Happy Ramble Day everyone! I’m excited about this one. I had a lot of fun diving down the Westknits rabbit hole. Feel free to drop some additional suggestions in the comments. ❤ SHOW LINKS CAN ALSO BE FOUND HERE: www.woolneedleshands.com/show-links/june14
I'm the opposite. I am struggling to motivate myself to knit anything BUT Stephen West patterns. I'm a process knitter and his bold use of color and disregard for conventionality give me much-needed dopamine. I knit to have fun; I'm not trying to curate my own aesthetic me-made wardrobe. If I wanted practical, wearable items I could just buy them for much cheaper. I look at knitting as entertainment and an artistic process rather than a means to a practical end. I realize this is a privilged position, especially compared to the reasons why our ancestors knit. But, truthfully in today's modern age, knitting is not the most practical thing. But I know we all have different outlooks and reasons for why we craft, so I respect anyone that disagrees with me. It's wonderful that we can all get different things out of this craft
I’m definitely in the Stephen West is a genius camp. I’ve knit so many of his designs. I tend to wear more muted colors and simpler things and still there are so many. ❤❤❤
I've enjoyed watching other people's immersion in Stephen West over the past few years, mostly through the mystery KALs. Dotted Rays is very popular, and I particularly noticed that most people who have made the Vertices Unite shawl go on to make at least one more. Part of the fun here is choosing all the colors, and some people have more of a gift for this than others. Kevin and Ray did the Slipstravaganza, and when Kevin first showed all his colors I was very doubtful, but he's just so good! His shawl reminded me of stained glass when it was done. I think maybe Stephen West has kind of backed himself into a corner, where each new shawl has to outdo the last. I started to see some signs of burnout among the faithful during the Twists & Turns KAL. He may have gone too far with that one! Anyway, thank you for the idea of looking back to his early years, and also the obvious good advice of knitting any of these things in a less flamboyant palette, if that's more your style.
Such a great video Tayler, really entertaining! You should make a series of it, picking your favourites patterns created by designers who are not your go-tos but have their own hidden gems that appeal to you :)
You could always try a muted color palette with an ombré fade skein set. I’m a vibrant color girlie so the only thing stopping me from going full send with neon/bright colors is my skill level and intimidation. Still haven’t finished a sock yet.
I've made done 3 things by Stephen West. Not his most way out there ones, but possibly a wee bit more adventurous than some of those on your list. I have to say, each one was so much fun to knit and very rewarding! They all felt like I was painting with yarn. I thoroughly enjoyed the process as well as the product. Most recently I knit his Rain or Shine socks. He's bringing out lots of socks at the moment and I think they're a great place to give his patterns a go, especially if you already enjoy knitting socks. They're not a huge outlay - in fact - mine were totally made from leftover sock yarn and you end up with something quite wearable. I haven't done the MKALs as they're a significant outlay and if i'm going to spend that much I want to know what i'm getting. But I do very much enjoy watching along and seeing everyone's colour choices. The last couple in particular, I've found that the ones I most like the look of have been when people have chosen different shades of just one colour - I saw a beautiful Shawlography in shades of grey, for example. That seems to me a good way to go for anyone who is thinking of dipping into his world but who's feeling wary of the whole colour thing. I do enjoy the wide rqnge of topics you cover, Taylor. Thank you!
I love the look of Stephen West's patterns. I've done the Boneyard Shawl (fingering weight version) for my Mother-In-Law, and I did the Twists and Turns MKAL last year (I learned a lot!). He does great tutorials. And you don't have to use the brights if you would have trouble styling them. I've seen his patterns done in less graphic color combos and they still look great. I'm joining his surprise sock-along for July, which I am sure will be fun.
I made a Westknits pattern called Fiery Foliage in a 5 color fade of greys and gold with a pop of blue that I absolutely love! It’s easy to wear and fun to make - interesting without being overwhelming. I highly recommend it
The Jigsaw Puzzle blanket is also amazing. It super functional and so much fun to knit since it it small sections and not several hundred stitches per row, which is my personal issue with blankets.
Dotted rays is in my collection, too. I think it would make a great evening shawl. It reminds me of “Queen of the night” opera sets. Maybe midnight blue with thin streaks of silver…..
I started knitting his patterns to push my boundaries about colours and to learn new stitches( his tutorials are very detailed and easy to follow)..I just finished this year's mkal and have just started his slipstravaganza ❤
Great list! I too am hesitant to knit a West design but I have made several Boneyard shawls in various weights and colors. It is a fabulous pattern and friends love it for its wearability. I've had my eye on the Painting Rainbows shawl and Painting Honeycomb blanket for a while, so it may be time to dive into my stash and create my own Westwork of Art! Thanks for reminding me that comfort zones can be stretched. Needles to the ready!🧶🧶🧶😊
I am just finishing the dustan cardigan really wearable (not your cup tea it is texture) but I am fascinated on how Steven West work on the details ..... I will sign up for his surprise sock knithothon to try something else..... Most are not my style but the quality is there.... even if it is LONG to do ....
I love Stephen West's designs and have knit too many to count! Love his unique look and the excellent technique videos he provides of the stitches or methods he's introducing. I have knit 4 Batad ponchos, Boneyard, 2 Esjan, Painting Bricks, Shawlography, Aurora Cabin, Exploration Station, Butterfly wing, Starflake, Twists and Turn, Earth and Sky, Transatlantic and many more than I can recall. Love the results and they look more complicated than they are to knit.
When I finally knit a Stephen West it's going to scream Stephen West. I live in the tropics where I can really rock that style, But it's probably going to live on a glider or rocking chair.
This was so helpful! The girl behind the knitting traditions podcast made one of his shawls but with a neutral pallet and it came out so stunning :) I hope you share which one of his patterns you end up making!!!
I have knitted multiple Stephen West patterns. His blankets are wonderful. Garter Squish was a stash buster. I used Caron, Lion Brand, Red Heart leftovers. Also, I have done several shawls in one color. Honeycomb blanket was a no-brainer - I used Knit Picks.
I am in a similar boat. Living in a warm climate I never think amid knitting a shawl. I literally just picked out my yarn for Twists and Turns last weekend and getting around to swatching soon.
