Presenting Stephen West

Stephen West’s shawl designs and innovative use of color have helped him become an internationally recognized and respected designer. Stephen was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He studied dance at the University of Illinois, where he encountered his first local yarn store, Klose Knit in Urbana. The creative atmosphere of that local shop spurred Stephen to start designing patterns, and he was soon featured in Knitty’s fall 2009 issue with his Colonnade Shawl.

Not long after, he moved to Amsterdam, publishing more patterns and launching a series of pattern books under the name Westknits. He continues to produce pattern books and hosts several online knit-alongs each year. His simple, clean, architectural designs have now been knitted by thousands of knitters all around the world. Stephen has taught workshops throughout the United States and internationally in Finland, Denmark, Germany, Italy, France, Israel, Iceland, UK, and Amsterdam where he co-owns Stephen & Penelope, a yarn boutique in the city center. In 2019 Stephen and his business partner Malia Mae Joseph realized a long-held dream by launching their first yarn brand, West Wool.

Special Event:  Woolly World of Westknits

Sunday, April 6, 2025,  9:00 AM CDT / 14:00 UTC

Join Stephen as he welcomes you into his colorful woolly world of Westknits. In this 1 hour 15 minute presentation, Stephen will discuss how he chooses his color palettes and share secrets for how to make your palettes pop.

This live presentation hosted on Zoom will be a visual feast for the eyes while Stephen gives you an up-close look at many of his most popular design samples. He will discuss how to create successful color palettes for Marled knitting, Faded knitting, and graphic stripes and slip stitches. You will learn a few of Stephen’s color-changing tricks and color planning strategies to gain more confidence with your own knitting projects.

The presentation will conclude with 15 minutes of Q&A and prize giveaways from both Westknits and Stephen & Penelope. Get ready to be inspired!

Thank you to Stephen West for joining TKGA at Next Level Knitting Conference 2025!