Knitting in the Sun: 32 Projects for Warm Weather (a lovely new knitting book by Kristi Porter) arrived in the middle of a Bainbridge Island heatwave (of course if you’re familiar with the Puget Sound area that merely means we turn the fan on, sport a pair of shorts and bask in the sunshine, truly glorious weather).
Taos Convertible Vest by Stefanie Japel
A compilation of designs from 21 contributors, this beautiful collection features warm weather patterns made from lucsious materials including cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo and even soysilk yarns. It also features clever techniques for using traditional cold weather fibers like mohair, wool and alpaca in ways that make them suitable for warmer climates.
Bordeaux Lace Shawl by Janine Le Cras
The patterns in the book are sized to fit women from extra small through plus sizes. They cover a range of difficulty levels. I enjoyed the inclusion of a ‘Skills Used’ section for each pattern. It describes the techniques and/or special tools needed to make the pattern, a useful way to determine if it’s something I can take on with the skills I have.
Santorini Linen Kimono Jacket by Lisa Limber
Subdivided into 6 sections: Accessories, Sleeveless, Short Sleeves, Long Sleeves, Cardigans, and Odds & Ends, the book includes a wide array of flattering designs for all body types. I had to laugh when I saw the Long Sleeves section, my first thought was “Yes, designs for Northwest summers!” I truly had a good chuckle when I turned the page and saw that the first pattern in the section was named “Puget Sound”.
Puget Sound Drop-Stitch Sweater by Kristi Porter
Some multi-contributor books can be disjointed and look like a hodge podge of projects. Most definitely not the case with this book. Kristi Porter has done an outstanding job of pulling together talented designers that complement one another as well as the warm weather theme. Flawless knitting skills and high quality materials used for the samples contribute to the success of the book. It creates a soothing cohesive collection that inspired my knitting bug. The photography is stunning to boot. I could feel the sand between my toes as I carried my needles, yarn and beach chair to the shore.
Haleakala Beach Chair by Heather Broadhurst
Now the giveaway: leave a comment telling me your favorite summer knitting or sewing project. Three lucky winners will receive one of the following: the book, a Manhattan FQ set or a Nantucket FQ set (both from Summer Soiree by Paula Prass). I’ll draw a winners Friday morning (really!).
Happy Summer Making! xo Kathy
shirts and pants i like the sew.
thanks
At 32, I am very fortunate to have a full set of grandparents. I do not knit or anything like that, but my grandma knits/crotchets, spins her own wool, etc. My favorite blankets are the ones she has made for me. Same goes for my mittens, hats, headbands and scarves. I would give this book to her (and mark the pages of the pieces I want her to make for me).
i am in no way talented enough to knit or sew.but my 18 yo daughter this past year made me a gorgeous quilt in her home ec class it is so pretty. i was shocked at her making such a beautiful quilt being her first time so i bought her a sewing machine last christmas..she would love this
I actually like to make quilted lap blankets in the summer. Then they are ready when the weather gets cooler to take to church so older persons who like to use them at church can during church if their legs get cold. That way the heat in the church doesn’t need to be turned up until the weather really says it should, and the younger folks and kids aren’t roasting. Most of the older people already wear sweaters or suit jackets and that keeps their arms warm, but does nothng for the legs. If there are extra’s they can be given to nursing homes for use by persons wheelchair bound. I also like to make one for my min pin dog who sleeps in his little dog bed on the floor. He likes to be covered totally, even his little head when he sleeps at night, even in the summer. In the summer I usually just give him a very light weight blankie, made out of two layers of cotton fabric, and no filling. I don’t want him to get overheated since we rarely use the air conditioner at night.
My favorite summer project has been sewing my own totes and handbags. As a future teacher and a mommy to boot…you can never have enough of them and they are so fun to make! I have wanted to learn to knit for a long time and this looks like a great book!
Thanks for the giveaway! I pretty much knit the same things in the summer that I do in the winter. I live in Northern California, so it’s hardly any warmer here in summer than in winter
Right now, I’m working on a pair of socks, and also a short-sleeved sweater.
A really light weight scarf….
The debbie bliss cartigan I was working on last summer, has to be my favorite summer project for this year because I think I’m finally going to finish it! I have knitted since I was a child, but once I got the sewing bug a couple of years ago, my cloth stash started to grow and my knitting got dusty. Those new summer patterns make me want to shop for yarn!
I have had a lot of fun this summer with aprons and pin cushions. I also finished a graduation quilt and a couple of bags. I thought each project was fun, mostly I love stacking and restacking my fabrics and planning what each peice will become
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I have had a lot of fun this summer with aprons and pin cushions. I also finished a graduation quilt and a couple of bags. I thought each project was fun, mostly I love stacking and restacking my fabrics and planning what each piece will become
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Knitting baby gifts.
New scarves for the family!
I don’t do much knitting or crocheting during the summer months. I like to make patchwork tote and/or beach bags with my material scraps from other projects. Then I hand them out to family and friends! Thanks for this giveaway.
I haven’t knit anything in years but have a box full of yarn and tons of needles, this would inspire me to dust those off!
I am knitting a Wallaby baby sweater…my first sweater ever!!
