Teacher
Ellen learned to knit when she was nine and to sew when she was in high school. She made many of her own clothes, but found herself short on time in college, medical school, and eventually, Cardiology practice. She maintained her knitting, and began teaching knitting techniques at a local yarn shop about 10 years ago. She started an after school knitting club at Sacred Heart School and continues to volunteer there. Ellen added weaving about 6 years ago, but didn’t get back to sewing until she retired 5 years ago. Initially, she intended to go back to garment sewing, specifically planning to make “little girl dresses” to complement children’s sweaters that she had already made, but realized that sewing techniques had changed significantly in the many years that had passed. She took a basic quilting course simply to relearn sewing techniques, but became fascinated by the interplay of color and pattern inherent in quilting. She attended classes at The Old Country Store and at quilt shows, learned long arm quilting, and now works as a “longarmer” for The Old Country Store. Several of her quilts have been sold at the Store as well. Ellen loves fiber arts of all kinds, and particularly the interplay among the different disciplines, which she uses in her teaching. She also has a strong interest in IT and enjoys using computer techniques in her quilting, weaving and knitting design. On a personal level, she is married, with two children. Her husband is a retired university professor who also taught for years at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music, and now teaches privately. She and her family have been in Lancaster since 2004.
