About Hooked by Cille
Behind the name Hooked by Cille is 29-year-old Cille Mølgaard, who since 2023 has created a myriad of different crochet patterns. Personally, Cille lives in Aarhus with her fiancé, Anton, and their daughter, Viola. Cille is also a trained social worker with a master's degree in educational anthropology.
Read more below and learn about Cille and her journey! ♡
How did your interest in crochet begin, and how long have you been a crochet enthusiast?
I've actually crocheted on and off for most of my life. I learned to crochet from my beloved grandmother, who introduced me to both knitting and crocheting. When I was a child, I found it much more fun to crochet pretty flowers than to knit monotonous dishcloths, so I quickly preferred one craft over the other.
When I lost my younger brother in 2021, I suddenly found myself in the worst grief of my life and needed something to find peace in. The loss of my brother led me back to the crochet hook, which gave me a break from everyday life and overwhelming sorrow - and I haven't put it down since.
What motivated you to start your crochet universe, and how did the idea for Hooked by Cille come about?
When I started crocheting again, I posted some pictures of my finished projects on my social media, and I noticed a great interest in my items. I freehand crochet because I felt there was a lack of designs that appealed to my aesthetic. I like feminine, elegant, and cute designs that are also classic and timeless. But I found that a lot of crochet tended to be quite stiff and holey, and I wanted to create something that had a more knitted look. When I then posted some pictures of my creations, many people started asking for patterns, and I began to create some. I am a creative person, and I quickly found the process of making patterns super fun.
Then, for Christmas 2023, my older brother gave me a domain as a Christmas gift and helped me with the initial setup of the website. He is also self-employed and thought it could be a fun idea for my hobby business, but he probably didn't imagine it would go as well as it did.
Can you tell us about the choice of name for your webshop?
It was actually incredibly difficult to come up with a good name - how do you choose the perfect one? So I wrote down some different things and played with words, and suddenly it dawned on me that a crochet needle in English is called a "hook," and to be captivated by something is to be "hooked." I thought the double meaning was fun and charming, which is why I chose the name "Hooked by Cille.”
What do you dream of achieving with the webshop, and do you have a message you want to convey to your customers?
I dream of creating a universe and a crochet community where crocheters and other creative minds seek inspiration. Additionally, I dream of conveying to people that crocheting can do just as much as knitting - and almost even more. I want to show that clothing is not limited to knitting, but that you can easily achieve equally soft and beautiful expressions with crocheting as you can with knitting. Crocheting is not just funny figures and teddy bears - it's also useful items.
What's the best thing about crocheting?
Everything! I'm just completely crazy about crocheting. But if I had to pick one thing to highlight, it would definitely be the sense of calm it brings to sit with your crochet work. It's relaxing, stress-reducing, and good for the soul to do something with your hands. It helped me a lot when I lost my brother, and I've also received many messages from people who have seen my designs and started crocheting themselves after experiencing issues with stress, depression, and unemployment. And it's great that you can combine that with creating something functional and useful while also getting a space to de-stress.
Moreover, I sometimes find it hard to concentrate when I'm not doing something with my hands, and I find it easier to follow conversations, for example, when I'm crocheting at the same time. It helps me stay focused. And it's also great to get something out of my time instead of just sitting with my phone, so it's an excellent way to get away from screens.
What is your favorite pattern?
My favorite pattern is my Stella Sweater, primarily because it's really fun and quick to make. Moreover, it's very elegant and beautiful, and I think it pairs well with various outfits and occasions.
If someone is new to crocheting, which of your patterns would you recommend starting with?
You need to have a basic knowledge of stitches before diving into my patterns, but once you do, I would recommend my Alpine Headband - once you can make that, you can make many of my designs.
