Summer-Ready Projects with Quick + Easy Knits Vol. 2

Summertime can be a challenging season for knitters. The heat makes working with wool and other heavy fibers difficult, and there’s the ever-present allure of outdoor activities which might not be pullover-friendly. That’s why we love summer knits!

I’ve found summer the perfect time to knit—just not the same projects I might work on in the colder months. The abundance of natural light makes knitting fiddly lace projects easier, and as the day cools into evening, I can take my knitting out onto our deck. Lightweight fibers, like cotton, linen, and bamboo, making for delightful summer knitting.

Quick + Easy Summer Knits

And then, of course, there are the projects you choose. The most recent issue of Quick + Easy Knits Vol. 2 has a plethora of warm summer knits. Let me share with you some of my favorite warm weather patterns from the collection.

Airy Shawls

Light and airy summer shawls make for marvelous projects in the hotter months. Designer Susanna IC’s Aventurine Shawl is a wonderful example. The straightforward design is worked from the center neck down and out towards the points. The garter stitch body is punctuated by sections of eyelet lace that are easy to knit and make for a breathable shawl.

If you’re thinking of something more colorful, there’s the Corundum Shawl by designer Annika Andrea Wolke. This stunning shawl uses bright blocks of color in garter stitch interrupted by sections of eyelet lace that ease the transition from one shade to the next. The Pima cotton/acrylic blend yarn creates a fabric that’s soft, breathable, and durable.

Lightweight Hats

I love knitting hats in the summer. They’re the perfect projects to use up stray skeins of yarn, and they make great gifts, so I use them to get a jump on my holiday knitting. The Axinite Hat by designer Emily Kintigh is definitely on list of summer knits. This delightful beanie uses a simple lace pattern to create an interesting texture, and it only needs one skein of Green Mountain Spinnery Cotton Comfort, so it’s a great project to pop in a purse.

I’m also a huge sucker for a ribbed beanie, and designer Molly Hackett’s Dioptase Hat caught my attention almost immediately for that reason. Perfect for a variegated yarn, this hat is worked from the bottom up and integrates slipped stitches into the ribbing, making the knitting more engaging and giving the hat some extra texture.

Warm-Weather Tops

Garments shouldn’t have to be excluded from your knitting just because it’s summer. The Larimar Tee by designer Lana Jois is engaging to make and comfortable to wear. Worked from the bottom up in separate pieces and seamed, the top has vertical lines of knit stitches that grow in frequency up to the shoulders, giving the top a sophisticated appearance.

For a more cropped look, try designer Hanna Lübben’s Feldspar Tee. This top is worked in the round from the bottom to the underarm, with dainty eyelet lace along the hemlines. Garter ridges peppered throughout the stockinette create textural interest, and the cotton/bamboo blend yarn makes for a lightweight, breathable top.

Whatever your summer plans are, I hope you find some wonderful summer knits to take with you. Don’t forget to check out Quick + Easy Knits Vol. 2 and, as always,

Happy Knitting.
Julia

Summer Knits for Everyone