People

Deren Bader

Deren is the owner and founder of EWE. She has been making things for as long as she can remember. She loves to knit sweaters, sew her own clothes and dye yarn and cloth with plants she grows in her garden. Deren loves teaching  and gets great satisfaction from seeing people start and finish a project they thought was impossible for them to do. You can follow her on Instagram @ewefibers.

Elise Heartwell

Elise Heartwell is a Charlottesville native who has been knitting and sewing since childhood. As a teenager she began sewing her own clothes and hasn’t stopped since. After studying Studio Art at UVA, she moved to Brooklyn, New York and attended Parsons School of Design, where she received an AAS in Fashion Design and honed her skills in design, construction, and patternmaking. After working in the fashion industry for a few years, the pandemic brought Elise back to Virginia in early 2020.  She has been working at EWE ever since and has loved expanding her knitting knowledge, tapping into the indie sewing community, and connecting with like-minded makers. She loves to take on a sewing challenge, and looks forward to sharing all her favorite tips and techniques with the community. You can follow her on Instagram @eliseheartwell.

 

Jessamy Battuello

Jessamy is a former elementary school teacher, and self-taught knitter and sewist.  She initially started knitting and sewing for her kids, but quickly found joy in making for herself.  Building a handmade wardrobe has become an important part of her life. Jessamy loves being a part of the maker community and is excited to be able to combine her love of sewing and teaching here at EWE. She is always happy to talk fabric and patterns with everyone who comes in to the shop. You can follow her on Instagram @jessamyb.