It took me until clue 4 to finish clue 1. I watched each video as they came out and I knew what each one looked like. After I saw clue 4, I decided to completely frog the project. I’m not a fan of stripes and it was just so stripey. I was so surprised at the joy that I felt with my decision to let this project go! I adore my yarn and I decided I’m using it along with a few others to make Stephens new Aurora cabin Shawl.
I decided it didnt bring me joy when I was almost ready with clue 1 in week one. Then parked just in case Stephen brought a whole new perspective. So happy I parked it and then canceled it. There are beautiful ones out in the world. It will not happen with my palette. You do you! Deciding to stop brought me joy in this case. Power to us!
@@jo-annefalconer6280 I finished only clue 1 but do love it. Just haven't had the heart to frog it yet because it is so unique. I am still figuring out what to do with it. I like your idea of a wall art. Very clever!
Thank you for posting these videos - Stephen West Shawls are not my personal aesthetic so I have never thought it was worth it to knit one. They are so beautiful and I admire them for that (nice work Natalie! Looks so good!)
I have found I get all of the joy and excitement I need out of the "surprise" of the MKAL by stalking the clues on Instagram, without actually making the shawl - which does not usually go with my personal style. Win win! I love how your colors went together and the fun twist of the tassels!
I made my sh shawl and made several changes. I didn't do the clue 3 at all. I may go back and add I cords but probably not. I added 2 other colors and finished the wings by doing the stripes all the way down. I did a couple of chevrons at the middle bottom and added buttons to the loops. I really like the way it turned out. I thought about tassels but I had no main color left so that was out. Loved the experience but not sure about doing it again. I like knowing what the project is going to look like finished so I can make a better choice in colors. Yours looks great! Thanks for videoing your journey.
OMG I laughed so many times during this video. Between Kents feet flipping around on the couch in the background, to your literal jaw drop during one the clues, to your (little bit of a whine) about not wanting to do the next clue repeat 22 times....I'm not doing this MKAL but I'm enjoying it vicariously through you!! 🤣
Your shawl came out beautifu!! It’s huge! I admit I didn’t like the shawl originally but when I saw other peoples shawls and their color combo I became a fan.
Yay! Someone I watch finished the Twists & Turns MKAL 😃 I love the way you finished it up, the tassels were a great idea and really added that special touch (without a tonne more knitting or further purchases!) Thank you for taking us all on this journey with you 😍
I actually avoided watching this video so i could get surprised by the finished shawl 😂 this was definitely a marathon knit! I only just finished the shawl on Boxing Day! (26th December). I enjoyed it but i did feel sometimes it was a bit of a chore to knit it…but i was determined to finish it…i don’t know how some people can finish this on time! Clue one alone was a LOT of knitting!
I love the graphic nature of the shawl. I feel committed to finishing and I love the color play of my 3 yarns in this design. I, too, asked my husband if he liked the "bib" portion of the center part. Mine said he liked it. I may shorten it as well and hang crochet balls off the loops.
Ahaha. Love the colors. This was my first MKAL it took me a year, I couldnt make so much time in one night. I really thought this isn´t even possible to get done in time. I gave mine to my mother in law. She loves it.
As of Nov. 12, I am still on clue 2. I gave up the need to follow only the written instructions very quickly. I enjoyed the excitement of each new clue and watched each video as I worked on clue 1. I decided to just enjoy the process because this is my first Westknits MKAL. I love this lesson in patience and determination as much as I love the new things. I'll get it done in my time because I have a full time job where I can't knit. I'll get there. I think it's beautiful. I enjoyed your series.
I love this series of vlogs and showing the process of the MKAL. I am surprised you said you had fun knitting this...bc it looked soooo stressfull. The timing and trying to figure out how much knitting time you needed gave me anxiety. You said it though...knitting should be fun. I do love your modifications to the bind off section....so cute! TY for always being genuine and honest with your knittting.
Yours is the only SW shawl I’ve seen. Getting Beetlejuice AND Harry Styles vibes. I’m all for it! Especially since I will never ever ever (ever) make one!
I had got nowhere near finishing clue one by the end of October, but the absolute killer was clue 3, the fewest number of stitches, the long contrast colour strips, which I started, restarted, ripped out and continue ad infinitum .... all the month of December! Clue 4 was a veritable gift in comparison, and only took me ALL of January! Finished at last, though! Good to watch your progress but so glad I didn't watch while I was struggling! :-) However your shawl is a triumph! Gorgeous, and accomplished!!
Another thing about seeing the clue before having to work on it is your brain has time to process it without the pressure and stress of trying to work on it right away.