I have knit the Boneyard Shawl. I love it for wearing at home to keep my shoulders warm. I have in mind to knit the Dotted Rays Shawl or the Doodler. It is a matter of stash diving for the yarn to use. Most of his newer patterns are a little "over the top" for me, but as you say "you do you." I enjoy seeing his shawls and am always amazed at his designer aesthetic. I am loving rediscovering your channel and your focus topic.
Thanks for sharing. My favorite Stephen west pattern is the raxtur hat. Its simpke but super intresting and keeps yozr hat really warm. And you can wear it in multiple ways. I will make a second one for winter as i gifted my first one to someone. Have a lovely day
Daybreak, boneyard, dotted rays and exploration station are all beautiful and wearable and would work well for handspun yarns as well as commercial yarns.
I have made numerous versions of the Dustland hat pattern in various yarns and am a big big fan of that pattern. I'm currently working on a Dustland sweater for my husband, and I really like the pattern. It's not too crazy, it looks way fancier than it actually is.
The patterns are way easier than they look and he has videos for many of them that take you through things stitch by stitch. Pick some colours that you like and give one a while. You will be surprised! His Mystery Knit Along Shawl project, which comes complete with 4 how-to videos will be starting in October with kits and lead up to beginning in early September. If you like mysteries, you may want to give that a go. There will be thousands of folks all doing the same thing at the same time to turn to go advice.
Thanks for your picks. I haven't knit any SW patterns as i have only glanced at his patterns - they were too bold for me. I am more attracted to neutral pictures so I'll have to go back and look at them with from a different angle. Congrats to your team - VGK on getting their names on Lord Stanley's Cup. Hope to see it this summer as 4 of the boys come from Manitoba.
I'm currently knitting the Boneyard Shawl out of lion brand amazing lace in a soft gray. Bit of a challenge since is very thin yarn but is making a beautiful fabric.
Great video. I think everyone has their styles they gravitate toward and designers who fit that style. My problem is that I don’t like following patterns and I gravitate toward crochet since I never need patterns for it. I jumped on the Ranunculus bandwagon and it’s ok but it will probably sit in my closet.…if I ever get the sleeves done. SW is a great designer, and there are some of his patterns I like…but like you I want to make things I’m actually going to use.
Amused, this popped up in my subscription list as I was working on Stephen West’s Lava Lake, but in greens to feel like a walk in the forest. The only other pattern of his that I’ve knit is the 2022 shawlography mystery knit that ended up being way outside my comfort zone.
They are wearable and practical but also not that different than many, many other patterns out there. So the only reason for making one over another was to say you have knitted a Stephen West pattern.
I love the ingenuity of his patterns. When my friends and I are decision-making about a pattern, i keep reminding them, to not look at the colors, but to look at the "pattern" of the fabric. And if you like the fabric, substitute your color scheme, and placing dark for dark, medium for medium, etc
FYI Amy Palko has knitted a bunch of Stephen patterns in her characteristic subtle color palette. I’m like you re the “too much” bright and vivid colors of his patterns-but suddenly saw his designs as accessible to me through her videos. (Mainly I’m thinking of several videos she did showing all her shawls on a new hanging bar she designed.)
I love Stephen West patterns! I absolutely agree with your comments, but I want to remind everyone that we knit for FUN. It’s OK to knit something that’s not practical or useful if it’s fun to knit!
I also admire Stephen West's talent, but most of his stuff is way too colorful for me. My wardrobe has been pretty monochromatic (mostly black/gray) for decades and has a distinct lack of decorative patterns, but I enjoy being a little crazy with my socks so I've got a couple of Stephen's sock patterns. It's utterly perverse, but in the winter when I'm all dressed up to go outside in boots and all, I get a kick out of knowing that under all my "severe" black is a pair of crazy socks. It's kind of like wearing fabulous lingerie for this middle-aged woman. 😂 Plus they're fun to knit. I also live in a house built in 1910 that is rather light on the insulation, so a good cozy shawl keeps me from freezing to death while I work. I hadn't seen the rainbow one and now I'm seriously considering it!
I love his designs and I think MOST of them are wearable. You can tone them down with muted colors and adjust some details (e.g the ribbing on the sleeves...). I love the Dustland Sweater - it's a fun and quick knit and I always get a lot of comments when I am wearing it (positive comments of course ;) ). Also, I remember watching the movie Promising Young Woman and in a scene she is wearing a sweater that looks very similar to Stephen's Bubble Sweater and I thought to myself: wow, this looks so cool in this color combination...
Well, this was a real pleasure! I have seen some SW designs and thought "Not for me", but thanks so much for doing a deep dive and finding these gems! I would totally knit some of these and I agree that Stephen West is a phenomenal talent. I'm not terribly avant garde, but he has some good patterns that are good for the conservative knitter. I saw a post of his about knitting dog sweaters--made me wish I had a dog that would wear one!
Great video! Stephen West is a genius and has revolutionized knitting in so many ways! His designs can absolutely be intimidating at first glance but I can honestly testify that his patterns will elevate your knitting. He encourages you to play with color and texture. He challenges you to find your artistic mojo and push yourself out of your comfort zone with designs that seem out of the box and maybe out of your capabilities. BUT his patterns aren’t just addicting. They are totally doable. Every time I finish one of his designs I feel like a badass. Every. Time. He has so many patterns to choose from and there IS something for everyone. I always recommend to start with the Boneyard Shawl since it was his first design and it’s free.
If these are the 10 you would knit, which one WILL you knit? Stephen West patterns are very easy to follow. The way he writes his patterns is very stitch by stitch where no assumptions are made, meaning it is very easy to learn new skills and translate those techniques into other patterns that do not provide such clarity. I have completed quite a lot of his patterns at this point, which started out with the "will I wear it" caveat but quickly evolved into making items simply to learn techniques in them. Or, have a project that is simply easy knitting to takes my mind away from troubles which provides me with a unique piece of art and a happy feeling, especially where this is a scrappy project that uses up left overs in a beautiful way. The Honeycomb blanket, for example, can use up a lot of left over small random colours and yarns between a single solid neutral border and always turns out great.
