Hi, my name is Maria (aka #lacengarter_knits) and you can see me holding the only weapons I know I have to use to make my way into the huge, wide knitters’ community: needles and yarn.

Although it may seem to some that I am the privileged, white-race, straight woman (and in a sense this is right) I am certainly not THAT KIND of white-race woman – btw, I really, for the life of me, cannot define that kind of person; I know I’m lucky that I was born a Greek and eventually got to be a European citizen, but then again, I am one of those #pigs (look the word up to see what I mean) Discrimination is always there: i.e. I am SO different from my compatriots in so many ways and then similar to them in so many others and I am struggling to make my way to the international knitwear designers’ scene from a place most people have never heard of.

I do not dispose of the capital that would allow me to have people knit my samples OR buy the gorgeous yarn I dream of using in my patterns, which makes me work till I burn out and then start all-over again. I am just an “oversized”, middle-aged lady, a wife and a mother doing her best and you will never hear me complain about it. Because I know that compared to BIPOC knitters, I am indeed privileged and I am admiring their courageous struggle.

I also know that turning against each other is not taking us anywhere. So, having read some wonderful posts by @romidesigns, @jojilocat, @pattyjlyons (to mention but a few) all I can say is, please, let’s just STOP this, by being more considerate towards each other and dedicating ourselves to what makes us special in a good sense of the word: our craft. Each one is unique, each one has reasons to feel discriminated maybe, but this doesn’t give him/her the right to spread hatred and insults, much less harass the others. Thanks for reading this long post, I will now go and work, for that is a good battle to fight and one that makes us happy!

(This is my IG post today and it reflects my thoughts on the shameful actions of some sock designer and his husband towards practically anyone who dare not “agree” with them. These people really need to seek help imho, but this does not give them the right to hurt the rest of the knitters community)