About Me
Photography by Andrew Suk
Hi! My name is Cecilia, but most people call me Cece, and if you really know me you probably call me Cec- hence Cec and a Stitch.
The @cecandastitch Instagram account was born in December 2017. As many other college students on break can relate- I didn’t have a lot of money, but I did have plenty of time. So instead of purchasing items from the store, I made cross stitches. I made gifts for anyone and everyone I could, and I wanted a platform to display my creations.
Cross stitching is the shit. You might think of it as your grandma’s favorite hobby, but don’t knock it til’ you try it. What I love about cross stitching is that I can make… well, anything. The possibilities are endless, but I tend to gravitate toward modern symbols and phrases, creating irony with a medium that has existed for centuries, typically as “women’s work” (eye roll). Now, I can use this craft as a means of social activism, aka craftivism. In addition, I can, even though I maybe shouldn’t, cross stitch in almost any situation: waiting in line at the DMV, binging a Netflix series, or listening to music, an audiobook, or one of my beloved podcasts.
I try as often as I can to pick up my needle and thread rather than my phone. It helps me stay both stimulated and present. As one of my mom’s high fashion t-shirts says, “crafting is sitting still for creative people,” and if it weren’t for her, Cec and a Stitch would never exist. She taught me how to cross stitch, and more importantly, how to be a giver. She has graciously given professional grade needlework to close friends and strangers alike for as long as I can remember. Along with cross stitching, she makes everything from elaborate bedroom quilts to crocheted baby blankets to knitted Pussy hats for the 2017 Women’s March. Badass right? She remains as humble as she is brilliant, talented, and kind-hearted.
Carlisle, Pennsylvania is home. I grew up on Bent Creek Farm with my four older siblings: Alex, Ben, Olivia, and Noah- the BACON bunch. We were raised on playing outside with no shoes, talking to animals, and spending time with other families who also had an absurd number of children.
My relationships are the absolute most important thing in my life. I genuinely love people, and I am tirelessly optimistic about humanity. I love the messiness, similarities, and differences among us. I created this space to expand my business and creativity, share my stories, and share the stories of others I’ve collected through my art.
Cece graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in April 2020. There, she sold her cross stitches at the University Store in the Pop-Art Den. She lives in Chicago, Illinois and works as a registered nurse on an oncology unit.
You can find Cece featured in The Pitt News