I agree with everything you said about Stephen Wests patterns. I am a huge fan of his. I knit the Boneyard Shawl when I got back into knitting before I ever knew he existed. One of my all time favorite knits is Exploration station Shawl. It is so easy to wear and it's beautiful. And my one time at Brioche. Here are some of the others I've knit. The Pierre Shawl. I think you would love this one. It's made with larger yarn and it's fast and it's so easy to wear. I did the Shawlography Shawl KAL. The Slipstravaganze Shawl KAL. I love that one. It's huge but so beautiful. And I did the Twists & Turns Shawl KAL. I like it alright, but not a fan of that one. I also did the Doodler Shawl. I've got other patterns of his that I want to knit. One is the Penguono sweater. I've seen that knit up in different colors and I'm really wanting to make that. He has made me think outside the box. Knitting isn't just knit and purls with Stephen. And the video's he does, he teaches you how to do the stitches and makes it so easy to follow. Amazing teacher, pattern maker, new stitch developer! I can't say enough for what he's done to make me a better knitter. He has also taught me that it's okay to make mistakes, and it's even okay to leave the mistake there. That change my way of thinking about knitting. I'm 70 years old and my Mother had one way of knitting and I had to follow that and that was it, no other way to do it. Stephen has changed that for me. And I thank him. You should give his patterns a try, even if it looks too colorful, you can make it all in neutrals. You can make it anyway you want, because Stephen says so! Thank you for exploring his work. He has so much to give to the knitting community.
I can’t count how many of Stephen’s designs I have knitted, they are wonderful, almost like painting by numbers. His patterns, despite looking complicated, are so do-able and a pleasure to knit. If you are concerned about the colours take a look at the projects which will give you great colour options.
I was introduced to Stephen west through Martyn Waite of knit365 UA-cam blog during his slipstravaganza make along...I did the twist and turns of 2022.. I'm halfway through his painted honeycomb shawl and have started his boneyard shawl with a fade palette...his infectious don't stress has pushed me through the twists and turns ....
SW tutorials teach me that mistakes r not a big concern. His colorwork seems to hide mistakes but also shows off his design. I always think his colors reflect his behavior/personality. 🥴 Thanks for sharing.
I am lucky enough to live just around the corner from Stephens shop (although my bank account may disagree with the "lucky" bit) which is just so full of wonderful colours. I've made two of his shawl designs so far, Suriously Holey (which taught me brioche) and Samen. Both are great if you like the shapes but would rather go with more muted tones, no need to go all neon and contrasting if you're not into that!
Oh man , you missed Garter Marler sweater.. I'm making one and it's a great stash buster, and so fun marling the colors! Similar to the blanket you featured, but wearable. His patterns are great and he has so many tutorials to help.
I love his stuff but the only one I've knitted is the boneyard shawl. Loved it, it was a gift for my sister. (I added a picot border because she's sassy, haha)
I’ve made two Stephen West patterns. His Exploration Station was my very first shawl and it took me WAY out of my comfort zone. Mine is super colorful, using hand dyed yarn from a local dyed to me that based the collection on her travels to Hawaii. It is one of my most cherished pieces that I receive compliments on every time I wear it. I learned so many new techniques making it and found his video tutorials life savers. I almost always wear mine with jeans and a tank or Tshirt, bunched up around my neck!
Stephen West...I feel like if you were looking at my brain scan and said his name, it would resemble a laser light show. I feel my heart beat faster and my pupils are probably dilated. His work ticks all my boxes. That said...me in my creative mind varies greatly from the me that is actually walking around in the world. I am generally a bland dresser and quite an inattentive knitter, so I would never survive the shawls that I admire most. And even if I could muster all my powers, I am not a shawl wearer, nor do I have shawl wearing friends. Luckily, prolific creator that he is, he does however have great sweater patterns. I recently made the Marled Mania Cardigan, and the Festival Lights Sweater pattern is in a project bag waiting it's turn. Both older patterns. I do love knitting socks when I get in the mood. So, I totally indulged in the monthly sock club (not called that, but that's what I am calling it...maybe it's a year of socks?). All his interesting techniques and vibrant colors in a doable form. Great Lakes winters are cold and I love being outside, and husband works outside, so these items are what I enjoy making and using. I can understand that if you live in an overall warmer climate you would have to be more selective about what you choose to make, so that items would be useful. The blankets are a great. That might have to go on my future make list. Thanks again for a great discussion, Tayler!
I like to look at West designs. Most are beyond my skill or too dramatic. I’m not dramatic 😊. However, I’ve wanted to learn to knit socks and he has a sock knit along in July. I’m tempted. ,
They can look intimidating to knit, but he often has video tutorials for the crucial steps! Which was such a relief when I did the slipstravaganza mkal 😅
Great Ramble, love this. I have a similar perspective, love Stephen’s designs and creativity, but I would not be able to pull off most of them. Another thing about Stephen, he is an amazing knitting teacher (I own most of his teaching videos). Thanks to him, I finally mastered M1L, M1R with his acrostic/visual connection memory technique. I want to put a shout out for his Dolinar Cowl (2011). Wow, I was a six month knitting newbie in 2021 and this caught my eye. Beautiful finished piece and it was so easy to follow. Thank you again for this Ramble and highlighting other great options.
I love this! You describe yourself as pretty neutral in your choices for colour in your wardrobe and classic in your design aesthetic and I agree(as if what I think matters)! But I look around your studio space, your discussion about the blanket you’d love for your couch and you are wrapped in colour and unique design! You have it all!! Great video. ❤️❤️❤️
Have found a first glance most Steven West patterns don't appeal to me, but also think some of that may be that his taste in color pallet is different than mine. When looking at the projects in ravelry there are people who have made the pattern in colors that are much more to my taste. I'm also not a shawl wearer and so many of his patterns are shawls; and have thought about finding out if other people in my life are shawl wearers as there are many that look like they would be fun to make. One of Steven Wests patterns that is in my favorites and am very tempted to make is his dustland sweater. I seem to be drawn more to his patterns that are more textural than colorful.
Love this video and absolutely a Stephen West fan. I participated in his mystery shawl last fall (Twist and Turns) It was so fun but I stressed myself out...lol. it turned out gorgeous and it is a work of art. He is just an amazing teacher and now I'm doing his sock club.....fun and not stressful. Thanks Taylor for more ideas!
