Cirilia Rose, Designer and Author was the guest on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.
(We kind of had a false start, you heard Tammy first, so if you listened live, we appreciate you hanging out until Marly was on the line! We are so glad Cirilia was able to reschedule after we missed our pre-arranged meet-up last week!)
Cirilia said she thinks she learned like the rest of us, at about age 7, from her grandmother. Her knitting was very tight, and squeaked on the needles. Picked up knitting again out of boredom in college, picked up the ‘Stitch n Bitch’ book by Debbie Stoller. She was looking for a specific yarn for a poncho and had been shopping at Joann’s and Michael’s but not finding it. She lived about 20 minutes from WEBS, so she says she got on a bus, and A WHOLE WORLD OPENED UP FOR HER!
She shared what she was studying advertising in school, and other ‘classes that might worry a parent’. Finding WEBS changed her whole direction, she began to work for them, Kathy Elkins put her to work eventually to work on the catalog to offer their Valley Yarns line. At first, she resisted designing because the constant need create something new can be intimidating. Cirilia says they are like the fairy god-parents that we need.
With the connections that can be made in the yarn industry, Cirilia met Norah Gaughan, while she was at Berroco. Cirilia’s involvement with Berroco she equates as graduate school for yarn and appreciates the change in her path. Her face became known at that time because she was helpful at the photo shoots and putting booklets together.
As for her designing, during the period Cirilia designed Aidez which is a lovely cabled Aran styled. She finds a lot of people convert it from bottom up, individual pieces to top-down seemless and she says, ‘that’s cool, so did I!’ Really take a peek at this because she’s humble enough to show you her mistakes in this.
Cirilia is young enough that the next move was about a boy! She pursued a relationship that lead her to move to Seattle so she approached Skacel, who were looking for help with their HiKoo yarns. Cirilia was again more helpful to them than originally thought, Cirilia got to help with Fiber Factor! You may remember seeing her there.
Then she made a friend in Stephen West, and went to Amsterdam. They collaborated on a collection of designs. This picture is for her design Harpa but it’s clear they are designers who are close enough to support each other ans work well together.
Magpies, Homebodies and Nomads: A Modern Knitter’s Guide to Exploring and Discovering Style truly showcases the moods and loves of a knitter, or in this case, Cirilia as a designer. It took her three years to complete because, sometimes life gets in the way, and she says while that was going on her style changed. It includes 26 patterns that are unique to each other and really demonstrates her versatility and love of style. Marly and Cirilia discussed the patterns Loro Vest, which she hopes will become the new cowl in fashion in that it’s a little more yarn, work and is just as flexible in fashion. Jordaan Cape she says was inspired by Stephen West and his love of shopping and finding inspiration. Frambois Cardigan uses buttons to attach scarves and instantly changes a look. The photography is by Jared Flood another Yarn Industry Name, of Brooklyn Tweed, who’s just announced he’s moving back to Portland, OR, which Cirilia is just tickled about.
Cirilia is now designing with Zealana in promoting their possum yarn, from New Zealand, to promote their brand in the US. This is not what we in the US might imagine, the yarn is super-soft luxury fiber, very warm. Not only is she designing with this yarn, she’s also putting together a magazine!
Her website is www.ciriliarose.com, can be found in Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and a newsletter. One thing that is really interesting is that she is putting together videos similar to the ‘Julie/Julia’ blog, in the Ria + June about ‘Principles of Knitting’.
If you missed getting to hear this live you can still hear it archived: https://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2015/04/09/cirilia-rose-designer-and-author or in iTunes
I heard the word medulla and expected the next word you said to be oblongata since the medulla oblongata is the portion of the brain that controls several autonomic systems in the body, but it wasn’t. Wouldn’t it be great if knitting was just be autonomic to everyone, just happened without thinking about it.
I loved hearing your story and how you’ve been working through the knitting world.
What a great story. I am so excited to hear how your life was shaped by yarn. I love the word madula. I can’t wait to see that project.
Knitting exercises your brain. cirilia makes sure that we use not only our cerebrums and cerebellums but the medulla oblongata as well!
Medulla is certainly a different secret word, but it is connected to knitting since it’s the name of your new pattern. I’m anxious to see it. Since medulla refers to the brain, I’m guessing it’s a hat???
Very enjoyable podcast. The book looks great. I also can’t wait to see the new project called (I’m guessing) Medulla.
Lmecoll on Ravelry
Enjoyed learning about Cirilla Rose as my medulla has heard about her over the last few years…don’t even know if that can happen! The title of the book speaks to my personality.
This podcast went to the middle of my brain – the medulla! Can’t wait to see the new project.
Thanks for another great show. I LOVED hearing about her book and the possum yarn. I watched her video and also learned that it can’t really be dyed and that is has medulla properties of the hollow core to help trap the air and is light weight! I love learning new things and this episode really taught me a lot. I can’t wait to get my hands on her amazing patterns in her Magpies, Homebodies and Nomads book. Thanks so much!
