Meet Elendipity

Grab that crochet hook and get ready to meet Eleonora Cugini; lifelong crafter, yarn wrangler extraordinaire and owner of Elendipity, a small business providing cosy crochet and sewing workshops to budding creatives in London. 

Born in Italy, Eleonora grew up in the heart of Milan, surrounded by crafts from a young age; with a talented artist as a father and a mother who embraced textiles wholeheartedly, it was inevitable that she’d become something of a creative force herself. After a childhood spent experimenting with yarn she carried her love of crafts into her adult life, finally taking the leap from crafter to teacher, and now dedicates her days releasing colourful patterns and teaching people how to wield a crochet hook with flair!

Textiles is a mood booster because…

“It’s a way to distract you from the normal world, a fun way to switch off and relax completely. If psychiatrists and psychologists suggest people start crocheting or knitting as a form of therapy, we must be on to something!”

Getting creative can help you…

“It can help you do so many things! You can escape your normal reality and learn to think differently about things; when you spend time crafting in any capacity it helps to open your mind and opens up a whole new world of inspiration.”

Textiles can help to connect people by…

“Crafts, and textiles specifically, are great at connecting people, both in person and online. If you’re out and about and you spot someone wearing something that looks handmade, it’s so easy to start a conversation with them – and then before you know it, hours have passed and you’ve been happily chatting away the whole time!
Online craft communities are a goldmine for connection if you’re someone who works from home, like me. They’re ideal for those times where people want to ask for help, seek feedback or even just rant about a project that’s not turned out how you planned!”

Your top tip for textile beginners…

“Be patient, and trust the process! Perseverance is absolutely key when you’re learning to crochet, it’s so important to relax and just enjoy yourself.

It works both ways too; students often tell me I’m patient in the class, but if I wasn’t, I couldn’t teach! If I’m getting frustrated for someone who’s a beginner, how can I teach them to be calm and embrace the learning?”

Mistakes are just happy accidents…

“Like most crafters, I’m a perfectionist – but I have to relax and trust the process and embrace mistakes. They’re common in crochet, whether you’re teaching or learning, but choosing to go with the flow and work with them can lead you off on a whole new adventure!

I was writing a pattern for large tote bags one time, and halfway through realised that I’m just not a big-project type of crafter – so I adapted the design to a smaller pouch version. They ended up being really popular, and I found out that a lot of other people prefer smaller projects too – so my original mistake ended up being a really popular idea for my business!"

Textiles is a budget friendly craft...

“It is! Unless you end up with a massive yarn stash – but the collecting is a completely separate hobby to the making, in my opinion!

You can definitely get started in crochet for under £20, £15 even. There are so many small projects you can do with a hook and a single skein of yarn; the first thing I always recommend is a simple square coaster – it’s a great budget-friendly way to ease yourself in!" 

You'll leave my class with…

“A fun new skill that you can develop yourself! Whether you come to an in-person or online class, you’ll have mastered the crochet basics – and what you do with your new talent afterwards is up to you! Whether you use it as a way to switch off once a week, the same way some people go to yoga, or you really push and improve your skills, creating beautiful things for friends and family – the choice is yours!"