I love the optional i-cord embellishment you chose to do! Also, I may decide to keep track of my knitting time on large projects, so when people ask me how long things take I will have an answer for them! You have done a great job on the shawl!!
Didn't knit the shawl, but enjoyed watching your journey. I've done a mystery shawl KAL, finished it, but never wear it. But I enjoyed the making and the mystery of it.
I havent been making this project. I tuned in late. But im interested in what all of you are doing and saying. I will join in the next one. I love the shawl. Ive enjoyed following along. Love your great advice at the end. You should always enjoy what youre knitting.
Natalie, I’m with you at the end. Satisfied that I completed the challenge but really unsure about next year. Four full weeks devoted to only this with the outcome ok, probably not worth a second go round. I too enjoyed the process, although not certain aspects of the knitting. I’m satisfied with how I finished part 10, but overall I think the Chevron finish was underwhelming, although I don’t really know what other option he had. For sure if someone said lets knit a chevron shawl I would say no. The excitement in the end is knowing I can complete such a challenge and the opportunity to get back to all the other knitting at a much more relaxed pace. Enjoyed following you through this whole process. Thank you. Jonna
Dank je wel voor deze opname Ik heb ervan genoten. Ik hoef het mij niet kwalijk te nemen dat ik niet klaar ben met de sjaal. 95 uur breien en een baan met nachtdiensten en late diensten. Ik heb nog 21 uur te gaan
That was such an enjoyable 2 part series for me! I just finished Clue 2 (my very first cables!) and I was feeling very down about it. Now you encouraged me to think about a different way to end this shawl so I will love it and wear it. Thanks for sharing you struggles and joys over making the creation. Your shawl is beautiful and I hope you will wear it and enjoy all those stripes and tassels! 👏👏👏
Ok. I fell way behind on Clue 1 so then I just stopped until I could see the whole thing and decide if I really wanted to invest the time to finish. Honestly since the last clue came out I have been planning to frog mine and repurpose the yarn. But I think seeing yours with the tassels has changed my mind! I think they look fabulous! It totally changes the look of the shawl to me and makes it into something really fun that I think I will actually enjoy.
Hi I thoroughly enjoyed your vlogs on this year’s Stephen West shawl. I have just finished Clue 2 and I am enjoying it, but there is a lot of knitting in it. I loved watching your journey and thoughts on the shawl. Your shawl is very sweet and the tassels finish it beautifully. 🎉❤🧶
I am making your large float tote. Completed the mini and will do the yarn huggies. With the yarn huggies it is. great use for scraps or acrylic yarns that I had. But now after watching your channel and Kim and Jonna (who mentioned you on their channel )for several months I am enjoying shopping for special yarns and knowing what they are for. A new skill is using mohair with another yarn to add to the project. I am a newbie but keep them video’s coming.
Thank you for posting this video. I liked seeing the process involved in knitting the shawl. I also learned that Steven’s MKALs are not my personal aesthetic. They are a little to avant-garde for me. I am considering knitting one of his other shawls that matches my design aesthetic during the MKAL next year.
I love being part of your knitting journey by watching your videos. You are so talented and creative! I also appreciate that you talk about your ups and downs during such huge projects. It makes you even more authentic and reliable. Your shawl is awesome and you have made it your own "twists, turns & tassels". 😊
Mine ended with me frogging because I decided I didn’t like the looks of the finished shawl so I stopped after clue 1 and am switching to another of his shawl patterns. This was a difficult choice but then I thought, why knit something I don’t like! Yours turned out beautiful btw. My colors just didn’t work for me.
This was so fun to watch and you guys did such a great job at putting these two blogs together 😊 I love the way your shawl turned out and it most definitely helped me get my mkal mojo back. I am STILL on clue one 😢 but really trying not to beat myself up about it. I took a week off for vacation and about another week after I got back, but I’ve picked it up again and I’m just going to keep trudging along. After clue 3 came out and I saw how it was looking I did think about giving up, but now that I’ve seen so many finished shawls I do love the way they’ve turned out! I guess it’s important to just trust the process 😂
I enjoyed the mkal, although I was with you on the anticlimactic feeling at the end. Having said that, I didn't actually knit it! I joined in a couple years, but I have found I enjoy it so much more to watch several people's vlogs of making rather than making it myself. I still get the surprise element without the stress of trying to knit a lot fast. Thank you for making this video! Your shawl is beautiful ❤️
I have done a couple of the past MKAL but I found I was putting way too much pressure and expectation on myself, which was bad for my mental health, so I made the decision to follow other peoples journeys with their shawls instead and then I could purchase the pattern at a later date and knit it as a treat rather than put pressure on myself to knit knit knit and forget the joy of making a beautiful shawl.
