Yet again a practical podcast that helps free knitters from the restrictions we put on ourselves. Not everyone can afford a whole project in hand dyed yarn but you demonstrate that you can have a skein of expensive yarn and team it with a more budget friendly product. Thank you.

My eyes have been opened! For almost 60 years of knitting, I’ve always “known” that you CAN’T mix yarn bases in a project and I get so frustrated when I can’t find the colors that I want. Thanks for showing that I CAN mix & match bases to get the look I’m dreaming of.

This is the first time I've ever been on your KZread channel (I saw your shawlography intro and then autoplayed to this) and I have to say that the way you discuss knitting with such vibrant and descriptive terms is incredible. I'm sitting here working on a project and realizing I could probably listen to you talk about knitting all day because you clearly have so much passion for fiber arts.

Love your “Say yes, don’t stress”! I need to do that more often.

"...say yes and don't stress!" love it. "Painting" with yarn is so much fun. I love color!! The yardages provided on all your patterns is much appreciated. Thank you for fostering creativity and for encouraging people to make the projects their own!! ~Stephanie

Stephen, thank you for helping we find my knitting mojo again by sharing your yarn love.

Stephen you are such a pleasure to listen to. I find that I collect “special” skeins and it’s hard for me to find a match or pairing. YOU made it possible to dive in with your encouragement. Thank you for sharing your time and talent. You are cherished. Keep sharing. I think I’m going to treat myself to one of your kits for Christmas. ❤️

@StephenWest

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching!

This was THE most helpful , THE most fantastic - just what I needed - video yet! I watch them all. I have a boatload of fingering weight yarns. I can’t thank you enough for the time, expertise and precious energy you devote to us as a whole! ❤️

@StephenWest

3 жыл бұрын

Aww thanks so much for watching my videos! There are more coming this year. :)

Just want to say your helping crocheters too. I prefer fingering weight projects & it can be hard to find. Mixing us something Ive always done. Love the drape of some of the yarns. Thank you from that dirty word "a crocheter"!!

Omg! Oh Stephen, you are a real color artist! A real artist period!

Qing Fiber Antique Rose yak and the Urban lux Susan Crawford Berry Picking I just can't say Thanks enough for such Lovely yarns patterns and Awesome Staff 💓

That’s invaluable information sincere thanks less nervous now in my choices 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

Thank you for explaining the difference in the yarn weights. It was very helpful information on how to make decisions about my yarn choices for my shawls. So, thanks again for sharing this information with us today.

@StephenWest

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching! I love talking about yarn! :)

These videos you are making are quite helpful. Thanks so much for your time.

@StephenWest

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I really appreciate it! I love making these videos.

Thank you for answering all the yarn questions that have been spinning around in my head. I’ll watch this another time or two.

I amso happy I watched this video. I recently bought a lot of fingerling and lace weight yarn at a very good price but due to an unfortunate circumstance. But the person who originally purchased it had some very beautiful hand died yarns and I have been searching utube for videos to give me the courage to use them. Once I get them all sorted and cataloged I will most certainly will revisit this video and possibly alot questions .

Thank you for encouraging us to be the Fiber ARTISTS we are :)

I love watching your videos. You always have such helpful tips for techniques and suggestions for colors. Thank you for making them!

Love adding Stellina with Dark Colors and Beading what a pop to plain yarn 💜

OMG I'm so in love with some of the colors you showed!!! Especially the burgundys browns & golds 💕 But you gave all the prices in euros, you're making me think!!! I have to convert all that to US dollars.. 😂🤣😂 "Yes, Don't stress"..that's gonna be my new motto!!

Thank you so much for your assistance in picking colors and weights of yarn

What a lovely video! I'm actually knitting a Botanic shawl using a combination of white Holst SuperSoft and a smorgasbord of mini skeins and leftovers I turned into a magic ball. It's so much fun watching how the colors come out and I agree, using a very plain yarn creates a backdrop for the others to shine. I would definitely recommend Holst, and another good choice for a solid yarn would be Knitting for Olive merino. They have a ton of gorgeous soft colors.

Everything you make is so pretty

@StephenWest

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!!

What a great video. I’m so glad you highlighted non-superwash yarns in addition to the superwash. Someday I want to try your yarn. It looks amazing.

@StephenWest

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! I love the woolly squish of non-superwash yarns!

This was such a help, a clear explanation at last. Thank you.

Yes yes yes...no stress...love that...and thank you for sharing your genius💖😍with us!!

