Her design career started 25 years ago in Córdoba (Argentina), where she was born. After traveling the world for a few years and exploring many different cultures, she has settled down in Spain, where she has been living for more then 15 years now. Meanwhile, she also has a small online shop in Barcelona. Cecilia is constantly active in providing the crochet world with new ideas, sharing her knowledge and creating a database for all crochet enthusiasts. You can follow Cecilia on her blog and on her YouTube Channel to expand and supplement your own crochet knowhow. Her patterns are published in English and Spanish and can be purchased at ravelry. We are very happy that Cecilia also creates great designs with our yarns.
Here is the interview with Cecilia for you!
Who taught you to crochet or when was your first contact with crocheting?
“My mother is one of the most creative persons I know. With 5 children, I’m the youngest, she had to use her creativity to keep us happy! She loves everything that is sewing, knitting, fabric painting, etc.! So she always sat in the living room at home doing something, and of course, her energy was very contagious. Besides my older sister is also very creative and she is the one who always pushed me in the field of artistic work. So I've always been immersed in the world of crafts. If I did not do one thing, I did the other! Macramé, Bead Weaving Loom, Crochet, Batik, and so on…!”
Maybe you can tell us a little bit how you became a crochet specialist. Have you been doing something else before as a profession?
“Well, I've actually always been moving within the artistic field – it could have been with music, theater, puppets or crafts in general. At the beginning it was like a game and while traveling I realized that I could live on it. When I arrived in Spain, the beginnings were very difficult, because I did not have papers, but once I was able to process my residency and then my nationality, I was able to dedicate myself professionally with a handcraft brand of Clothing and Accessories for babies and children. Later, with the arrival of Lui, my second son, I made a change in my work, about only dedicating myself to designing, and now I am here!”
What makes crocheting so special for you in comparison to knitting?
“I think knitting and crocheting are two completely different techniques, with which you can achieve very different results too. Crochet for me is very special, after so many years I have turned it around! I still have things to learn in the field of crocheting, but I think I've tried almost everything. In contrast with knitting, I am learning things that are absolutely new to me, and I am also very happy!”
What was the first crocheting project you did?
“I think it was a bikini! I remember that I bought a book that I taught with photos step by step, how to make each stitch. And then I started to invent designs. The first ones were a disaster, and I kept trying and trying, until I got to make a cotton bikini, to me! It was great, and it was the feeling among my friends, they all wanted one! I crochet bikinis to all my friends! It was great!”
Do you have a favourite within your own designs and why?
“My favourite design is the Olé Shawlmade of your yarn Nepal. I had already crocheted many shawls, but this is special, because it was my first design with luxury yarns, and with fingering yarn weight! A lot of work, but how beautiful it is! I love the Olé Shawl !”
When your hands are - once in a while - free of needles, what are you doing? What other hobbies to you have?
Well right now, I do not have many hobbies. I dedicate to knitting and my children, almost all the time I have available! I would like to embroider, like Mexican embroidery, I like colours and designs very much!”
You have been traveling around a lot. Did you learn new crocheting or knitting techniques abroad? Are there any differences in techniques in other countries?
“Ohhh, yes there is! Depending on the country and the area, each tribe crochets or knits in a different way. For example, in Colombia, Crochet is more popular. We can see it in the famous Wayuu bags. And there are also many different types of bags, with natural yarns. Their drawings and colours change, depending on the tribe they belong to. Each bag tells a story, these are not just drawings. In Peru, on the other hand, you can see more people knitting. They knit with long iron needles which have a tip similar to the crochet needle. Peruvianare really specialists in Colourwork, and they have a very particular way of placing the threads and picking up the needles.”
There are already some very nice designs from you made of Pascuali yarns. Which Pascuali yarn is your favourite and why?
“All Pascuali's yarns is really amazing! I have a hard time deciding just for one. But Alpaca Fino, I love it! It is very soft, very delicate, and above all very warm. In addition to its colour palette, it is absolutely beautiful. In summer, my favorite is Cumbria. I have tried it both in Crochet and Knitting, and it is really spectacular to knit. Although it contains cotton, it is very easy to handle with both needles. And it has a great texture! I love strong colours, and Cumbria has it!”
