Crafting space - ellagajewska

Today we're visiting Ella the owner of ellagajewska, a milliner and proud owner of a 7 months old cat, called Tosia. She travels a lot between Krakow and London, loves dancing, rollerblading and ice skating. If not working, she's most likely enjoying a long walk outdoors and a home made lasagne.
You can learn more about Ella from her Facebook site or visiting her website.

We asked Ella:

• What kinds of crafts do you do?
I hand make hats, head pieces, head bands, as well as other accessories. Each head piece and each hat are unique, made from best quality luxury fabrics. Hand blocked using traditional millinery methods on wooden metal, or polystyrene blocks, depending on what fabric I’m using. I block all the hats by hand then they are sculpted, sewn and trimmed with back-stock, vintage and high quality materials. They are authentically couture items.

• Where do you craft?
I design, and make all my hats myself in my tiny studio. Hopefully one day I will be able to open an atelier together with my mum, who is a dress maker. We would create totally individual designs for our clients. Couture pieces from top to bottom!

• What in your craft space (if anything) inspires you? 

I think, view outside my window, inspires me the most. Nature, clouds, trees, rain, flowers …
Most of my hat ideas come to me just before I fall a sleep. Usually I try to write it down, or draw a tiny picture so I can get back to it the next morning. Some ideas for a great hat come to me totally unexpected when I'm on the bus or walking down the local high street.

• What kind of materials, tools you use most often? How do you store them? 

I use different fabrics, taffeta, silk, straw, feathers, felts, tulle’s, beads, crystals, wire, polystyrene, metal, plastic, what ever else I can hold on to... vintage jewelry, buttons.
There are many hand tools I use in everyday work, like: pliers, scissors, pins, hammer, sand paper, stiffeners, hat blocks, steamer, as well as, electric cooker for heating the flower tools.

• How do you organize your workspace?
My work station consists of a desk, a table and an ironing board.
The table I usually use, as a cutting table and for treatment of the materials, I have a chair on wheels so that I can move swiftly around the workroom. I’m trying to keep everything organized in drawers, and clear (see through) boxes. All my beads live in plastic bags stuck in an old cognac box. Shelves are very useful, I try to keep everything tidy. It always looks like a mess anyway. :)

• Do you have any organization tip/tool/tricks that can help others improve their workspace?
I must say, I try to tidy up every now and then. Keep everything separate in clear boxes, so there’s no need to open it, to check what’s in it. Writing little note on the boxes helps me a lot, too.

• What is your one favourite thing in your craft room?
There are many, but what I enjoy the most is a presence of my cat, Tosia. She is a 7 months old, three legged muggy. All cuttings and pins on the floor keeps her busy for most of the time.

• If you could change one thing in your craft room what would it be?
My workroom is great but if I could I would love to have an assistant or my personal model. :) At the moment every time I make a hat or a head piece, I have to try it on on my head or a pupé. It would be a huge pleasure to try it on someone else's head, rather then mine.

Ella, thanks for having us!

And here's a sneak peak of Ella's creations avaliable from her ETSY shop: