Wow…y’all blew up my inbox over last week’s newsletter! I’ll be honest, this “travel postcard” format was born from necessity, because I was so wiped out from the trip that I needed the newsletter to rely on photos from my phone, and not too many words…

But apparently you loved it! 🥰 So thank you to everyone who replied with all the great feedback. And now here’s the second installment of the Knit Stars Season 10 European filming leg…

After filming with Franklin Habit in Paris, Brad and I took the high-speed train from Paris to Barcelona. Brad’s idea here was to “see more of France” from the train. In reality, all I really saw was the inside of my eyelids as I tried to rest up between destinations! 😴

When we arrived at the Barcelona train station, Cecilia Losada was there to greet us!
Often, people like to offer to “carry my bags” on these trips. Well…that would’ve come in handy, because there were lots of stairs and no working elevators in the train station. But we got our workout in as we boarded yet another train with LOTS of folks headed out for the weekend to Sitges, a nearby beach town close to Ceci’s home.

After the two trains, a taxi, and a very abbreviated night’s sleep at our hotel, we hauled all the gear into another taxi and up the stairs to Ceci’s charming 2nd-floor home. It was easy to spot which door was hers.

Ceci was sipping her mate (pronounced MAH-tay), a traditional South American, caffeine-rich infused herbal tea. As Brad set up the filming equipment for the interview, I chatted with Ceci and learned more about her story.

I knew Ceci had been born in Argentina and had spent years backpacking around South America, living off the proceeds from her handmade creations, before eventually settling in Spain.

What I didn’t fully understand was the struggle that Ceci went through as a South American in Spain, the marginalization she faced as she worked to find her place and grow her fiber business, and that she still occasionally struggles with today.

The more I got to know her, the more I became inspired by her tenacity, her creativity, and the carefree confidence she has cultivated through a combination of mindfulness practices, including what she calls her daily protocol of movement (biking or paddle surfing), meditation, journaling, and intentional creative work time.

Over the years, Ceci has evolved her business from selling her handmade items, to designing (both knit and crochet), to a membership that supports other women in their own creative and business goals. She has more than 100 designs on Ravelry, a busy travel and teaching schedule, and a growing list of partnerships and enterprises.

She does it all while co-parenting her two boys with her ex-husband. You can see she has passed her goal-setting mindset along to her boys, since one of them has marked on the hallway growth chart that he plans to be 6’2” in the year 2032.

Ceci’s masterclass for Season 10 is a double-header that includes a new design, offered in both knit and crochet.

When we finish filming the workshop, Ceci is so proud (and relieved) that she does a spontaneous hallway dance, followed by a high-five, followed by an impromptu concert on her traditional South American drum.

Then we head out into the evening for a late-night meal (if you’ve ever traveled to Spain or Portugal, you know most restaurants don’t even open until 8pm). I try the traditional Catalan salad called Xató shown below, left (and see recipe, last section). It’s salty and fishy in the best way.

Ceci is the picture of satisfaction as she relaxes in her aptly named Wild Sunset Shawl.

The next morning, it’s time for b-roll. We head to the Sitges landmark Church of Sant Bartomeu & Santa Tecla, a 17th-century structure with spectacular views of the Mediterranean.

Then we walk through the town, capturing the big vistas and tiny moments that make a Knit Stars documentary so special.

The town had just finished setting up for the start of Pride Month, and there was a festive feeling in the air.

We stopped at a little cafe to have yet another cappuccino, some fresh juice, and a crêpe that wasn’t too terribly far off from the crying crêpe we had in Paris!

We wrapped up just after noon, giving us all a chance to catch our breath before flying to Portugal the next morning.

Next week, I’ll have the “Portugal postcard” with Filipa for you!

Hugs and cheers,

It’s that magic day again…Golden Hour is back!

Golden Hour is actually 24 hours…a whole day when you can get a Knit Stars Golden Ticket at 1/3 off.

What’s a Golden Ticket, you ask? Well I’ll tell you…

Like Willie Wonka’s rare metallic ticket stashed inside a chocolate bar…the Golden Ticket is your fast pass directly to owning all the Knit Stars Seasons (and becoming an instant All Star, with all the special access and bonus content that entails) at significant savings.

You can purchase the Golden Ticket and complete your collection no matter how many you’re missing – from one Season up to all 9 Seasons, all at big savings during Golden Hour.

Go here and purchase before midnight Monday, June 9th.

