We caught up with Eleanora Tully from Coastal Crochet. You may recognise some of her designs from her veryyy popular CAL’s she has done with brand favourite, King Cole!

Hi Eleanora, thanks for catching up with us! Tell us a little bit about yourself – your background, general day-to- day life, hobbies etc.

Hello, I’m Eleonora Tully, also known as ‘Coastal Crochet’, and I have a passion for all things crochet! I live by the sea on the southeast coast of England, together with my incredibly supportive husband and we have three adult children. I am a full-time crochet designer but also have a part-time day job working three days each week as a nurse within the NHS – so life is busy but I wouldn’t have it any other way! I am half Dutch and was born in the Netherlands, but I have lived in England for most of my life. I love being outdoors and one of my very favourite things is to enjoy a walk in nature and to explore new places. I’ve recently got into running and have joined a local run club, entirely motivated by wanting to be as healthy and fit as I can. Crochet involves a lot of sitting so it’s the perfect counter pastime to keep me moving!

When and why did you start crafting?

I’ve always been a creative person and crafting is something I grew up with and have always done. As a child I remember being on the lookout for the next empty cardboard box I could get my hands on to start making something. My mum was often seen knitting or crocheting and my Dutch grandmother created a whole wardrobe of clothes for my doll. I grew up in a ‘handmade home’ where so many things were created by hand. As soon as I was born, I was wrapped in a crocheted blanket, and I was later sent to school in hand-knitted cardigans. My mum crocheted her own wedding dress in 1974, so being creative and crafty was something I was surrounded by in my childhood and then naturally fell into myself.

How did Coastal Crochet come about?

I fell completely and utterly in love with crochet whilst crocheting a dress for my daughter back in 2014. Up until then I had dabbled in lots of crafts and had even sewn my own wedding dress and also done a lot of knitting. But whilst crocheting that dress for my daughter, I discovered that crochet was my craft and I began to fully immerse myself in it, refining and developing my crochet skills and techniques. I didn’t want to put my hook down, and in June 2015 I decided to start a blog to share my love of crochet with others. I called it ‘Coastal Crochet’ because I live very near the sea and the coast is a constant source of inspiration. It was wonderful to be able to connect with other crocheters and meet fellow crochet designers… it opened up my creative world. People were interested in the crochet I was sharing and that has been my motivation ever since – to keep on designing and keep on sharing my crochet with others. It’s been an incredible journey, and I have had many designs published in all the UK crochet magazines. I’ve also hosted many workshops and taught countless crochet classes around the country as well as doing talks. Coastal Crochet turned 10 years old in June 2025, which is wonderful. It’s been an amazing crochet-filled 10 years!

Can you tell us about your favourite designs you have done so far?

It’s impossible for me to choose a favourite design. My designs are very varied, and I love that variety. Each crochet design, especially the ones which have taken several weeks to create, have memories and experiences woven through all those stitches. One of the reasons I adore crochet so much is that it is such a portable craft, and my latest project comes along with me wherever I go. On car journeys, train journeys, at family gatherings, on days out – my crochet is never far from my side, so I do love that each project can be associated with a certain time and place. A few favourites I could mention are my Pura Vida blanket, my daughter’s prom dress and my Postcards with Love blanket. These have very special memories that I associate with those designs, which mean a lot to me.

We know you pull a lot of inspiration for your designs from the sea and coastline; can you tell us what made you fall in love with this style of design?

Because of living so near to the sea, it has really become a part of my daily life. When I first started Coastal Crochet we had our gorgeous dog Salty and daily walks along the beach with her meant I was forever being inspired. The coast is constantly changing with the ebb and flow of the tides, and the colours of the sea can range from a brilliant blue one day to the dullest grey the next: I find it really inspiring. And of course, simply being outside in the fresh sea air gives me space in my mind for the creative juices to flow.

If you are having a creative block, how do you inspire yourself to get back in the creative zone?