Fantastic information and building confidence in using different yarns, thank you 😊

Thank you for now making me want to buy more yarn! ☺️🧶🥰

Exactly what I needed! Almost bought a pack of various weights today, but wasn’t sure if I could use them together. Thank you for this info. Your work is gorgeous! 🤩

What a treat and pleasure to watch! You are so passionate, thank you for great inspo!

Thank you, Stephen! You seem to know what I want to know!? Amazing 🤩! I want to try Holst Garn.

Thank you so much I’m really enjoying your videos and the helpful advice 💓

As always you are very informative. Thank you

Thank you for sharing your ideas of colors.👏🏼🌈💖

Thanks for lending us your artistic eye. I’ve got some mohair I’ve been afraid to incorporate. Now I’m determined to take your advice and say yes don’t stress.

@eastlynburkholder3559

3 жыл бұрын

Mohair adds strength and sheen.

This was so helpful. I love your shawls. So lovely.

This was really helpful, thank you!

Great video, I love hand-dyed fibers, they bring me joy as I knit, but I do have issues with pairing them, so this video is so helpful, and I will spend the evening purchasing more yarn no doubt!

Very informative, need to explore these awesome options!!!

Thank you. I have been applying thus to my handspun yarn

Bad Sheep Yarn is my go to. A very consistent dyers just beautiful color ways. I use them a lot when making your shawl patterns because the kits sel out so fast. One of these days

OK, now I have to make an Exploration Station. I originally didn’t think I liked it that much. But it has grown and grown on me. And now I need one.

Wow! I'm really inspired now 😊

Wow! Thank you so much. I have about 35 skeins of mohair ( mint green an mint blue green). I didn’t know what to do with it. I got them in few mystery boxes. Love ❤️ mystery boxes.

I'm so glad I found you!!!

Really nice shawl. Like a box of crayons looking at these colors. Love knitting and thanks for the very useful info on yarns. I've been on a sock knitting binge for two months. ❤️

Thank you for sharing. It helps a lot.🙏❤️

Thank you Stephen, this was most helpful.

Thanks again very helpful info 🌺🌸🌷

I'm a crochet gal. I'm so jealous of you knitters. I just find it so difficult. Your color combinations are amazing. Very inspiring.

Thanks so much, this session was so helpful and beautiful

Such a helpful video!! I always felt overwhelmed thinking about making one of the larger shawls because it would be on the expensive end. This gives me some calm because the potential that opens up when you can mix up the bases. Thank you Stephen!! This may give me courage for this year’s (I’m hoping!!) MKAL!!! ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Amazing! Thank you so much always!

Love that HOLT!

you are very gifted

Just some great tips here. Will come in handy for the MKAL2021 👍🏼🤗

Oh please stop, you're killing me here. I'm a beginner knitter and have very little nice yarn. Mine is mostly polyester, for crocheting. These colors, textures and shawls you knit make me feel like I'm starving for each and every item you are showing here. I'm not sure where to start.... wish me luck, lol!

@jirafstudio

3 жыл бұрын

I asked my knitting group to please give me their leftovers and got some AMAZING yarn! I gave each person a little handmade gift to thank them.

It’s always a treat to get a notification from your channel Stephen. Lot of very useful informations. I hope you will visit Italy some day. When you do you know where to find me :-)

Great information

Interessant 👍😁👋dank je wel!

Yummy sweater!

Also, I really like Spun Right Round for shawls, I'm knitting my Rockefeller with her yarn.

Wow! Just love all the color and yarn information ! I love the “Rockefeller shawl” could you show how to add more color to it and also some of the techniques used. Thank you 😊

Great video thank you

I love how you’ve fallen for Danish yarns in this episode! ❤️

Say yes, don't stress🤩 I love my Norwegian fibers in shawls, such as Rauma lamull or pelt wool as hillesvåg sølje for extra warmth. Because wool don't itch on me, einband or maybe the softest navia UNO.

Wish I had seen this before putting together the yarns for my latest shawl. I had 3 merino nylon and 1 merino nep that I wanted to put together but I was worried how the merino nep would act differently when washed all together. In the end I found another merino nylon that would fit in my shawl. One of my yarns is a nice high twist but it's going in anyway!

Well explained , thanks so much 👍🧶

Wouah encore mieux avec les sous titres en français merci 🙏 beaucoup

I always worry that the weights are not standard. I will try mixing on my next project and not obsess over it- thanks

Or a mini multi package Please Thanks Marianne 💕

Are you gonna allow other lys’s to sell west wool. We need some of that lushness in Brighton,U.K.

😊🌴🌺🦎💖 TY QUEENIE!!!! 🤘

When you choose a yarn do you determine the thickness of the fiber by the needles size recommended? I am using a cotton yarn recommended for 4 size needles for the honeycomb shawl and I noticed it is too heavy. I will finish it anyways using that yarn but I guess it will look more as a blanket than a shawl. I will use your suggestions here for the next one. Thanks. I had not knitted for more than 30 years and after watching your creations I am already in the second item now.

