Episode 8 Stephen West MKAL Clue 1 Review & Reveal, Felix Cardigan, So Faded Pullover

Happy Fall Y’all! In Episode 8, I’m reviewing and revealing Clue 1 of the Twists and Turns ‪@StephenWest‬ MKAL and I reveal my color choices for this mystery shawl.Also I talk about and show my progress on my‪@dreareneeknits‬ So Faded pullover.
#westknitsmkal2022
Show Notes:
You can find me on:
Ravelry: Bobbiknitsit
Instagram: @bobbi8590
Knitted Pumpkins
• How to Knit Pumpkins |...
Felix Cardigan
By Amy Christoffers of Savory Knitting
ravel.me/felix...
So Faded
By ‪@dreareneeknits‬
ravel.me/so-faded
Crochet Sunburst Granny Square
pin.it/7nrhusa
Crochet Continuous Join for Granny Squares
pin.it/6MfCLo0

[@rrene5431]

Beautiful flowers and yard. Always a pleasure to watch your podcast.

[@zena-knittingbeans7973]

The sunburst crochet granny’s are lovely. The autumnal colours are gorgeous 🎉

[@dianematchett5755]

I love the colours you have chosen for the MKAL. Someone referred to it as “death by cast on”. Unfortunately I am not able to do it at this time. Good luck!!

[@esnulu]

Your choice is amasing. 👏

[@sugarfolkhomemade]

I really enjoyed your episode! I love the colors you had in the so faded, unfortunate about the pooling though! Looking forward to seeing your mkal come to life 🥰

[@margarethastings3332]

A lovely podcast again Bobbi. Your garden is beautiful and so serene. I haven’t joined the MKAL this year, although I am still following with interest. I just have too many other things needing my attention that I want to finish and I knew it would take up all my time. I did it last year, and it was my first! I’m 72 and have been knitting since before I can even remember learning, but there is always so much still to learn. I couldn’t have managed it without his tutorials, he has such a great way of explaining things, and his catchphrase last year was “say yes, don’t stress”. His work is genius, and at the end you will have a piece of art. Your colours are beautiful. Shame about your So Faded. Like you, I just don’t like pooling. Some people love it, but I’m sure you will work something out. I’m loving that crochet blanket too. I’ve just started to teach myself crochet so that I can use up all my scraps in a cosy blanket. The starburst looks very pretty but may be beyond my capabilities! 🤩

[@maryjanemason7290]

I think your cardigan length looks just fine. It will be so much work to pull out all that twisted rib. All your color choice for the MKAL are wonderful. You couldn't have gone wrong with any combination. (:

[@theislandlamb]

Good morning Bobbi thanks for another great episode. I’m also working on the MKAL and haven’t finished clue 1. I’m am enjoying the process however like you I think it’s challenging enough that it may not be a reasonable time frame for the average person who has other projects or life responsibilities. That said we are the only ones who can put pressure on ourselves, so I’m just knitting on it in the morning while I watch a podcast. Thanks for sharing a little about where you live and your sweet knitted pumpkins. I just loaded my 4th episode where I feature my mom and her handknits.

[@kneedeepinstitchespodcast9942]

As of today I have 2 repeats left of clue 1. It has been a ton of knitting but I am loving every minute of it. I've stopped worrying about keeping up. I will finish when I finish. ❤️ I love the colors of yours.

[@OllieandMay]

Oh! Bobbi I’m loving your Twist & Turns so far, also love your yarn choices ❤

[@joypolk3093]

How beautiful your color choices! Much more like the color choices I would choose also. Mr. West is so creative and is such a good teacher in his videos. First time finding your videos, subscribed - from the desert of eastern Washington state.😄

[@knitterskniche]

Hello Joy! This is the first Stephen West MKAL I have done and I’m learning so much. Thank you for the lovely comment and for watching and subscribing! 😊❤️

[@margaretrodee3519]

It’s 1:30 am Friday night and I just finished clue #1! Wow! That was A LOT of knitting. I wasn’t able to cast on until Sunday! I’m soooooo happy with it! It turned out great! If I were choosing your pop I’d choose the peach one. I love your soft colors and wish I’d chosen colors with a softer contrast. I don’t want it to be too wild! I want it to be subtle and lovely. The whole reason I signed up for my very first MKAL was to learn. And I’m learning! Glad I found your podcast. Loved it. Happy knitting!

[@lisadevos1246]

I’m also behind in completing clue 1 of Stephen West shawl. At first, I was frantically trying to knit faster but then realized that stressing myself out was counterproductive and not fun. I now have 2-1/2 more repeats and am enjoying the process. Your colors are beautiful. I’m sure you’ll know which accent color to choose when the time comes.

[@annettefranklin158]

I love that combo and you can even add a brighter pink like lychees pink so many colors…I have to say I have enjoyed watching you so much you are so down to earth ..I can relate to you Can you help us I f we hit the wall😢. I have it the wall with the new group I joined. Your shawl is so beautiful ..glad to meet you . I feel like we’re working together

[@janet_Luv2_Knit]

Love your colors for the mkal. The design is very detailed so I like your choice of colors. Hope you manage to catch up.