This was one of those filmings where I wanted to make everything Ceci wore.

I asked her what piece is her most-worn in her me-made wardrobe, and without hesitation, she said “Cholita.” She’s made it several times, and keeps giving them as gifts to friends, so that she needs to make more. She doesn’t mind though, she says, because it’s so easy, fast, and fun to make.

Her “It’s a Beautiful Day” pattern (also crocheted) is just exquisite, graceful, and powerful all at once. I love what she writes in the pattern intro: “Are you ready to enjoy a beautiful day? Today and every day of your life, you can feel like a goddess, you don’t need to ask anyone for permission. Believe in yourself! Because you are!”

Cecilia’s Coco Boxy Top is for intermediate crocheters, and every bit worth the effort with its eye-catching motif and flattering silhouette.

And knitters will find lots of great, wearable pieces in Cecilia’s collection too, including this knockout Amaru Shawl.

To shop Cecilia Losada’s library on Ravelry, click here.

And be sure you’re following her @mammadiy on Instagram, since she’s always releasing new designs – the one she’s wearing in the Pride street photo above is called “Maracatú” and is coming up for release – in Spanish and in English – later this summer. 😍

photo and recipe courtesy of Food52

Xató
After tasting Xató with Cecilia, I went looking for a recipe and found this simple version on Food52.com. The author writes: Xató (pronounced cha-toe) is a typical dish from Catalonia made with almonds, hazelnuts, bread, garlic, roasted tomato and peppers, sherry vinegar and copious amounts of olive oil. You mash everything together with a mortar and pestle, and then serve it with grilled bread rubbed with garlic and a salad typically made with curly endive, Spanish olives, anchovies, salt cod or tuna. The Xató sauce can be used as a salad dressing or just dip the bread in it and enjoy with every bite.”

Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Roasted almonds
• 1/3 cup Roasted hazelnuts
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 Bell pepper
• 5-10 Garlic cloves
• Splash Sherry Vinegar
• Endive or Arugula
• Your favorite Spanish olives
• Good tuna packed in olive oil, Spanish if possible
• Really good bread
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Turn on your broiler and char the red bell pepper on all sides until it is blackened. Put the pepper in a bowl and cover to let steam for 20 minutes. Peel and seed the pepper.
2. In a 375° oven, roast the 2 tomatoes and 5-10 garlic cloves until the skin on the tomatoes has wrinkled and split and the garlic is soft. I like to put my garlic in a little foil packet with some olive oil and salt to roast.
3. If you have bought non-roasted almonds or hazelnuts, you can pop them in the oven to roast with the tomatoes and garlic for about 10-12 minutes.
4. Tear up a piece of your good bread and put in a bowl. Pour some of the sherry vinegar on it to soak. I probably use about ¼ cup of sherry vinegar.
5. Once the tomatoes and garlic have finished roasting, remove from the oven and let cool. When cooled, peel the skin off the tomatoes and pop the garlic out of it’s paper.
6. Time to start mashing! Put your roasted almonds and hazelnuts in your mortar and pestle and start crushing. If you have a small mortar and pestle, you may want to divide your ingredients in half and make two batches.
7. When the nuts have been roughly crushed, add the tomatoes and the bell pepper. Continue mashing everything together.
8. Add the roasted garlic and the sherry-soaked bread. Continue mashing everything together.
9. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle in about ¼ cup of olive oil. Continue mashing everything until the olive oil is incorporated. Give it a taste and dd in another ¼ cup of olive oil….continue mashing until incorporated.
10. The goal is to have a thick and slightly chunky sauce. That’s the beauty of making Xató with a mortar and pestle, you get a rustic texture that a food processor just can’t give you. At this point, you can taste for seasoning. Maybe add another splash of sherry vinegar, another hit of salt or more olive oil. It’s up to you and what you want the overall consistency to be. – At this point, you can taste for seasoning. Maybe add another splash of sherry vinegar, another hit of salt or more olive oil. It’s up to you and what you want the overall consistency to be.
11. Once you have finished mashing the Xató, set aside and start making the salad. I tossed a bunch of arugula with the chorizo stuffed Spanish olives and drizzled with a little olive oil and sherry vinegar.
12. Open the tuna and drain slightly. Chunk the tuna onto the salad.
13. Grill up a few pieces of your good bread and rub lightly with a peeled garlic clove for extra flavor. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and serve alongside the salad.