Go West Young Man–that is, Designer Stephen West
Boneyard Shawl/Scarf
I just finished the Boneyard Shawl, by Stephen West, as a triangular scarf for me. I made it out of Debbie Bliss Pure Silk, and took Stephen’s recommendation of using a needle larger than recommended so that the scarf would have nice drape. I love this scarf! I didn’t even block it before starting to wear it, since the weather has turned quite chilly here for the Northern CA coast. It’s a free pattern, and easy to knit.
I met Stephen at a retreat organized by me and Cat Bordhi for men interested in self-publishing knitting books. As you can see, between the sessions with Cat in the morning teaching us all about self-publishing, and the individual participants presenting their project ideas, we had some time for relaxation at the beautiful lodge at Lakedale Resort. Here’s Stephen on the deck, working on a design.
Stephen West
Herbivore
I have been following Stephen on Ravelry for some time, and am so impressed with his work. His shawls/scarves look great worn in the popular fashion for men, with the point hanging in front with the tails wrapped around the back of the neck to drape in front. As you know by now, I like men’s designs that have a simplicity that sparks interest in the way that it plays with structure and color. Stephen’s designs do this so well. Take a peek at Herbivore, a really popular design by Stephen due to its unique structure. Then there is Daybreak, which Stephen describes as “… a semicircular shawl, featuring clear graphic stripes that echo a rising sun.” The three sections allow for all sorts of color play to get a variety of effects.
Windschief Hat
Windschief Hat and Neck Warmer
My next project to knit is Windschief, a hat and neck warmer pattern that is very attactive. I saw this hat knitted up, and immediately wanted one. The lines spiral around the head, creating an amazing look. The cool thing about the pattern is that it gives directions for both accessories, the hat and neck warmer, so you can make either or both to match!
Stephen has been designing at an amazing pace, as can be seen in his patterns available on his website and on Ravelry, Westknits. His first collection has just come out, Westknits Book One. All indications are that we can expect a lot more from this rising male knitting star!
And by the way, as you can see below, Stephen has a great sense of humor!
Herbivore Attack!