You are amazing…just watching the process of making the difficult shawl, exhausted me. You are very wise, persistent, and dedicated …wonderful qualities… 🌟✨ Also having a partner that supports and encourages you is glorious! Thank you for sharing. 🎉🧡
I crochet and will someday learn to knit. Maybe one day I can do a Steven West mcal. But I enjoyed watching these videos. The crochet world needs a Steven West!! Lol!!
Thanks for sharing your project from start to finish. I love your final shawl. I am glad I chose not to participate this year but really enjoyed your honesty throughout. Enjoy your future knitting without deadlines 😊
It was so enjoyable to watch your MKAL journey! I decided after clue 1 to frog 🐸 mine. I wasn't enjoying the process (or my yarn choices). Knitting is so joyful to me and I didn't want to waste time doing something that didn't bring me joy!!! It's huge personal growth for me!!!
It’s so beautiful, Natalie! I loved mine and am keeping it. Only my second time participating. I gave away last year’s shawl too. Thank you for sharing as always! ❤ -lajoyagirl
I love how you finished it. I finished clue 1 and it's hanging on the wall as art while I contemplate what I want to do next. Need to dye a tonal pop colour first. Planning the early bind off with thoughts of another section along the bottom for more length and to connect it or look more cohesive. Or adding buttons so the loops can connect to them to keep it secure when I wear it.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I have purchased every MKAL pattern for the past 3 years but haven’t actually knit them yet. I like to follow along to see the experience of others and the surprise of it all. I always seem to have a sweater that needs completing or a gift knit on my needles to complete before casting on. One day I’ll knit the patterns when they come to the top of my queue.
I love your tassels Natalie. A beautiful shawl. I loved the mkal this year. I haven’t taken mine off since I finished it! I didn’t like the finished shawlography but loved the process so I was in 2 minds about knitting this years but I’m so glad I did.
I purchased a beautiful S&P kit with full intention of doing this MKAL! But I wanted to finish a commissioned baby knit and I just wasn’t ready for the 1st clue. I loved Shawlography but never wore the shawl. So I decided to just watch this years shenanigans instead… and I’m not sorry. Will I do another SW MKAL? Probably. But now I have some beautiful yarn to do another SW pattern that I will know the turnout! Love yours, btw❤
Your MKAL looks awesome!... I appreciate you sharing not only your knitting journey but mental journey with this beautiful shawl project. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to this KAL but I felt like I needed to try something different and get out of my knitting comfort zone. I loved the social knitting community participation (fun). I'm embracing the fact that I could not keep up 😂I'm still on clue 1. This is a lot of knitting and clue 1 is not that portable😄. I'm going to finish hopefully by the end of December. Fingers crossed
I love the tassel idea! I’m on clue 2 right now, totally underestimated the time commitment that this was but now that I’m seeing the end results I’m realizing I’m likely not going to wear this 😅 I enjoyed learning new techniques but there’s so much left to go and Im tempted to take back the yarn and make some nice hats with them instead.
Your shawl is stunning Natalie!!! This is my very first MKAL with Stephen and I loved doing it!! Will definitely do it again as watching the community interact together, learning new things, and the mystery were awesome!!
Yes Girl, That's the way to do it. I've been embracing the pace. I've watched all of the videos as soon as they dropped, I didn't feel like anything was spoiled in fact it made it more fun. Yours is turning out beautiful!! Also, Part 1 was so fun to watch and now Part 2. Keep up the good work. I thoroughly enjoy your podcast. Mandy
I love your finishing embellishments to the Stephen West KAL 2022 shawl. I wish that it was wider in the middle to balance That humongous length. I think i would loop a icord through the fat puff top of each tassel. The fat tassels look great. I also would have added some black of charcoal gray instead of every color being a middle tone. But hey its not mine. Its yours. And all projects have the option of being changed over time, as you change. Please do the fatter icords to rejoin the tassels. They will look professional not sloppy which imo they do now. All that 100 hrs - the tassels are worth it! And then wear it girl. Its so artistic and trendy. And all you!
I enjoyed watching the clues as they came out, but I don't think I could ever do one of these MKALs. There is just too much knitting to do. I don't have 34 hours in a week where I am free to knit! Lol... Congratulations on finishing the shawl :) Your version looks really good.
It’s so fun to watch these MKAL videos! His designs aren’t for me so I know I wouldn’t enjoy the finished product, but I like the idea of knitting one project along with many others!