[@annettefranklin158]

I Ike your new combo it should look great

[@karenburns1433]

I actually like the pooling effect ! I would definitely not rip it out. xxx

[@michellejensen4090]

Pop a plastic stitchmarker in between the last 2 cast-on stitches in your loops - it makes it far easier to pick up those stitches on the way back, and then you just remove the marker and keep it ready for next cast-on

[@lindaelder2898]

Try helical knitting to eliminate the pooling, also, use 2 balls of the yarn and knit two rows of each as you progress in your knitting. Hope that helps.

[@knitterskniche]

Hi Linda! I only have 1 skein of each color so I will divide each skein and try helical knitting. Thank you! 😀

[@leetlesnyder]

I don’t think your So Faded looks bad at all! I think it’s pretty! Because of you I started that sweater, but now I’M wondering if my yarns will work…they are not speckled, they are dyed (Mrs. Babs yummy 2-ply), not sure what you call it, but I sure hope it works. I could still change the yarn, as I’m not far along at all, but I’m trying to use what I have! Ugh, now not sure what to do. Also because of you, I signed up for the West MKAL, but it is way beyond my knitting skills! And too involved for me! I really love your channel and look forward to every episode!

[@nancymorgan5505]

Hi Bobbie, I suggest you look into”helical” knitting to prevent pooling. It’s easy and it works! Also to prevent your yarn from flying off the winder, try putting one of those thick rubber bands (like the kind you get on bunches of broccoli), around the pillar of your winder and wind a little slower. This helps to grip the yarn better. I’m liking your colors for your shawl. 😊

[@knitterskniche]

Thank you Nancy. I have done helical knitting before, however I only have 1 skein of each color. Do you think I could split the skein and alternate between the 2 halves? Thank you so much for watching and commenting! 😊

[@nancymorgan5505]

@@knitterskniche , yes you can split the one skein into two balls. Your welcome, I enjoy your podcast

[@knitterskniche]

I love the suggestion for putting the rubber band around the pillar of the winder. Very clever! Thank you for the lovely comments!

[@danadanabrown]

I wondered if you are near HSV. I lived there all my adult life and moved to NC in the last few years. Do you have a local yarn store? There was one on Regal, wondering if they are still open. I’m in clue 2 and yes, clue 1 was a lot! Good luck.

[@donnaterryhalleran2367]

I like it. Kind of looks like tie die.

[@debbiewidner8791]

So disappointing I know after putting all that time into knitting an item and it doesn’t come out like had hoped. I like shawls, neck warmers, cowls, things I can wear. Am a rather slow knitter. I think you get a lot accomplished in a short time! I have been eyeing the RANUNCULUS and Haven cardigan after seeing how pretty yours are!

[@jeanbeicher2420]

I know this is 4 days late but I definitely think you should include the rosewood pink. The three beiges is very bland. But with that said I have a much bolder personal color palette so what I enjoy most color wise is not the same as what anyone else might prefer.

[@knitterskniche]

You read my mind Jean. I think the peach stone might give the shawl an overall “muddy” look. 🤔 I’m almost ready to do the icord cast off, then on to clue 2. Thank you for watching and commenting! 😀❤️

[@Fishsticks773]

Switching to the backwards loop cast on helped a lot for me because I didn’t have to turn the work all the time. Didn’t see any difference in the loops either. Just make sure not to cast on too tight.

[@emmalambert5594]

I had just given up on my sw MKAL. I had knit my icord to tight made all the the next step; could not figure out how to count the cast on stitch’s. So I have ripped it out.

[@knitterskniche]

Hi Emma! It’s funny you mentioned ripping out your icord. This morning I was still in bed and I had to frog back 2 rows because I had messed up a center double decrease. My correcting mistakes seems to never end. If you haven’t watched Stephen West’s video tutorial for the Twists and Turns MKAL, I would suggest watching it.

[@elizabethclark2022]

Hi there. I know you feel that your So Faded is a fail, but it's not - it's the wool. I love the look of designer hand-dyed yarns in the skein, but it is SOOO difficult to know how they will knit up...until you are well into the project. I was knitting the Jennifer Steingass "Hinterland" pullover with a gorgeous hand-dyed wool in lovely greens/reds/pale yellows; it looked beautiful in the yoke as I used off-white as the colourwork colour - but when I was into the body of the sweater using only the variegated yarn, it pooled, and it was worse when I needed to add another skein even though they were the same dye lot. It was a lot of work, and yes, heartbreaking! It now sits in my knitting drawer. I love the pattern so will one of these days buy a commercially-made variegated yarn that won't pool. I love your new speckled yarn choices - I think they will work wonderfully for the project.

[@knitterskniche]

Hi Elizabeth. I know what you mean. I even swatched totally in the round and faded each color, of course it was a much smaller circumference, it did not pool in my swatch. 🤨 So, I will correct it because the pattern is fun and fast to knit. Thank you for your lovely comment and for watching!! Have a great weekend. 🙂❤️

[@elizabethclark2022]

@@knitterskniche 😃

[@EverydayKawaii3]

Hi🌈I like your Twist & Turns colors😊 I am showing my WIP also in Japan with a little bit written in English. I am going to subscribe here and would like to visit again🎉

[@jeanietownsend469]

The Clue 1 braids are Jacob's Ladder

[@knitterskniche]

Hi Jeanie! Thank you for letting me know what “technique” Stephen used. The braids are awesome, don’t you think? Thank you for watching and for the great comment! 😊❤️