I have heard a lot about Cirilia over the years. I remember buying one of her patterns at Webs at one of my first Stitches. Can’t wait to see what Medulla looks like!
Another excellent podcast. Thanks! I can’t think how to use Medulla in a sentence – oh, apparently, I can! Can’t wait to see the new pattern…
Oh my. While listening to this podcast my medulla oblongata went crazy and my heart just wouldn’t stop racing. I first saw Cirilia on the Fiber Factor and loved her but I had NO idea what an amazing background she has had. I love her style and can’t wait to pick up the new book!
Medulla what a wonderful word for me use in Word-With-Friends. Thanks for that ladies,LOL I loved hearing all about Cirilia’s adventures, just wonderful.
My Cyrilia Rose memory is from Stitches South a few years back. My daughter was in the Starbucks line ahead of Cyrilia and she admired a scarf I’d made that my daughter was wearing. It made me feel wonderful. Can’t wait to see Medulla-I’ll be watching for it.
I really enjoyed learning about Cirilia’s journey to get to this amazing new chapter in her life. I can’t wait to see her new medulla pattern and try it in a Zealana yarn. Fun to see that autocorrect changes that to Zealand.
I was sort of hoping the secret word would be “serendipity,” since that feels like a good description of Cirilia’s fiber journey. Good news! The real secret word is just as good, as she’s made her way right into the medulla of the industry.
I’m so glad I listened to this episode. It has been fun and exciting to follow Cirillia’s career and journey in the knitting world. I enjoyed the Ria and June video on Zealana’s website. I never would have guessed that medulla meant hollow core characteristic of a fiber. So good to keep learning.
Marly, hoping I get a chance to say hi at the bijou basin ranch venue at the interweave Fiber Festival. My friends and I are going Shopping!!!!
I look forward to release of the Medulla project pattern, and enjoyed this podcast featuring the interview of the dynamic Cirilia by the dynamic Marly and Tammy.
Awesome podcast! All I want to say is that I just recently started listening to podcasts. Yours has been by far the best! Medulla…
Really enjoyed the visit with Cirilia. She certainly stays busy. Medulla? really?
Great interview, and really hope to win a copy of this book! Will look to check out the Medulla design coming up, too.
I didn’t know how to put medulla in a sentence so I looked it up and it is the connection between the forebrain and midbrain in which the sensory and motor neurons travel.
Great podcast! I was very intrigued by the possum yarn. I can’t wait to see what Medulla looks like!
I love Cirilia ‘s designs, they ars young and fresh and look very easy to knit. I want to know more about Medulla!
I can’t wait to see the new Medulla! This podcast was very inspiring. Thank you
Enjoy listening to Cerilia, she is one talented lady. Medulla how interesting.
Loved the podcast with Cirilia! And how interesting to hear about the opossum yarn and I was glad to know that it’s a different type of animal, not the possum that we know here in the States! (I was wondering about that!) Well, thank you for the podcast and can’t wait to see this mystery pattern, Medulla!
You always have such great shows. Medulla medulla medulla to everyone!
I always love hearing designers and where the get their inspiration and what’s new. I have heard of possum but I have not tried knitting with it. And learning about medulla too. Keep up the good work Marly.
I hope this Medulla is challenging! How I do enjoy listening to Cirilia – loved her on the fiber factor.
Hmmm…medulla. Like others my thoughts went to base of the brain but how cool to read other’s comments and find that it refers to the core of fiber. Great interview. I’ve heard Cirrillia’s name many times over the years but have never heard anything about her or her designs before. Thanks for a great and informative interview.
Loved hearing about Cirilia and her designs. I had not heard about possum yarn before so that was interesting as well. I wonder what Cirilia’s next design will be. Does the medulla in this case refer to a part of the brain or part of a fiber, or both?
What a fantastic podcast. Cirilia’s journey through both the yarn world and life is really awe inspiring. With great depth and knowledge she certainly is a person of inspiration. It was a treat to learn about about possum fibers and further definitions of ‘medulla’. My first thought upon hearing that word was that she was referring to our Medulla Oblongata – but no! I look forward to seeing and hearing more from this truly talented designer.
Hi Everyone,
Cirilia is definitely SUPER talented!!! It was great to hear her “story”. She is very inspiring. Thanks for another great interview ladies :O) Good luck to Cirilia with her new design “MEDULLA”. Can’t wait to see it!
Happy Tuesday or Thursday 😉
Rose Ruffolo
It was nice to hear another story about a popular knitter. I’m looking forward to see your new design, medulla. Good luck with the new book when you get it going.
What a fascinating career path Cirilia has had. I am so envious. It goes to show what you can achieve by just putting yourself out there. Now I’m excited to see what her new pattern, Medulla, will entail. Congratulations to Cirilia on her new book!
I loved hearing how Cirilia got her start. She is just in the medulla of her career. I see her getting soo much bigger! I love her work!!