanying me since high school >.< (Keep an eye out for the tester call!) Iām also making a DIY light stick for Park Jihoonās Asia Fan Meeting Tour 2024 that Iāll be attending~! Iām so excited as this will be my first crochet project using combined materials, such as acrylic ball, resin, PVC pipe, and mini spot light. Hopefully it will turn out just as I envisioned it :D As for my WIPs, I have SO MANY unfinished projects in my storage box! Let me count themā¦. 1, 2, 3ā¦ There are definitely more than 10! Most of them just need to be sewn and have the felt details attached, the most time-consuming part for me >.<
Which of your makes/designs are you most proud of?
Definitely my recent makeā2 Headed Cat by @iuli.crochets that I named Echidna! I was immediately hooked by the story on the tester call about the sun, moon, love, and the desire to be together. I couldnāt resist applying for the pattern test!! >.< It was pretty challenging at first as I didnāt have a clear idea on what the output would look like. I initially planned to use white and purple yarn, and then the ideas of using gold nail art decorations and ribbons just came to me along the way~ I got inspired from Sailor Moon and Magico manga too for the name āEchidnaā and the story of āThe Star and The Moonā that I came up for them. Itās always a magical experience to pour my creativity into each pattern test and experience the overflowing ideas :)
What is your usual process of designing?
My designing process is really straightforwardā¦ I begin by envisioning the design using references, then sketch it out with some alternative models, and finally experiment with yarn and hook~ Thatās it! :D Just remember to start and adjust along the way!!
What inspires you to create/design?
I think my surroundings are what inspires me to create. I take a lot of inspirations from the people around me and blend their interests to my design style. Just like when I made the Scarameow and Sumikko Gurashiās calico cat patterns for my friends, as well as my recent free patternāPiko Cake Rollāin collaboration with @lilly_gurumi! You can get the pattern here on Ribblr~ Once the idea clicks, nothing can stop me from bringing my designs to life and turning my visions into reality ;)
Any favorite song, book or movie you would like to recommend?
Nano ćć and her whole ANTHESIS album!! Specifically: Hourglass Story, Remember Again, Magenta, and Autobiography. Her songs have helped me so much to stand back on my feet whenever I went through hard times. She really conveys all my feelings in her songs, and the way she sings really gives me a sense of calmnessāto slowly stand back and face the situation with courage. She is definitely my role model and someone that I truly look up to. Quoting Hourglass Story, āBut the answer I need has been there in front of me. But the change that I need Is to set myself free.ā
And do watch this seriesāWeak Hero Class 1, starring Park Jihoon and Choi Hyun Wook! The vibes are immaculate and so are the OSTs! Each episode is such an emotional roller coaster journey, but the last episode is just really gut wrenching. I really canāt get over the acting, it made me so emotional! The good part is that season 2 is coming in early 2025!! I canāt wait to watch it >.< Also, take a listen to Jihoonās songs too! My favorites: Moon&Back, Lost, and Black Hour. Such a soothing voice and great lyrics that will warm your heart~
What is your favorite feature on Ribblr?
My favorite feature is definitely crossing off each round when I finish it! The highlighted yarn colors also make it easier to distinguish which yarn is being used. I love the automatic abbreviations and round counts too :D I also have to mention Ribblrās partnership with Joann and the smart match feature! Even though this feature isnāt available in my country, it definitely helps others find matching yarns used in the pattern~
Share a funny story that happened to you recently!
This isnāt a recent story, but itās so funny I still remember it XD So, I was craving canned pork called MaLing. I suppose the name is a romanization of the Mandarin characters. The funny part is, in Indonesia, āmalingā means thiefā¦ So I casually asked my mom, āMom, whereās the MaLing (meat)?ā She was shocked and shouted, āHUH, THEREāS A MALING (THIEF)??!ā She completely misunderstood me LOL! We both had a good laugh after that!!
Who are some designers you would like to give a shoutout to?
Itās so hard to pick my favorites TwTā¦ But if I have to, it would be @kumamigurumi (@kuma.migurumi on IG), @binka (@knotsewbinka on IG), @lillygurumi, @minanmia (@.minanmia. on IG), and @iuli.crochets!! My current favorite pattern is the sweet + melodic bun-buns by @bini binka. She worked so hard perfecting the pattern, and the mods for it are so creative! You can even customize your own bun-buns ā į¢.Ė¬.į¢ā
Where can others find you?
Iām mostly active on Instagram, but you can also find me on TikTok and Pinterest~ I use āells.crochetā as my username on all platforms.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ells.crochet/
TikTok: TikTok - Make Your Day
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/ellscrochet/
Thanks so much for being here this week Ellen, itās a pleasure reading about you!
Want to read more?
Check out all our previous featured Ribblrs here.
Want to be our next Ribblr of the week and earn a special badge?
Send us a message and be our next Ribblr of the week (plus earn our special Ribblr of the week gold badgeā
)
I have another paid pattern listed on my Ko-Fi (the link is on my Instagram) ^^ Itās the Scarameow that I hold on the first picture~