It is from a pattern book called The Wonderful Wallaby and includes directions for the whole family. I met Kristi Porter at Knitting in La Jolla where she was signing one of her books. I am looking forward to this book.
I’m enjoying the Northwest heat wave, though I despise watering the lawn. Not having grown up with the routine of having to water, I keep forgetting that the flowers feel like they are living in a desert right about now.
But those sweaters in the book do look like good all around Northwest sweaters!
Socks are my favorite summer knitting project, and winter knitting project, and spring or summer knitting project.
I love making dishclothes
My favorite summer knitting project is socks, they’re nice and light and don’t heat up your lap like a big sweater can. Thanks for having the giveaway!
Love crocheting…working on the ripple blanket for my son.
A baby quilt
My favorite project this summer has been making bags. So much fun!
i’m doing a sweater for my husband hes going to love it as much as i love doing it mverno@roadrunner.com
I know it is only July but I love beginning my Christmas knitting now and crocheting. I am knitting homemade ornaments for family and friends and to send to troops overseas who will not be home this holiday season. I am also knitting tons of red and green stockings to go with them as well as old fashioned knitted slipper socks (which my grandmother taught me when I was a little girl) Besides that I am working on a knitted shawl for my great-grandmother as she loves them to keep warm with on those cold Maine winter mornings!
This summer has been all about sewing gifts: a simple graduation quilt, several of the colored pencil rolls you designed, two styles of tote bags, and, my favorite, patchwork pillows. I’ve taught my 8 year old daughter and a neighbor girl (they just happen to share birthdays) to sew patchwork pillow tops, and my daughter is just getting ready to begin her second quilt.
My favorite summer project would be lace shawls and socks. Nothing better than working with some light weight yarn and sitting in my back yard watching my son play.
I always knit socks in the summer. Light to carry, cool to knit, and bright, fun summer colors.
I love to knit baby clothes in the summer. They are small, portable, and not too hot to have on your lap!
Bordeaux Lace Shawl looks really pretty i mean wow! i always knitt scarfs in the summer that way their defo going to be finished in time for winter!
My favorite summer knitting project is a hat and sundress I am knitting for myself.
Baby clothes. After all, when are babies not in season?
my mom is teaching me how to knitt a blanket im having a blast with it smile
I usually start my Holiday quilts for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I can work in sessions and put them together as I have extra time at home.
I don’t do it. I want to win it for my mother-in-law. She is great at making blankets
I like to knit/crochet lap prayer blankets for those I know and the clients I work with in the health field..thanks for the opp
My favorite summer knitting is actually with wool! I knit bags to be felted for a show I do, with others, in December. Knitting them now…..not only makes for relaxing knitting (good for chatting with others while whiling away some hours)….it won’t matter if they get diry: they’ll be washed!…but also I will either have some possible Christmas gifts ready or many items for sale in December.
The book looks absolutely marvelous! I never want to knit sweaters (don’t want to sit and pay attention that long), but the ones shown above look so fun and fashionable…esp for a tall woman.
Well, I’m learning (again) to knit this summer. My project this summer is to finish my first scarf! I’m excited to pick up this wonderful hobby again!
My favorite summer knitting is socks – they’re small, lightweight, and portable. And right now, it seems my favorite summer sewing is pillows. I’ve been sewing up a storm – we got a couple of pieces of new furniture, and it seems that spurred me on to do a bit of redecorating.
Thank you for offering the lovely prizes!
My favourite summer projects are socks. They’re portable for all the summer vacation outings that always seem to take place! I’m working on the Paraphenalia sock pattern right now. I can’t recall the link right now.
This will be for my mom’s birthday present if I win and her fav project is usually anything especially baby blankets etc.
I like to make meaning full quilts. The squares tell a story.
I’ve been sloooowly working on a cardigan. Hopefully I’ll have it finished by next summer! LOL
My favorite sewing project is making scarves.
Oh, that book looks great! I spend most of my summer knitting hours on things to put in our county fair. Since it doesn’t get *too* warm in Northern California, I can knit wool year round. I also like to knit garments just for *me* since the Fall and Winter months are spent knitting gifts.
I recently learned how to knit socks and they are currently my favorite project. At first I was intimidated to even try a sock pattern – they looked so complex, but finally I decided to give it a go and found that, like many things in life, they weren’t nearly as difficult they seemed – just had to take it one step (row) at a time!
I love making no-cook meals in the summer. Cuke salads, white bean salads, cold past salad (well, ok you DO have to cook the past beforehand). Yum.
I’m actually knitting ‘paper’ chains for Christmas … and a summer jumper that I suspect will be ready for next summer …
I have been knitting a wool blanket, of all things! I am planning ahead for Afghans for Afghans, hoping their next campaign calls for baby blankets. I have also been making my kids some toys, hedgehogs and garden slugs.
It looks like a great book! Although, over on the Seattle side of the sound it’s going to be close to 90 today, and I don’t think I could wear any kind of knitted item–even cotton!
Anyway, my current favorite summer projects are knitted socks–they get me ready for winter, but since they are small, I don’t get warm from having a sweater on my lap. As for sewing, I’m loving the Linda Tueller skirts–particularly the tiered one. Skirts are so nice for summer.