This is an easy one for me to answer… I go for a coastal walk and that makes all the difference! Being outdoors in nature allows my mind to open, and some of my best crochet designs have emerged during a walk along the beach.

You are well known for your CAL designs with our pals over at King Cole, how do you come up with a design brief for a Crochet Along?

I always want my crochet-along designs to tell a story so it’s really important for me to have a theme. When sharing a blanket pattern over several weeks I want to take people on a journey through the crochet we are sharing. So I start by coming up with a theme, and then the colours, textures and stitch patterns build from that initial idea.

Do you prefer designing homewares or garments?

I love them both. Of course I love the cosiness of crocheted homewares and I’ve become well known through my blanket designs for which I’m eternally grateful. I do love to tell stories through my blanket designs. But I also love crocheted garments, and being able to wear my crochet out and about is a wonderful thing. So it’s definitely both for me and I will continue to design both homewares and garments.

We know you wear many hats throughout the day; can you walk us through what a typical day may look like?

Each day begins with a check-in on social media. I have followers from all over the world so there is often activity overnight that I need to catch up on or messages that need replying to. It’s also a good time to share a post. As a crochet designer people often think I’m crocheting all day, but the reality is very different. The actual crochet is only a small part of what I do each day. A lot of time and energy goes into the social media side of things, and I probably spend more time on my phone than actually crocheting in a typical day! If it’s a day when I’m working in the day job as a nurse, then I head out by 08.00 and am not back till the evening. I join evening sessions at my local running club twice a week so on the days I work as a nurse, Coastal Crochet is put on hold. For the days I’m not working as a nurse then it’s all about the crochet, which includes photography, pattern writing, replying to emails and, of course, actual crocheting! I like to take my photos outside on location, so it’s often weather dependent, and I also have to keep an eye on the tides too. So no two Coastal Crochet days are the same. The times and commitments which are needed each day change daily. It certainly keeps me on my toes!

What would you say is your proudest achievement thus far?

My crochet-alongs, which many thousands of people from all over the world have taken part in, have to be the most special part of Coastal Crochet and something I’m very proud of. Bringing people together through crochet and forming friendships across the miles, which last long after the final stitch of the blanket is made, warms my heart. Particularly in 2020 when, during Covid lockdowns I received many messages from people telling me how taking part in my online crochet-along helped them through a difficult time – giving them a sense of purpose, a focus as well as a distraction, and making real connections with other crocheters. This was wonderful to hear.

I’m also very proud of being invited to the Crochet Guild Australia Annual Convention in June 2024. It was the perfect timing as it coincided with Coastal Crochet’s 10th anniversary. (I’m also very proud that Coastal Crochet reached 10 years!). To be invited to the other side of the world because of my crochet was a huge honour.

What are three things you would love to learn/master/execute? Doesn’t have to be crafting related!

I want to get a little stronger and better at running. Keeping fit and healthy is important to me and whilst I don’t find running easy, it is something I want to keep doing and improve at.

It’s an impossible request, but I do wish I could have more hours in the day to achieve all the things I want to! I have constant to-do-lists that rarely get ticked off in the time frames I’d like… my head is buzzing with ideas, and I just need more hours to bring them all to life. But that’s ok… I’m happy for them to gradually emerge over the coming years.

And finally, I’d love to be able to bring a crochet-along idea to life that has been in my head for a couple of years. It keeps getting moved down the list as other designs and commissions take priority, but I’m determined to make 2026 the year it happens!

What are your future plans for Coastal Crochet?

The last 10 years of Coastal Crochet have been a dream come true and I’m hoping for much of the same in the next 10 years! I want to simply keep on designing and crocheting, and to keep on sharing this with others both online and also in person, through workshops, classes and yarn festivals. And for my crochet to continue to take me on travels around the world… that would be wonderful!

Thank you so much Eleanora for chatting to us! You can find Coastal Crochet Instagram here. You can also explore her website here!