I'm planning on making the Painted Stripes & Boneyard shawls, as well as doing the Botanic shawl again as I wear it all the time. I do think a lot of his patterns are made to work for any color palette, and they give you the opportunity to mix bases, which is fun.
I've made the Garter Squish blanket, Dotted Rays shawl, Vertices Unite shawl, and Penguono and am halfway through a Garter Marler cardigan. The Vertices Unite is one of my favorite makes - so much more wearable than I expected, and it is my go-to winter scarf.
Stephen West patterns will absolutely push you as a knitter, but in a good way. Just attempting some of them has raised my skill level, and his tutorial videos are excellent. Much love and respect to Stephen West.
Dotted Rays has been in my queue … since … ever! I also have Batad cowl kit (…somewhere…) Dustland sweater, cardi, socks, Garter Marler cardi & pullover and Boneyard shawl patterns. Thanks for showcasing his patterns, I really, realllllly need to get these made up! His use of color + stitch patterns is truly amazing. I used to favorite/queue his patterns (on Ravelry) when they debuted. I don’t do that anymore, cuz ALLL of his patterns intrigue me. Without looking at his patterns, aside from the ones mentioned above, I KNOW I want to make at least a dozen. Wowza! I hope you make a pattern or 2 or 5 of his… !!! I’m going to pull out that Batad kit right away. 😁
He seems like a really nice person, but I feel like many of his designs are like most high fashion designs, made to create controversy or shock for shock's sake, not wearable. I'm not interested in spending a lot of time and money making something for a collection. Those things maybe should be in some sort of knitting museum.
I've been in love with his Pierre shawl for some time now! I keep going back and forth with using one color or 4 colors in a monochromatic color way!! I may need to check out the two blankets that you show cased here!
I completely agree. It’s hard to choose a pattern with so many bright colors. However, I fell in love with his Marled Magic Sweater & dress. But I am only knitting it in one solid color using a finger weight held with a mohair. Omg so gorgeous and squishy. I can’t wait to finish it.
I made a Garter Squish for a friend who had a baby last year and apparently the intended recipient has yet to even touch it because all of her older kids fight over it. 😂
Thank you for creating such a fun list. I made the Batad shawl a few years ago. Love it and wear it all the time. A wonderful versatile shawl you don’t have to worry about wrapping or tying and uses some great techniques. Looks great any way you throw it on.
I'm someone with a pretty colorful home but a fairly neutral wardrobe. SW's blankets are the absolute best. I'm working on the garter squish now. I do want to try to branch out more with a colorful shawl of his.
I love his designs. I have knitted a few of his. Includind dotted rays, boneyard and the dustland mittens among others. He is a fantastic designer that gets you to want to knit for the fun of it!
I love Stephen West, and agree that some of his designs are a bit much for my style, but I get so much inspiration from looking at the projects and seeing toned down versions in more neutral shades. Also, his shawls just sit on my frame better than some other designers. Someone might have mentioned already, but there are quite a few Dustland designs. I have a pair of Dustland legwarmers that I knit up years ago that were quick, engaging, and highly wearable. I had forgotten how nice a pair of legwarmers feel in the late fall, early winter.
I actually knit the sports shorts and they give me a giggle when I wear them around the house. They weren't hard, and as a woman older and bigger than you, I say go for it and love them! They are fun to make and wear, I just wish they had pockets. I'm too lazy to figure that out for myself.
great topic, I've always been tempted to the SW patterns but they are daunting and can be very $$, this podcast breaks it down nicely and makes it more approachable!!
I knit his 2022 mystery shawl. The name escapes me. It took me months to knit. It is a puece of art and truthfully wont wear often. But the techniques I learned skyrocketed my knitting. Im self taught do wow. Oh and grammar police, seriously. Loved the video!!!!
I’ve knitted his Boneyard Shawl, just wonderful. I’m like you in loving his designs, but a lot of the colours put me off. But, I have to say, those shorts … just no! 😂
Knitted shorts and pants remind me of babies in cloth diapers 😂 I used wool pants on my kids with cloth diapers because wool makes a really fantastic diaper cover. That’s actually why I learned to knit so I could make them some. But I can’t get behind the knitted shorts/pants thing. I’ll just sew mine, thank you.
Lol! So it’s funny because a friend mentioned that he knit the Sports shorts and the crotch completely felted in less than a week of casual, only around the house wear. Ugh. Yeah. I think I’m with you. Just no. 😂
Happy Ramble Day everyone! I’m excited about this one. I had a lot of fun diving down the Westknits rabbit hole. Feel free to drop some additional suggestions in the comments.
❤
SHOW LINKS CAN ALSO BE FOUND HERE:
www.woolneedleshands.com/show-links/june14
I'm the opposite. I am struggling to motivate myself to knit anything BUT Stephen West patterns. I'm a process knitter and his bold use of color and disregard for conventionality give me much-needed dopamine. I knit to have fun; I'm not trying to curate my own aesthetic me-made wardrobe. If I wanted practical, wearable items I could just buy them for much cheaper. I look at knitting as entertainment and an artistic process rather than a means to a practical end. I realize this is a privilged position, especially compared to the reasons why our ancestors knit. But, truthfully in today's modern age, knitting is not the most practical thing. But I know we all have different outlooks and reasons for why we craft, so I respect anyone that disagrees with me. It's wonderful that we can all get different things out of this craft
I’m definitely in the Stephen West is a genius camp. I’ve knit so many of his designs. I tend to wear more muted colors and simpler things and still there are so many. ❤❤❤
I made the Boneyard Shawl for my boss when she retired last year, and it turned out absolutely gorgeous. She wears it all the time!
I've enjoyed watching other people's immersion in Stephen West over the past few years, mostly through the mystery KALs. Dotted Rays is very popular, and I particularly noticed that most people who have made the Vertices Unite shawl go on to make at least one more. Part of the fun here is choosing all the colors, and some people have more of a gift for this than others. Kevin and Ray did the Slipstravaganza, and when Kevin first showed all his colors I was very doubtful, but he's just so good! His shawl reminded me of stained glass when it was done.
