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.
Around this time, I began to discover fitness on my own after being a gymnast and volleyball player throughout childhood. In summer 2018, I began consistently practicing yoga which completely transformed the way I viewed movement. Fast forward to adulthood post college, I continued practicing yoga both at home during the pandemic, and in studios in whatever city I am living. Just as yoga helps me stay both stimulated and present, so does movement with my hands in the form of needlework.
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.
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 created this space to expand my business and creativity, share my stories, and share the stories of others I’ve collected through art and movement.
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. After college, she moved to Chicago where she met her fiance Alex and his dog Tintin. She also sold her cross stitches at Wolfbait & B-girls in Logan Square. After three years in Chicago, Cece decided to try travel nursing with Alex & Tintin where they lived in Philadelphia and Los Angeles. After getting engaged, they moved to Philadelphia where Cece works as a registered nurse in chemotherapy and infusion. In May 2025, she completed her 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher Training with Monarch Yoga in Philadelphia.