The world of Cassandra Ellis Cassandra Ellis, 43, is the author of Quilt Love (Jacqui Small, £20); her new book, Cloth (Kyle Books, £25), detailing more than 30 projects in anything from linen, cotton and silk to wool and hide, is out now. She also designs and creates homewares, mostly quilts, and offers interior styling advice to private clients (cassandraellis.co.uk). Originally from New Zealand, she went to university at 16, graduated at 19 and studied business and economics before retraining in interior design when she was 30. Ellis now lives in south London with her husband, Ed Prichard, and their two dogs, Lily and Mr Darcy. Meeting Ed One day, seven years ago, I was gardening at home in Auckland when a friend texted to invite me for drinks. I was wearing a filthy T-shirt and jeans. I thought, "It's a Monday, why not?" As I stepped out of the car, Ed, who was over from London on holiday, saw me and said, "That's her, she's the one." When he left we hadn't even held hands but he sent me a compilation CD soon after that. I remember playing it in the car and thinking, "Oh, he's in love with me." I knew by the song choices. We then had an 18-month proper courtship, via letters and music. In all that time, we only spent 32 days together. It wouldn't have mattered if he lived in Botswana, I still would have followed him. Music I hate talking radio but I listen to a lot of classical music. Ed is the music man with the most incredible collection. If I'm stressed or feeling nostalgic I always put on my Kiwi music. Ed plays guitar - they are all around the house. He and his children once wrote a song on their ukuleles about Lily and played it for me when I got home one day. They were so chuffed. Occasionally we all break into, "Oh Lily..." Animals The dogs [main picture] are my most prized possessions. All the rest is just stuff. I grew up with 12 cats, three dogs, chickens, gerbils and a cow. I have a very strong reaction to people who find animals unpleasant. I just think, "What's wrong with you?" If Ed didn't like animals that would be it. Books Growing up I had no idea we were dirt poor. I only realised when I went to other people's homes and they had carpet and we didn't. My mum was a single mother in the 1970s, which was unheard of, and she did three jobs to support us. We didn't have much but every month we'd get a brown box from Reader's Digest full of the most fantastically interesting books that my mother had chosen. As a result I'm a book fanatic. My favourites are Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence and Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, which blew my mind at the age of 14. Kitchen table We don't have a telly, so aside from making and reading and playing games, I love to cook for big groups of people. Our table [pictured] is important to us as it's where we gather our friends together, old and new, young and old. Next week I've got a group of 18 people coming for dinner. Ceramic pots These pots [pictured] are by Hannah James, who used to be Edmund de Waal's assistant. I think they are just stunning. I keep them on the mantelpiece so they are the first things I see when I walk in the door. I buy pots wherever we travel. They are very simple but they make me happy. Seeds I love gardening and I grow everything from seed. It gives me great joy. It has amused the neighbours immensely because our garden at the front was supposed to be all white but I got candy pink, black, yellow, even the dreaded orange. I collect seeds and seed catalogues. My cupboards are full of seeds from plants I've grown. Quilts I grew up with the sound of the sewing machine in the background as I slept because my mother sewed mass production clothes at night to make money. For pleasure she made quilts and clothes for us and for our dolls. For me now, quilts are a summation of what home is. They are practical, personal and very precious. The thinking behind the making is really important to me: who will use it, why, what material would suit them, what size. I make quilts to give to homeless people on the street. They usually end up wrapped around a dog, but I don't care. I also give my time to Habitat for Humanity, which develops empty homes into social housing. I have worked with the charity to improve the look and feel of the spaces without spending any extra money. Necklaces I rarely take these necklaces off [pictured]. The runaway girl and the dog were from my nieces in New Zealand, which is very symbolic. The others are from Ed, by a Japanese designer. One means "carpe diem" and the other is "faithful."