Interview with MarneyKnits: Queer, Creative Magic(k) Series
Meet a queer creator!
Welcome to “Queer, Creative Magic(k),” a multi-week series here at All The Threads. This series features interviewees at the intersection of queerness and art—a celebration of the resistance of queer joy to fight fascism. Today’s guest is Damaris (MarneyKnits), knitter extraordinaire.
Tell us about your work/favorite current projects.
I’ve been knitting off and on for about 20 years. My grandma taught me when I was a kid, and it’s something that has stuck with me over the years. For me, knitting is a way to stay connected to a craft that has been in my family for generations. I travel internationally for work, and I make it a point to pick up a skein of yarn everywhere I go. I was in Rome in mid-November, and I picked up a beautiful multi-colored ball! I’m currently using it to knit a super warm pair of wool socks to remember my trip every time I wear them.
How does your queer identity interact with your work?
I view queerness as a personal identity, but also a way of life. Yes, I am queer in the literal sense—I find myself outside of the gender binary and am attracted to people of all genders. Beyond that, I also am actively trying to “queer” my life. I view being queer as a way to stand against oppression of all people; to remember my queer elders who came before me and provide support to baby queers who are figuring everything out. This concept of “queering” my life comes through in my knitting all the time. It’s a way for me to limit my fast fashion purchases, a way for me to support queer yarn shops and fiber artists, and a way to make a statement with what I make. I’ve been working to gather quotes that really resonate with me to incorporate them into colorwork on my knits so I am explicitly wearing what I believe.
How do you inject wonder and whimsy into your work?
Wonder and whimsy is such an integral part of art, and I certainly try to find ways to keep the wonder alive through handknits. I’m a huge fantasy and sci-fi nerd, so many of the pieces I create for myself incorporate the natural whimsy found in these genres. For example, I had the great privilege of seeing one of my favorite live-action roleplaying groups this past spring, and I took it upon myself to knit a sweater inspired by a character that means so much to me. It was refreshing to have a vision, to have something I care so much about, and to incorporate my joy into a wearable piece of art. I find whimsy in selecting a new pattern, in finding a beautiful ball of yarn that really speaks to me, and by trying new things to challenge myself with knitting.
How do you resist fascism with your work?
This is such an excellent question. With fascism on the rise in the United States, I think finding ways to resist is vital for everyone. I also find that fascism and late-stage capitalism go hand-in-hand in the current state of the country. Propaganda has been continuously shoved down our throats through social media and AI, and knitting has become a way for me to keep myself from doomscrolling. While I use social media to take photos of my work and connect with other artists, it’s not why I do what I do. It feels so fulfilling to create something with my own two hands, and the yarn holds so many memories of how I was feeling in the moments I’m moving stitches from one needle to another. Another way I try to resist fascism and consumerism is by not selling my handknits. I get asked frequently when I will be opening an Etsy shop, and I want people to understand that I do not do this for money. Knitting is saving my life as a hobby, and monetizing my work would take the joy out of what I’m doing. I am more than happy to give some handknits away for a good cause or as a gift for someone I love and know would appreciate it, but I do not want to sell them. This is certainly a personal preference—I love and support others who want to sell their handknits—but it is just not for me at this moment in time. I already have a full-time job, and I use knitting as a way to take care of myself in a civilization that seems to be crumbling. Creating art has been used for generations as a form of resistance, and we need art to keep us going.
What does queer magic(k) mean to you?
To me, queer magic(k) means the ability to think outside the box. It means critically evaluating institutions, laws, and ways of life that have caused so much harm to those most vulnerable. It means finding a better way of living. It means fighting fascism, imperialism, racism, homophobia, transphobia in any way we can. It means breaking down the molds that society tries so hard to put individuals into. Queer magic(k) means connection in an age where most things are communicated via screens. It means community. It means skill-sharing. It means support. It means everything. If you are queer, know you are magic. No one can take that magic away from you. You are loved, you are seen, and you are important to this world. We need you in it.
How does your work connect you to the community?
There is such a vibrant fiber arts community, and I’ve fully jumped in. I’ve met so many people who love knitting as much as I do and have their own ways to bring themselves out in their work. I live in Chicago, where there are several yarn shops and knitting groups. I’ve also been to a few yarn and wool festivals, where I’ve gotten to meet so many cool people who want to keep fiber arts alive! It’s refreshing to be with a group of people who share similar values around creating. I’ve met some of the coolest people in my community at local yarn shops and knitting groups. In the digital world, I’ve also been able to connect with other knitters through discord and social media. I love being able to learn from others and stay inspired in my own work. One thing I’m currently working on is gathering tips and tricks for left-handed knitters. Most patterns and tutorials are made by and for people who are right-handed (like most everything else). As a left-handed knitter, I often have to read patterns a little differently (and sometimes even completely backwards) and keep mental track of how I need to use a technique differently in order to get the same result as a right-handed knitter just reading a pattern. There are some YouTube tutorials out there for left-handed knitters, but they are sparse. My hope in the future is to take patterns and techniques and re-work them to focus on left-handed knitters so folks like me have an easy place to access tools. Knitting can already be incredibly intimidating. Adding in the need to not only know a pattern or technique but how to tweak it as a left-handed knitter adds an extra layer of intimidation that I hope to help remove for other left-handed folks interested in knitting.
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Be sure to check out Damaris’s work at MarneyKnits.
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In Wonder,
Ivy Zeller (she/they)
Thanks for reading! I’m a queer, disabled writer/editor, and what I do is made possible by readers like you. You can support me in this journey in a number of ways: