1.) Choose your projects wisely.
Are you going to want a bulky project on your needles (and on your lap) when the summer heat hits? Definitely not! I give you permission to put down that wooly cardigan you've been working on and cast on something airy and petite. Loose-gauge knitting, simple lacework, or something small like a sock would be ideal. Here are a few (FREE!) projects that would work great.
Rose City Rollers shorty sock pattern, by Mara Catherine Bryner
2.) Explore plant fibers.
Wool and summer don't really mix well. That's okay, because there are tons of plant-based fiber blends to choose from that can work well for household knits as well as apparel. To avoid those sweaty-wool-palms try casting on in yarns made of cotton, linen, bamboo, hemp, flax, or even modal which is made from wood.Personally, I love a good cotton blend like KnitPick's Shine Sport, which is 60% pima cotton, 40% modal. They have 30 colors in this yarn line, and at $2.99 per 50g skein (110 yards), you can't beat the price!
Another KnitPicks yarn that is great for summer knitting is their Lindy Chain yarn. It is a 70% linen, 30% pima cotton blend, in fingering weight. Perfect for lightweight summer accessories, and it comes in 26 different colors.
No knitter's stash is complete without some cotton Dishie 100% cotton yarn to make dishcloths, towels, and other household items. Dishie yarn is durable and has high absorbancy for cleaning around the house, but is soft enough for items like baby bibs. KnitPick's offers Dishie in solids and multi-color shades.
3.) Make it mobile.
Again, size is important when it comes to summer knits, but so is the accessibility of that project. Are you going to be likely to grab a large project bag with multiple skeins as you are running out for a summer adventure? Keep your projects mobile by using a small project bag that you can easily toss into your beach bag or purse. Here are a few handmade project bags on Etsy that would work wonderfully for a small summer knitting project.
4.) Keep it simple.
I love colorwork and striping as much as the next knitter, but in the summer I like to keep my projects limited to one or two colorways. I also like to avoid projects that require extra notions and supplies such as cable needles, stitch markers, waste yarn, etc. If I pick a project with a chart, I download the pattern PDF on my phone so that I'm able to read that pattern without printing anything out. Here are a few simple (and free) patterns to consider for your summer knitting.
Bonus! This pattern has a mobile PDF download for easy pattern reading on a phone.
How lovely would this be in a nice linen yarn?
I could see sitting around a summer fire with this cowl for sure.
With a 4 round repeat (two of those knit stitches), this would be a fun and easy summer knit.
This shawl is in fingering weight and is primarily garter stitch. Easy, squishy garter!
5.) WANT that FO.
Let's be honest. You aren't going to knit a lot in the summer on a project you don't WANT. So, pick a project that isn't a gift knit for upcoming birthdays or Christmas. Don't pick something with utility like you might in the winter such as gloves and hats. Pick something you've been wanting just for you. Do a little selfish knitting and love every minute of it! That's why we all love knitting, right? It's our "me time". So make it even more your "me time" by making yourself something special.
Here is my little indulgence this summer:
Here is my little indulgence this summer:
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| I've decided this will be my summer knit. I have a KnitPicks gift card from Mother's day I'll be using to get some lace weight yarn to make it even more light and lovely. |
Do you have any other tips on how you keep yourself motivated in the summer to knit? Leave them in the comments below! HAPPY KNITTING!
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