Many people put down their knitting needles for the Summer in the belief that knitting is for Winter, or at least for times when the weather is on the cooler side. I agree to the extent that no-one wants to hold a large wooly project in their hand and lap when the temperature starts to rise, not that we’ve had many warm days in the UK so far. However, there is no need to give up on knitting at all – I know I’d get withdrawal symptoms which are not pretty. The trick is to pick projects which are small and to put away the aran weight wool!
It would be stating the obvious to say cottons, linens, silk and bamboo are the yarn to knit with in the warmer months. But also consider Tencel and similar man-made materials which are now being introduced for use by crafters, which draw sweat and heat away from the body.
Projects shouldn’t be too large – knitting blankets/throws or that jumper for your man are genuinely best saved for the Autumn. Try anything for children, including toys, lots and lots of accessories like bags, hair wraps, shrugs and jewellery, Summer tops and anything small for the house like curtain tie-backs, cushions, over-the-door tidy or anything similar that takes your fancy.
Most importantly, pick a light and airy pattern to make the knitting just fly off your needles without over-taxing your, hopefully, over-heated mind. I love anything lacy, meshed or the old favourite, drop-stitch. Here are some examples of these three.
Norwegian Fir Lace
I love the contrast of Norwegian firs which I associate with Christmas, in a lacy Summer pattern. And the purls make this lace very tactile and interesting.
Multiple of 12 stitches plus 1
Row 1 (RS) P1, *p2, k5, p4 repeat from * to end.
Row 2 and every following WS row Purl.
Row 3 P2tog, *p2, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p2, p3tog repeat from * to end ending with p2tog.
Row 5 P2tog, *p1, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, p1, p3tog repeat from * to end ending with p2tog.
Row 7 P2tog, *k2, yo, k5, yo, k2, p3tog repeat from * to end ending with p2tog.
Row 8 Purl
Mesh
This pattern is very versatile for Summer wear – include it in tops either all over for beach-wear (if you’re daring) or in strips to show flirty skintone at the sides, back, near the neck and/or on the arms.
Drop Stitch
There are very many different ways of knitting drop-stitch patterns. This is just one, and I’ve used this as it produces a rather nice wavy drop stitch which is less revealing than a straight drop stitch. By this stage, I’m afraid I was running out of yarn (!) so apologies for the rather small sample, but I think you can see the gist of the pattern quite clearly.
Even number multiple.
Preparation row (RS) *P2, k1, yo, k1, p2, k2; rep from *, end p2.
Rows 1, 3 and 5 (WS) *K2, p2, k2, p3; rep from *, end k2.
Rows 2 and 4 *P2, k3, p2, k2; rep from *, end p2.
Row 6 *P2, k1, drop next st off needle and unravel to the yo 6 rows below, k1, p2, k1, yo, k1; rep from *, end p2.
Rows 7, 9 and 11 *K2, p3, k2, p2; rep from *, end k2.
Rows 8 and 10 *P2, k2, p2, k3; rep from *, end p2.
Row 12 *P2, k1, yo, k1, p2, k1, drop next st off needle and unravel 6 rows down, k1; rep from *, end p2.
Of course, any form of ribbing also works really well to help you look on-trend but cool in the Summer.
Enjoy!
Monster Yarns 
Yes, I very much agree – nothing better than gentle summer knitting in the garden too. Love the Norwegian lace pattern. Hope to see you tonight at Pensieri. Kay
Thanks! I like that one too and found it difficult to stop knitting….
I’ll be there for sure. In bringing some yarn to use for Bedyarn 😀
Connected by Motorola
Thank you!
I like to knit all year round. In the winter I do those bigger heavy lap covering projects, in the summer I enjoy knitting lace but all year round I knit socks.
I’m still a sock “virgin”. Perhaps when we’re on holiday….
I am the worst for starting new projects when I haven’t finished the previous one! I am crocheting squares for the Macmillan blanket that me and some friends are working on. The new-est project was a bag of knitted squares that I was given as part of the Macmilan blanket however they are too small to be used so I’m working on finishing into a blanket of it’s own right. Currently I’m learning how to knit diagonally (it’s not really diagonally but you have to increase on each row so that you end with a triangle shape then decrease to form it into square) I think it’s easier said than done – especially on yesterday’s square where i was getting muddled and ended up increasing lots on one side but not enough on the other side and my corners weren’t in the same place so it was wonky!
Count the stitches every other row to catch mistakes early. Bring it along on Thursday!
That norwegian fir pattern is so pretty! I must be a glutton for punishment as I’m halfway through knitting a sweater for my bf…it’s a wool/alpaca/angora blend yarn. Talk about toasty!
Thank you.
Well, at least in the UK the weather is still cold enough for knits like that! Good luck.
Haha never thought I’d be jealous of that London fog 😉
You are a bright & shining star! I look forward to every post so I’ve seriously nominated you for this “Super Sweet Blogging Award”… woohoo! ❤
Oh my goodness. Thank you! This is a fantastic start to the weekend. I can’t remember the last time I was called sweet : ) Age hey! It catches up with us all….
I’m now working on the blog to thank you properly.
Have a great weekend!
You too! You deserve the award in my eyes and everything that I wrote is true. I love following your words, blogging as really opened my eyes up to new things and you blog is a big part of that. Congrats well earned! 🙂
Thanks again!
Thank ou for the patterns, they are gorgeous …. Will be adding some into my squares blanket
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear they’ll get used.
I’m working on some granny squares patterns at the moment.
Hi there! Nice article, thanks for the tips on lighter texture stitches. I have worked a lot in cotton these warmer weeks. Mind you, I live in Sweden where there are more than enough snowy cold months to keep me wrapped up in warmer knits! I have seen the Norwegian fir pattern in a book but never used it. A bit of Scandanavian inspiration just as I have finished making a crochet hat for my Norwegian friend!
Thank you!
I can’t say that the Gulf Stream has been much in evidence here in the UK, so plenty of opportunities to knit woolens for wearing now!
I love Norwegian patterns – both for their brevity in the writing and in the complexity of making, I’ve never knitted with more than two colours at a time, but the time will come ….
The fir pattern is really easy and just adds enough interest so that it’s not boring.
Well, now I live in Sweden and, close to the equally colourfully stylish Norwegians, I have been inspired by the multi-stranded knitting patterns. Looking up historical knit patterns from Scandanivian I have begun to incorporate colourful strand knitting in my work. I am new to this blog, but hope to post more on this in future!