I think maybe Stephen West has kind of backed himself into a corner, where each new shawl has to outdo the last. I started to see some signs of burnout among the faithful during the Twists & Turns KAL. He may have gone too far with that one! Anyway, thank you for the idea of looking back to his early years, and also the obvious good advice of knitting any of these things in a less flamboyant palette, if that's more your style.
Such a great video Tayler, really entertaining! You should make a series of it, picking your favourites patterns created by designers who are not your go-tos but have their own hidden gems that appeal to you :)
You could always try a muted color palette with an ombré fade skein set.
I’m a vibrant color girlie so the only thing stopping me from going full send with neon/bright colors is my skill level and intimidation. Still haven’t finished a sock yet.
I've made done 3 things by Stephen West. Not his most way out there ones, but possibly a wee bit more adventurous than some of those on your list. I have to say, each one was so much fun to knit and very rewarding! They all felt like I was painting with yarn. I thoroughly enjoyed the process as well as the product. Most recently I knit his Rain or Shine socks. He's bringing out lots of socks at the moment and I think they're a great place to give his patterns a go, especially if you already enjoy knitting socks. They're not a huge outlay - in fact - mine were totally made from leftover sock yarn and you end up with something quite wearable. I haven't done the MKALs as they're a significant outlay and if i'm going to spend that much I want to know what i'm getting. But I do very much enjoy watching along and seeing everyone's colour choices. The last couple in particular, I've found that the ones I most like the look of have been when people have chosen different shades of just one colour - I saw a beautiful Shawlography in shades of grey, for example. That seems to me a good way to go for anyone who is thinking of dipping into his world but who's feeling wary of the whole colour thing. I do enjoy the wide rqnge of topics you cover, Taylor. Thank you!
I love the look of Stephen West's patterns. I've done the Boneyard Shawl (fingering weight version) for my Mother-In-Law, and I did the Twists and Turns MKAL last year (I learned a lot!). He does great tutorials. And you don't have to use the brights if you would have trouble styling them. I've seen his patterns done in less graphic color combos and they still look great. I'm joining his surprise sock-along for July, which I am sure will be fun.
I made a Westknits pattern called Fiery Foliage in a 5 color fade of greys and gold with a pop of blue that I absolutely love! It’s easy to wear and fun to make - interesting without being overwhelming. I highly recommend it
how fun would those Sokkens be knit for the whole family in holiday colors?!? Great holiday photo card!!
Yes! Absolutely!
Well that was inspiring! I may have to try creating one of those shawls.
The Jigsaw Puzzle blanket is also amazing. It super functional and so much fun to knit since it it small sections and not several hundred stitches per row, which is my personal issue with blankets.
Dotted rays is in my collection, too. I think it would make a great evening shawl. It reminds me of “Queen of the night” opera sets. Maybe midnight blue with thin streaks of silver…..
I started knitting his patterns to push my boundaries about colours and to learn new stitches( his tutorials are very detailed and easy to follow)..I just finished this year's mkal and have just started his slipstravaganza ❤
Dotted Rays.....for sure, MAKE IT! Love my dotted rays!!
I made Vertices Unite in just shades of grey. I love it.
Me: All of his designs and practical and wearable - what are you talking about? (Please note I like bold colours and design lol)
Great list! I too am hesitant to knit a West design but I have made several Boneyard shawls in various weights and colors. It is a fabulous pattern and friends love it for its wearability. I've had my eye on the Painting Rainbows shawl and Painting Honeycomb blanket for a while, so it may be time to dive into my stash and create my own Westwork of Art! Thanks for reminding me that comfort zones can be stretched. Needles to the ready!🧶🧶🧶😊
Absolutely loved this episode Tayler, bought the mitten pattern and on the brink of buying the painted honeycomb blanket. Thankyou so much 🥰
I am just finishing the dustan cardigan really wearable (not your cup tea it is texture) but I am fascinated on how Steven West work on the details ..... I will sign up for his surprise sock knithothon to try something else..... Most are not my style but the quality is there.... even if it is LONG to do ....
I love Stephen West's designs and have knit too many to count! Love his unique look and the excellent technique videos he provides of the stitches or methods he's introducing. I have knit 4 Batad ponchos, Boneyard, 2 Esjan, Painting Bricks, Shawlography, Aurora Cabin, Exploration Station, Butterfly wing, Starflake, Twists and Turn, Earth and Sky, Transatlantic and many more than I can recall. Love the results and they look more complicated than they are to knit.
I made the Starflaket during the pandemic; his patterns are an adventure and you learn so much.
When I finally knit a Stephen West it's going to scream Stephen West. I live in the tropics where I can really rock that style, But it's probably going to live on a glider or rocking chair.
I love that Jackie! That’s actually a very inspiring approach. ❤️
This was so helpful! The girl behind the knitting traditions podcast made one of his shawls but with a neutral pallet and it came out so stunning :) I hope you share which one of his patterns you end up making!!!
I have knitted multiple Stephen West patterns. His blankets are wonderful. Garter Squish was a stash buster. I used Caron, Lion Brand, Red Heart leftovers. Also, I have done several shawls in one color. Honeycomb blanket was a no-brainer - I used Knit Picks.
I am in a similar boat. Living in a warm climate I never think amid knitting a shawl. I literally just picked out my yarn for Twists and Turns last weekend and getting around to swatching soon.
I have knit the Boneyard Shawl. I love it for wearing at home to keep my shoulders warm. I have in mind to knit the Dotted Rays Shawl or the Doodler. It is a matter of stash diving for the yarn to use. Most of his newer patterns are a little "over the top" for me, but as you say "you do you." I enjoy seeing his shawls and am always amazed at his designer aesthetic.
I am loving rediscovering your channel and your focus topic.
I love Stephen West and have made several shawls. Thanks for your suggestions . I have added several more to my favorites.
Thanks for sharing. My favorite Stephen west pattern is the raxtur hat. Its simpke but super intresting and keeps yozr hat really warm. And you can wear it in multiple ways. I will make a second one for winter as i gifted my first one to someone. Have a lovely day
Dotted rays is fantastic I have made two. Really fun to marl 2 fingering weights to get gauge.
Thanks for sharing these patterns.
Daybreak, boneyard, dotted rays and exploration station are all beautiful and wearable and would work well for handspun yarns as well as commercial yarns.
