There are only a few rules for summertime knitting: it needs to be portable and it needs to not make your hands sweat. Preferably, it should also be quick and easy. Because keeping up with a complicated pattern while also enjoying summery adventures is potentially crazy-making.
For this summer’s knitting pleasure I chose two lightweight sweater patterns. And I threw in a pair of plain socks for good measure. One can never go wrong with a plain sock project in their everyday bag.
The first sweater is one that you’ve met before. This is the sleeveless top that I attempted last year, but goofed up on the gauge so that it was way too small. I bravely ripped it all out and started over.
Not only did I get it right this time, but I finished it in enough time to wear it before the autumn temperatures swept in. The yarn is a fabulously lush blend of merino, cashmere, and nylon. Makes you want to pet it all day long. Sometimes a gal’s got to splurge on herself.
The only stressful bit was there at the very end, when I thought I might just run out of yarn a few yards short of the finish line. I ripped out my swatch and carried on, trying not to look at the dwindling ball of yarn. But the knitting goddesses must have been smiling on me – I bound off the last edge with a nice tiny pile of yardage left over. Whew!
For the Knitters:
- Pattern: Gradient Top by Von Hinterm Stein
- Yarn: MCN Fingering by Sun Valley Fibers, colorway Plum Crazy
- Ravelry project page: here
The second sweater was a gift knit for Mom. I’ve been coveting several of Anne Hanson’s patterns over the years, but hadn’t taken the plunge until I saw this one. I showed Mom the photos and we both agreed that it was perfect for her. So I went shopping for yarn and packed it with the other vacation knitting.
This pattern just begs for a cotton or cotton blend, despite what the designer intended. I picked a blend: cotton for coolness in the muggy southern summers, bamboo and silk for strength and additional cool factor, and nylon to help it keep it’s shape. (There’s nothing worse than a baggy cotton sweater at the end of a hot, damp summer day.) Bonus points for getting a gauge I liked that also worked with the pattern.
Yes, it’s colorwork. Yes, it has some lacy elements. Yes, it has shaping. Yes, these three things generally mean a more complicated knit. Despite all of these elements, this sweater was a breeze to execute. The color changes are regular and memorable, the “lace” is easily memorized after the first few stitches, and the repeats are fabulously simple to keep up with. I hardly needed a row counter. A few strategically placed locking stitch markers to note the major points might be all that’s needed next time. Somehow the timing worked out that just when I needed to concentrate for a few minutes I found myself sitting on the beach or a couch, with just the right amount of peace and quiet necessary to work through it to another easy stretch.
A word about knitting sweaters in pieces – as opposed to knitting them all in one, without seams. Most knitters fall in one of two camps: those who swear that all sweaters should be constructed in pieces and those who go out of their way to eliminate all seaming. I tend to be more adventurous, and therefore fall somewhere in the middle. Most of the time I fall to the side of eliminating seams where possible. I typically knit with sturdier yarns that don’t bag and droop. However, when it comes to a cotton sweater (despite the bamboo, silk, and nylon content), you bet I’m going to take the time to stitch all of those seams. Again, there’s no love for a baggy cotton sweater. But I have a confession. I didn’t sew the seams on this sweater. I crocheted them. Look inside your favorite store-bought sweater. They crochet them too.
For the Knitters:
- Pattern: Janet Guthrie by Anne Hanson
- Yarn: CoBaSi DK by HiKoo (Skacel), colorways #81 Navy and #37 Gun Metal Grey
- Ravelry project page: here
Last on the summer knitting adventure list are the pair of plain socks. I confess, I love my plain knit socks better than my patterned ones. So I save the patterns for my sweaters, shawls, hats, cowls, and mitts instead. Which I guess is why I choose such vibrant and expressive yarns for my socks. This way they are not boringly plain. It makes me happy to wear a bright pair of socks peeking out of my shoes with an otherwise quiet outfit.
These socks fit the “happy” criteria perfectly. The colorway is decidedly spring-like – which, judging by the dyer’s choice of colorway name, was the point. The yarn base I chose is a little more sturdy, which I also like. These are getting use as boot socks and I want them to wear well. So far, they are getting a fair amount of use in the sock rotation.
For the Knitters:
- Pattern: my own vanilla sock pattern, sized to fit perfectly on my feet at my gauge
- Yarn: Sturdy by Dyeabolical, colorway Hocus Pocus, I’m a Crocus
- Ravelry project page: here
What’s next? Deadline knitting! Because the holidays are right around the corner.