5 Summer Knitting Projects to Explore

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Hello heat, humidity, and outdoor activities! Summer is here and I am ready for some seasonal knitting, so I have compiled a list of summer project inspiration to help keep your fingers working through June.

Disclaimer: I know we all have different summer project preferences; I prefer light garments and accessories, so this list will be mostly smaller projects. I have a lot of respect for those who are still knitting sweaters throughout the hotter months.

1. Blackcomb Cowl by Holli Yeoh

This cowl is from the Interweave office–hit Garter Stitch Revival: 20 Creative Knitting Patterns Featuring the Simplest Stitch. It is stunning and multi-seasonal: style it as a wrap for chilly summer evenings or wear it around your neck in colder months. A springy double garter stitch creates the amazing texture.

2. Slices Shawl by Jennifer Dassau

Small projects are the perfect opportunity to pick up a new skill; for me, that means short-rows. Knitting Short Rows: Techniques for Great Shapes and Angles has 17 great projects utilizing short-rows, but the reversible Slices Shawl really stood out to me. This is an incredibly fast knit, and it’s perfect for travel.

3. Lily Toes by Andrea Rangel

Need some great socks for chilly camping nights or to line rain boots for early summer storms? The Lily Toes socks from Rugged Knits: 24 Practical Projects for Everyday Living are a fun small project for some warm afternoon knitting. The waffled fabric makes the socks durable, and the cable will bring you knitting enjoyment through the cuff.

4. African Violet Shawl by Andrea Jurgrau

This wrap will provide an adventurous knitter with some fun lace and a lovely summer shawl for all occasions. The flora and fauna that thrive in Mount Kilimanjaro’s dormant volcanic cones inspired this shawl. Find this pattern and more great lace knits in New Heights in Lace Knitting: 17 Lace Knits Accessory Patterns.

5. Vivian by Jennifer Wood

Inspired by the vintage Frost Flower stitch, this cowl-neck top is a showstopper—much like the rest of the projects from Refined Knits: Sophisticated Lace, Cable, and Aran Lace Knitting. This project is worked from the top down; the Frost Flower stitch is inverted and embedded in a rib stitch to give this classic stitch pattern a new life.

What are you knitting in June? Tell us in the comments or show us on Instagram @InterweaveCraft!

Happy summer knitting,

Sarah Rothberg
Assistant Editor, Interweave Knits