I have made numerous versions of the Dustland hat pattern in various yarns and am a big big fan of that pattern. I'm currently working on a Dustland sweater for my husband, and I really like the pattern. It's not too crazy, it looks way fancier than it actually is.
Oh my gosh I love his designs but I am so intimidated by his patterns. How I wish I had the courage to attempt one!
The patterns are way easier than they look and he has videos for many of them that take you through things stitch by stitch. Pick some colours that you like and give one a while. You will be surprised! His Mystery Knit Along Shawl project, which comes complete with 4 how-to videos will be starting in October with kits and lead up to beginning in early September. If you like mysteries, you may want to give that a go. There will be thousands of folks all doing the same thing at the same time to turn to go advice.
Thanks for your picks. I haven't knit any SW patterns as i have only glanced at his patterns - they were too bold for me. I am more attracted to neutral pictures so I'll have to go back and look at them with from a different angle.
Congrats to your team - VGK on getting their names on Lord Stanley's Cup. Hope to see it this summer as 4 of the boys come from Manitoba.
I'm currently knitting the Boneyard Shawl out of lion brand amazing lace in a soft gray. Bit of a challenge since is very thin yarn but is making a beautiful fabric.
Great video. I think everyone has their styles they gravitate toward and designers who fit that style. My problem is that I don’t like following patterns and I gravitate toward crochet since I never need patterns for it. I jumped on the Ranunculus bandwagon and it’s ok but it will probably sit in my closet.…if I ever get the sleeves done. SW is a great designer, and there are some of his patterns I like…but like you I want to make things I’m actually going to use.
I made the Spectra shawl in 2017 and mine turned out great. Just 2 skeins.
Amused, this popped up in my subscription list as I was working on Stephen West’s Lava Lake, but in greens to feel like a walk in the forest. The only other pattern of his that I’ve knit is the 2022 shawlography mystery knit that ended up being way outside my comfort zone.
Thanks for sharing!!
I have knit the Pierre Shawl
Your video graphics are hilarious!
Thank you!!
They are wearable and practical but also not that different than many, many other patterns out there. So the only reason for making one over another was to say you have knitted a Stephen West pattern.
You can knit most of his patterns in a single colour
Absolutely. You can knit ANYTHING in a single color if desired. ☺️
I love the ingenuity of his patterns. When my friends and I are decision-making about a pattern, i keep reminding them, to not look at the colors, but to look at the "pattern" of the fabric. And if you like the fabric, substitute your color scheme, and placing dark for dark, medium for medium, etc
FYI Amy Palko has knitted a bunch of Stephen patterns in her characteristic subtle color palette. I’m like you re the “too much” bright and vivid colors of his patterns-but suddenly saw his designs as accessible to me through her videos. (Mainly I’m thinking of several videos she did showing all her shawls on a new hanging bar she designed.)
The Meaningful Stitch UA-cam channel.
I love Stephen West patterns! I absolutely agree with your comments, but I want to remind everyone that we knit for FUN. It’s OK to knit something that’s not practical or useful if it’s fun to knit!
I’m not a shawl person but Stephen’s designs are always awe inspiring. 🌵
Stephen West patterns and his humor and dogs kept me sane during the Pandemic. Just love him!
For me it was Casapinka and her twist on patterns by creating a story around her kitty, Sharon.
I live in Florida, and I wear shawls all the time. They're great for when the AC is too cold, but putting on a sweater is too hot.
I also admire Stephen West's talent, but most of his stuff is way too colorful for me. My wardrobe has been pretty monochromatic (mostly black/gray) for decades and has a distinct lack of decorative patterns, but I enjoy being a little crazy with my socks so I've got a couple of Stephen's sock patterns. It's utterly perverse, but in the winter when I'm all dressed up to go outside in boots and all, I get a kick out of knowing that under all my "severe" black is a pair of crazy socks. It's kind of like wearing fabulous lingerie for this middle-aged woman. 😂 Plus they're fun to knit. I also live in a house built in 1910 that is rather light on the insulation, so a good cozy shawl keeps me from freezing to death while I work. I hadn't seen the rainbow one and now I'm seriously considering it!
I love his designs and I think MOST of them are wearable. You can tone them down with muted colors and adjust some details (e.g the ribbing on the sleeves...). I love the Dustland Sweater - it's a fun and quick knit and I always get a lot of comments when I am wearing it (positive comments of course ;) ). Also, I remember watching the movie Promising Young Woman and in a scene she is wearing a sweater that looks very similar to Stephen's Bubble Sweater and I thought to myself: wow, this looks so cool in this color combination...
Well, this was a real pleasure! I have seen some SW designs and thought "Not for me", but thanks so much for doing a deep dive and finding these gems! I would totally knit some of these and I agree that Stephen West is a phenomenal talent. I'm not terribly avant garde, but he has some good patterns that are good for the conservative knitter. I saw a post of his about knitting dog sweaters--made me wish I had a dog that would wear one!
I laughed out loud when you said whooo! when you saw the short pants modeled 😂
Great video! Stephen West is a genius and has revolutionized knitting in so many ways! His designs can absolutely be intimidating at first glance but I can honestly testify that his patterns will elevate your knitting. He encourages you to play with color and texture. He challenges you to find your artistic mojo and push yourself out of your comfort zone with designs that seem out of the box and maybe out of your capabilities. BUT his patterns aren’t just addicting. They are totally doable. Every time I finish one of his designs I feel like a badass. Every. Time. He has so many patterns to choose from and there IS something for everyone. I always recommend to start with the Boneyard Shawl since it was his first design and it’s free.
If these are the 10 you would knit, which one WILL you knit?
Stephen West patterns are very easy to follow. The way he writes his patterns is very stitch by stitch where no assumptions are made, meaning it is very easy to learn new skills and translate those techniques into other patterns that do not provide such clarity.
I have completed quite a lot of his patterns at this point, which started out with the "will I wear it" caveat but quickly evolved into making items simply to learn techniques in them. Or, have a project that is simply easy knitting to takes my mind away from troubles which provides me with a unique piece of art and a happy feeling, especially where this is a scrappy project that uses up left overs in a beautiful way. The Honeycomb blanket, for example, can use up a lot of left over small random colours and yarns between a single solid neutral border and always turns out great.