PS: Your color combination is stunning. I’d be hunting for a gray sweater dress to wear with it. Props to spouses of knitters who willingly discuss projects. They rock.
It is so enjoyable to just watch each clue as they come in, whether I’m finished the current clue or not. It’s still a mystery and still a surprise and gives you encouragement to keep going. I did the whole of clue 4 as I really liked how it sits down the front for extra depth although it looks weird off. Yours looks lovely with the tassels!
Can you show how you corrected that row you missed? My mind is literally blown how you weaved the needle in and then pulled the stitches!! This trick would save me so much headache 😂
Hi Natalie, your shawl came out beautiful. I loved what you said at the end of the video. I am still on clue 1 and am not putting a timeline on it. I just do a little bit at a time so I don’t get overwhelmed with it. This way, when I pick it up, I enjoy it once again.
I am working on clue 4, section 10 while watching your video. I am also planning to do the early bind off. I just prefer the way it works over the additional Chevron rows. The tassels you made are super cute! I love your color combos as well! This was my first Stephen West mkal, and I feel like mine is just so-so. I’ve seen other shawls that I would wear more readily, and the color contrast isn’t so strong. More of a neutral shade with slightly different tones and a more muted pop of color. If I do another mkal, I will keep that type of color way in mind for my personal preference of what I could see myself wearing. I hate putting so much time into something and not ever use it. It is amazing the amount of hours that go into this one project!
I work long hours and don't have a lot of time to devote to knitting so I am still on section 1 on the 6th repeat. I might finish by summer at this pace. 🤷♀
Wow. Your shawl is one of the best I have seen. Love the colours and the tassels really set it off. I am still on clue one (which I like the look of) but I have so many more projects I live more so not sure if I will continue.
I have so enjoyed following your progress on this KAL. It came out beautifully! I started last year's shawl, Shawlography, but once I fell behind, I found it very hard to stay motivated. I got through clue 2 and then set it aside. I look forward to following your next project!
@@KnittyNatty I will probably frog that one! But you've motivated me to stay focused on my current shawl, Andrea Mowry's Feel Good (or the brioche sampler). I've made it to the final section, 2-color double brioche.
I will do the early exit too and I will follow your lead in binding off with my accent color. I think next year I will buy the pattern, get the surprise of every clues at the same time than everybody else… but start the shawl after all the clues are released. I found that this year I would have picked different colors If I knew what the shawl looked like. This is in my opinion way too much knitting to not be 100% happy with the color placement in the shawl. I really liked your two part recap of the MKAL… we all went through the same roller coaster of emotions in the past few weeks!
I love all of your videos!!! This one, along with part one, are hilarious. The way you reacted to the clues made me chuckle!!! The shawl is very pretty and it makes me want to try one! I’m currently knitting the slipstravaganza blanket from Stephen West and I’m getting nervous 😬 it’s about to get difficult. Anyway, you inspire me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things!! ♥️♥️
I finished the MKAL and like my shawl. I think I would have loved it if I had chosen different colors. This was my first Stephen West MKAL. It was a ton of knitting and I was so ready to finish it by clue 4. But I'll definitely do it again next year!
I really enjoyed watching your journey with this shawl! I’m still on clue 2 and trying to stay motivated! By the way toaster seems to really like your shawl! You might have to share it with him! It came out beautiful and the tassels were a very creative idea!
I am still partway through clue one (up to repeat 5) and although it is driving me mad making this section, I have stuck with it because I loved the end look. As each clue came out, I have sat and watched the videos - I don't mind knowing what lies ahead (I actually prefer it!) and I could understand chatting with other knitters what they were on about if it was discussed. However...as clue 2/3/4 were released I'm not sure I like all of these clues put together as a whole. I feel like I have learned an expensive lesson (the yarn was over £100), but I am now looking at other patterns that I could use my colours in instead. The project is yet to be frogged; but I have a feeling its days are numbered!
Toaster is such a good beautiful model 😂 I don’t have that much time for knitting daily. It would probably take me a year to make a West shawl. I would rather do smaller projects.
Good job for finishing and getting something you like. Personally I don’t like Steven aesthetic and never knit his shalls. That being said I think adding a tassel to each end would finish yours off nicely.
This was such a fun vlog to watch. Your shawl is awesome! I’m definitely doing the early exit, and now I may just consider some tassels too! But right now, I’m still on clue 2….😊
Loving the shawl!! I’m on section 9 and now that the MKAL is over, time to focus on Xmas knits until Thanksgiving at latest. It’ll get touched regularly until it’s done at this point 😅😅
