Dear Mr. West & fellow knitters, You don’t know me. I’m just a peon in the knitting world. I’ve only been knitting for <strong>10</strong> years or so, have a silly little podcast with my sister, and a great group of knitting friends found in the strangest of circumstances. I was woefully unaware of who you were until recent years. I am forever behind on trends, as easily judged by the simple style of jeans and concert band t-shirts I’ve been rocking for roughly 30 years. However, I have a lovely group of knitting friends who absolutely LOVE your work. So, due to their constant pressure encouragement, I can now say, I have a love/hate relationship with your work. Dear Sir, do not consider this remotely a judgment of your amazing, lovely, fun personality. You are an absolute breath of fresh air, and your tutorial videos are amazing. I am forever using your piece of advice to “make it work” if you find yourself with an extra stitch or two. Thanks to you I can now do an i- cord cast on, and a few other tricks! But kind sir, I have a question. Why. Are. There. So. Many. Holes? I said it. I did. I have tried about four of your patterns (which I know is a drop in the bucket of your work, people do not come for me!) I notice a trend of quite large lacework holes in parts of the patterns. Large enough for your finger to poke through, or if you have such proclivities, a nipple slip! I do understand lacework has its place. I love me a good yarnover pattern for a small hole. But some of these holes are a tad excessive. A small child’s hand could fit through some of these. Some are so large they might be a portal to another dimension. How do you wear these without ripping your work? I presume others possess some form of grace that I do not, because I have visions of walking through a room in a rush, catching my shawl on a doorknob and as I’m slowly strangled to death, in my dying breath, I screech “Curse you Stephen West and your holes!” *end scene* Mr. West, I can honestly say that is my one and only complaint thus far about your patterns. Now, I know some folks are turned off by the vibrant and sometimes clashing colors you may use. That’s a “them” problem, not a “you” problem, because if you as a knitter do not know that you can CHOOSE YOUR OWN COLORS, well, then you have bigger fish to fry. So, I can honestly say, “Thank you Mr. West.” Thanks to my friends relentless badgering, daring, and spiteful pressure encouragement, I now actually do enjoy your patterns. I’ve learned to ignore color choices, perhaps even only choosing 1-2 colors when you may have 73. I’ve learned that your holes are easily ignored and modified, and the result will still be gorgeous. I’ve learned that when you have 3,920 stitches on a <strong>final</strong> row, you better use stitch markers. I’ve also learned to use small stitch markers so that they don’t move around by said yarnovers that make said holes, lest you have holes that don’t line up with other holes, and now you’re even more mad about holes. I’ve learned that while many folks LOVE a good mystery KAL, I do not. I will patiently wait until you make multiple versions of your crazy but amazing idea so I can see how everyone else did it, and then, as you suggest, make it work for me. Almost every knitter knows who you are, even those who live under a rock like me. And one thing I think everyone should learn from you is not to be afraid. Don’t be afraid to try new things, change up plans, modify, adjust, choose a different path, and forge your own path. You won’t make everyone happy; you aren’t tacos and a margarita. So, while I will indeed continue to whine, complain, and argue with my friends about your designs, I will still try them. I will keep knitting, and I will make it work. Maybe just maybe, if we all had a little more Stephen West in us, life would be a little more fun. ©Yo-Yo Thanks for the designs, sir! Even the holey ones. ~~Little Sis 28
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