I agree with everything you said about Stephen Wests patterns. I am a huge fan of his. I knit the Boneyard Shawl when I got back into knitting before I ever knew he existed. One of my all time favorite knits is Exploration station Shawl. It is so easy to wear and it's beautiful. And my one time at Brioche. Here are some of the others I've knit. The Pierre Shawl. I think you would love this one. It's made with larger yarn and it's fast and it's so easy to wear. I did the Shawlography Shawl KAL. The Slipstravaganze Shawl KAL. I love that one. It's huge but so beautiful. And I did the Twists & Turns Shawl KAL. I like it alright, but not a fan of that one. I also did the Doodler Shawl. I've got other patterns of his that I want to knit. One is the Penguono sweater. I've seen that knit up in different colors and I'm really wanting to make that. He has made me think outside the box. Knitting isn't just knit and purls with Stephen. And the video's he does, he teaches you how to do the stitches and makes it so easy to follow. Amazing teacher, pattern maker, new stitch developer! I can't say enough for what he's done to make me a better knitter. He has also taught me that it's okay to make mistakes, and it's even okay to leave the mistake there. That change my way of thinking about knitting. I'm 70 years old and my Mother had one way of knitting and I had to follow that and that was it, no other way to do it. Stephen has changed that for me. And I thank him. You should give his patterns a try, even if it looks too colorful, you can make it all in neutrals. You can make it anyway you want, because Stephen says so! Thank you for exploring his work. He has so much to give to the knitting community.
I'm a crocheter who is beginning my knitting journey and I'm currently knitting the Boneyard Shawl as my first project! Mine is a deep purple color
I can’t count how many of Stephen’s designs I have knitted, they are wonderful, almost like painting by numbers. His patterns, despite looking complicated, are so do-able and a pleasure to knit. If you are concerned about the colours take a look at the projects which will give you great colour options.
I was introduced to Stephen west through Martyn Waite of knit365 UA-cam blog during his slipstravaganza make along...I did the twist and turns of 2022.. I'm halfway through his painted honeycomb shawl and have started his boneyard shawl with a fade palette...his infectious don't stress has pushed me through the twists and turns ....
Herbivore is one of the most wearable shawls I've ever knit. rests perfectly on the shoulders, no pin or tie needed.
Thanks for the cue. It’s seems lovely. ❤
SW tutorials teach me that mistakes r not a big concern. His colorwork seems to hide mistakes but also shows off his design. I always think his colors reflect his behavior/personality. 🥴 Thanks for sharing.
I am lucky enough to live just around the corner from Stephens shop (although my bank account may disagree with the "lucky" bit) which is just so full of wonderful colours. I've made two of his shawl designs so far, Suriously Holey (which taught me brioche) and Samen. Both are great if you like the shapes but would rather go with more muted tones, no need to go all neon and contrasting if you're not into that!
Oh man , you missed Garter Marler sweater.. I'm making one and it's a great stash buster, and so fun marling the colors! Similar to the blanket you featured, but wearable. His patterns are great and he has so many tutorials to help.
I love his stuff but the only one I've knitted is the boneyard shawl. Loved it, it was a gift for my sister. (I added a picot border because she's sassy, haha)
I’ve made two Stephen West patterns. His Exploration Station was my very first shawl and it took me WAY out of my comfort zone. Mine is super colorful, using hand dyed yarn from a local dyed to me that based the collection on her travels to Hawaii. It is one of my most cherished pieces that I receive compliments on every time I wear it. I learned so many new techniques making it and found his video tutorials life savers. I almost always wear mine with jeans and a tank or Tshirt, bunched up around my neck!
Stephen West...I feel like if you were looking at my brain scan and said his name, it would resemble a laser light show. I feel my heart beat faster and my pupils are probably dilated. His work ticks all my boxes. That said...me in my creative mind varies greatly from the me that is actually walking around in the world. I am generally a bland dresser and quite an inattentive knitter, so I would never survive the shawls that I admire most. And even if I could muster all my powers, I am not a shawl wearer, nor do I have shawl wearing friends. Luckily, prolific creator that he is, he does however have great sweater patterns. I recently made the Marled Mania Cardigan, and the Festival Lights Sweater pattern is in a project bag waiting it's turn. Both older patterns. I do love knitting socks when I get in the mood. So, I totally indulged in the monthly sock club (not called that, but that's what I am calling it...maybe it's a year of socks?). All his interesting techniques and vibrant colors in a doable form. Great Lakes winters are cold and I love being outside, and husband works outside, so these items are what I enjoy making and using. I can understand that if you live in an overall warmer climate you would have to be more selective about what you choose to make, so that items would be useful. The blankets are a great. That might have to go on my future make list. Thanks again for a great discussion, Tayler!
I like to look at West designs. Most are beyond my skill or too dramatic. I’m not dramatic 😊. However, I’ve wanted to learn to knit socks and he has a sock knit along in July. I’m tempted. ,
I'm going to do the sock KAL.
They can look intimidating to knit, but he often has video tutorials for the crucial steps! Which was such a relief when I did the slipstravaganza mkal 😅
Great Ramble, love this. I have a similar perspective, love Stephen’s designs and creativity, but I would not be able to pull off most of them. Another thing about Stephen, he is an amazing knitting teacher (I own most of his teaching videos). Thanks to him, I finally mastered M1L, M1R with his acrostic/visual connection memory technique. I want to put a shout out for his Dolinar Cowl (2011). Wow, I was a six month knitting newbie in 2021 and this caught my eye. Beautiful finished piece and it was so easy to follow. Thank you again for this Ramble and highlighting other great options.
I love this! You describe yourself as pretty neutral in your choices for colour in your wardrobe and classic in your design aesthetic and I agree(as if what I think matters)! But I look around your studio space, your discussion about the blanket you’d love for your couch and you are wrapped in colour and unique design! You have it all!! Great video. ❤️❤️❤️
Stephen west going across your screen made me laugh so hard. Also, the patterns you picked were gorgeous.
Have found a first glance most Steven West patterns don't appeal to me, but also think some of that may be that his taste in color pallet is different than mine. When looking at the projects in ravelry there are people who have made the pattern in colors that are much more to my taste. I'm also not a shawl wearer and so many of his patterns are shawls; and have thought about finding out if other people in my life are shawl wearers as there are many that look like they would be fun to make.
