Ellen has been with Sew Magarbo since January, 2013.  She has raised four children and enjoys her four (and more on the way) grandchildren.  She started sewing when she was young.  Her grandmother’s treadle machine was her first experience on a sewing machine.  Using a needle and thread, Ellen also made and designed clothes for her Barbie doll.  In the eighth grade she got her first sewing machine.  Even though she has added others to her collection over time, including a serger and embroidery machine, her first love is her first sewing machine.  At age 8, Ellen taught herself to knit    She went further and taught herself to crochet, embroider and cross-stitch, to name a few.  Some skills to learn that are still on Ellen’s bucket list include tatting, lacemaking and weaving.   Ellen’s repertoire of “things created” spans the different genres of creativity.
 
While Ellen’s philosophy is similar to Miss Precious’, Ellen believes that if you teach someone to do something instead of doing it for them, it empowers them.  This builds self-confidence, skills and self-reliance.  They can, in turn, pass that knowledge onto future generations.  Ellen goes on to say that sewing and other forms of creativity were becoming extinct in this culture.  It is exciting to see a renewed interest again.  Creativity is very healthy for civilization if it is to thrive.  She also says, “I am so impressed by what Miss Precious is doing with her sewing school.  You can see her care for each and every one of her students.  Thank you, Miss Precious.”