THE YARN ENDS :: About Us

Jo Ellen Designs…

…is a home goods design studio that debuted at the August 2007 New York International Gift Fair with a line of 100% wool, petit-point hand hooked rugs.   Noted for their use of fresh, fantastic animal motifs in a sophisticated palette, Jo Ellen Designs rugs and new micro-point pillows have been featured on The Today Show, CasaSugar.com and Downeast Online, and in Home Magazine.

…inspires with their illustrative and imaginative style.  Designs like Garden Party and Zebra Chili encourage homeowners to decorate and create stories in their own living spaces.

…is a boomer business.  It began in the heart and home of empty-nester Jo Ellen Stammen and is now run by dynamic mother-daughter, designer-manager team Jo Ellen and Jessica.

…draws the natural beauty and tranquility of their coastal Maine surroundings into the forms and figures of their heirloom rugs and pillows.

…“designs for good!” by donating $10 from each purchased item to designated charities.

Jo Ellen …
… is the mother of three and wife of one
… is the published illustrator of 15 children’s books, including a Caldecott finalist.
… received the prestigious Christopher Award, recognizing writers and illustrators whose “work affirms the highest values of the human spirit.”
... is a survivor of being raised in a family of ten – eight girls and only one bathroom!

Jessica ….
… keeps her mom in line!
… received her BFA from the Cooper Union School of Art.
… was named one of Glamour Magazine’s Top Ten College Women of 2002.
… thinks their slogan should be: “She’s a peach and we’re a pair!  Together we make beautiful music – err, I mean, rugs!”

Playful and sophisticated, each rug teases with a narrative in colors that speak to your home.