One of Steven Wests patterns that is in my favorites and am very tempted to make is his dustland sweater. I seem to be drawn more to his patterns that are more textural than colorful.
That entire series is gorgeous! Love the texture.
Love this video and absolutely a Stephen West fan. I participated in his mystery shawl last fall (Twist and Turns) It was so fun but I stressed myself out...lol. it turned out gorgeous and it is a work of art. He is just an amazing teacher and now I'm doing his sock club.....fun and not stressful. Thanks Taylor for more ideas!
I also did his MKAL last year. It was so fun and I learned so much! That center piece with the I-cord woven through was genius!
I'm planning on making the Painted Stripes & Boneyard shawls, as well as doing the Botanic shawl again as I wear it all the time. I do think a lot of his patterns are made to work for any color palette, and they give you the opportunity to mix bases, which is fun.
Meh. He is too over the top and overated for me.
I've made the Garter Squish blanket, Dotted Rays shawl, Vertices Unite shawl, and Penguono and am halfway through a Garter Marler cardigan. The Vertices Unite is one of my favorite makes - so much more wearable than I expected, and it is my go-to winter scarf.
Stephen West patterns will absolutely push you as a knitter, but in a good way. Just attempting some of them has raised my skill level, and his tutorial videos are excellent. Much love and respect to Stephen West.
Dotted Rays has been in my queue … since … ever! I also have Batad cowl kit (…somewhere…)
Dustland sweater, cardi, socks, Garter Marler cardi & pullover and Boneyard shawl patterns. Thanks for showcasing his patterns, I really, realllllly need to get these made up! His use of color + stitch patterns is truly amazing. I used to favorite/queue his patterns (on Ravelry) when they debuted. I don’t do that anymore, cuz ALLL of his patterns intrigue me. Without looking at his patterns, aside from the ones mentioned above, I KNOW I want to make at least a dozen. Wowza!
I hope you make a pattern or 2 or 5 of his… !!! I’m going to pull out that Batad kit right away. 😁
He seems like a really nice person, but I feel like many of his designs are like most high fashion designs, made to create controversy or shock for shock's sake, not wearable. I'm not interested in spending a lot of time and money making something for a collection. Those things maybe should be in some sort of knitting museum.
A knitting museum! How fun!
I've been in love with his Pierre shawl for some time now! I keep going back and forth with using one color or 4 colors in a monochromatic color way!! I may need to check out the two blankets that you show cased here!
This was SO helpful. I love Stephen West’s art but “not on my personal person.” I don’t know why I’ve never considered just going neutral. Duh! 😂
I totally live Stephen West's patterns and have knit several. Just do it, you'll love it.
I am on my third Boneyard Shawl. It calls for three skeins but I use seven. There is also a cowl call Dolinar which is a great pattern.
I completely agree. It’s hard to choose a pattern with so many bright colors. However, I fell in love with his Marled Magic Sweater & dress. But I am only knitting it in one solid color using a finger weight held with a mohair. Omg so gorgeous and squishy. I can’t wait to finish it.
I love the whole Dustland series. I have done the sweater and the hat, (and will do both again), and am working on the shawl.
Vertices unite is on my list to knit. It’s a gorgeous color blocked shawl and I love it in a nice desaturated color palette.
I made a Garter Squish for a friend who had a baby last year and apparently the intended recipient has yet to even touch it because all of her older kids fight over it. 😂
I made the painting rainbow shawl and his Pengueno jacket - love Stephen West!
Thank you for creating such a fun list. I made the Batad shawl a few years ago. Love it and wear it all the time. A wonderful versatile shawl you don’t have to worry about wrapping or tying and uses some great techniques. Looks great any way you throw it on.
I'm someone with a pretty colorful home but a fairly neutral wardrobe. SW's blankets are the absolute best. I'm working on the garter squish now. I do want to try to branch out more with a colorful shawl of his.
I am currently knitting the Painted Bricks sweater and I am in love!!! I am planning to wear it when I visit Stephen's yarn store next year!
I love his designs. I have knitted a few of his. Includind dotted rays, boneyard and the dustland mittens among others. He is a fantastic designer that gets you to want to knit for the fun of it!
I love Stephen West, and agree that some of his designs are a bit much for my style, but I get so much inspiration from looking at the projects and seeing toned down versions in more neutral shades. Also, his shawls just sit on my frame better than some other designers.
Someone might have mentioned already, but there are quite a few Dustland designs. I have a pair of Dustland legwarmers that I knit up years ago that were quick, engaging, and highly wearable. I had forgotten how nice a pair of legwarmers feel in the late fall, early winter.
I am working on a Boneyard as my first ever knitted shawl. It's really fun!!!
I actually knit the sports shorts and they give me a giggle when I wear them around the house. They weren't hard, and as a woman older and bigger than you, I say go for it and love them! They are fun to make and wear, I just wish they had pockets. I'm too lazy to figure that out for myself.
I have just started making his dog sweaters, they are so much fun and totally adaptable to any dog...you may want to consider one for your dog!?
great topic, I've always been tempted to the SW patterns but they are daunting and can be very $$, this podcast breaks it down nicely and makes it more approachable!!
I knit his 2022 mystery shawl. The name escapes me. It took me months to knit. It is a puece of art and truthfully wont wear often. But the techniques I learned skyrocketed my knitting. Im self taught do wow.
Oh and grammar police, seriously.
Loved the video!!!!
I’ve knitted his Boneyard Shawl, just wonderful. I’m like you in loving his designs, but a lot of the colours put me off. But, I have to say, those shorts … just no! 😂
Knitted shorts and pants remind me of babies in cloth diapers 😂
I used wool pants on my kids with cloth diapers because wool makes a really fantastic diaper cover. That’s actually why I learned to knit so I could make them some. But I can’t get behind the knitted shorts/pants thing. I’ll just sew mine, thank you.
Lol! So it’s funny because a friend mentioned that he knit the Sports shorts and the crotch completely felted in less than a week of casual, only around the house wear. Ugh. Yeah. I think I’m with you. Just no. 😂