Little yarn dates? :_(. Cute

Great help and explanation! Thanks a lot. Can I safely apply this mix and match system for sweaters/ cardigans etc? Here gauge is much more important for a good fit than in knitting a shawl.

Excellent video, thanks a mil for this. My budget doesn’t extend to hand dyed yarn yet so I appreciate the more “budget” options! I’m looking to use holst garn to make your Chevron Shenanigans in the large size, do I need to hold that particular yarn double to get the right gauge? I’m looking at 5 colours but not sure whether to double up on each colour or whether to just buy a single ball of the colours that are used in a smaller amount. Thanks for your videos, really appreciate them!

@StephenWest

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Holst Garn is incredible. They have so many colors to choose from and you will also love their base called COAST. It's a wool/cotton blend and the yardage is VERY generous, so you can make amazing colorful shawls that are really soft and harmonious with this base.

@StephenWest

3 жыл бұрын

You can hold one strand of Holst Garn for the Chevron Shenanigans. You don't need to hold two strands together for that shawl.

@TheKotchykus

3 жыл бұрын

@@StephenWest brilliant, thanks for replying! I think I’ll be going with the Coast, that fibre combo sounds dreamy!

Thank you for showing how to substitute fingering weight yarns. I have alot of Scheepjes Stone Washed and Riverwashed yarns that are sport weight. How can I subsitute them in your patterns? I have a boatload of colors in them along with all of my speckled fingering weight skeins.

Hello Steven, thank you for this video, very clear! I love Holstgarn too, made your Painting Bricks with it as my first Steven West shawl💜 Now I have a question about another type of yarn: I am Dutch, but as I live in the south of Spain I don’t need so much garments in wool to keep me warm. I made some garments in bamboo and cotton in fingering weight, I love that yarn type too, but would this yarn be suitable to use for your shawls? Or like Brioche knit with bamboo or a blend of bamboo and cotton?would that work as these yarns are not so “crispy”? Never tried Brioche before because of that. Thank you for your advice 💕💜

I tend to not mix yarn bases in my projects. I dunno why. I think I'm afraid it won't fit. I did it a few times, but not too often. I like seeing you play with yarn. It makes me wanna try things. Tell me, have you tried mixing superwash with non superwash in a shawl? Not double stranded but I mean... let's say with stripes or color blocks. 1 superwash stripe/block, 1 untreated, and so on.

Thanks for your informative video it is great fun and inspiring. I have 100grms/800metres of Pima cotton lace weight yarn which I really want to use. Which yarns would you use to combine with it to make a fingering weight yarn suitable for a shawl please.

I love your positive attitude and creativity❤️. Unfortunately, I am allergic/sensitive to wool. Do you have a yarn recommendations for those who are unable to use wool?

@StephenWest

2 ай бұрын

Alpaca is a great option for people who are sensitive to wool, but if all animal fibers irritate your skin, you may want to try cotton, bamboo, silk, linen, or acrylic

I am about to start the aurora cabin shawl, and i would like to incorporate a Silk lace yarn as the 5th yarn among 4 other fingering wool yarns...with I still get a beautiful result with the different gauge ?

Hi Stephen. Love your channel! One question - I think when you are substituting the lace-weight mohair that you are NOT doubling up on it, correct? I know some patterns/designers recommend to double the lace weight yarn but I don't believe you are doing that here.

Just wondering about shrinkage on mixing SW and non Sw

@StephenWest

3 жыл бұрын

I wet block all of my shawls so that they don't felt. Drapey yarns like alpaca and silk will affect the overall fabric the most by making it a bit more drapey and flowy.

@sherrikent6628

3 жыл бұрын

@@StephenWest thanks so much!

are any of these yarns machine washable? I'm so tempted by their beauty but I don't dare to because I'm too clumsy.

@lonnie4827

3 жыл бұрын

Superwash? Yes. Non-superwash? Do so at your own risk. It will likely felt. That's whay he means by it has texture and will bloom in the knit. Definitely dont wash any of them on hot. Warm is the hottest I would go for a superwash yarn.

Does West yarns come in minis?

One of my all time favourite go-to yarns for shawls is SBY Fibre Mercantile (@shirleybrianyarn on Instagram) - she has tons of gorgeous tonal, gradient, and variegated colourways and is a wonderful person too 😊

You’re really an artist. I enjoyed watching, very entertaining and Thanks again🌷Merry Christmas 🎄