Inspiration
Knitting Vacation
I’ve heard of knitters who put their needles down for the summer. For them, knitting is seasonal. Like the title character in Madeline, they love winter, snow, and ice. In warm weather, their projects lie fallow, waiting for the temperatures to dip in autumn.
This is not me, not ever. My love of knitting is at its peak in summer. I don’t know why, but I think it’s the freedom, and the long, light-filled days. In summer, I’m not in that overstimulated, knit-all-the-things mood that hits me, hard, in fall and winter and spills over into the spring. In summer, I do not knit to impress, or for the challenge, or even for the sweaters—I knit whatever I damn well please.
The knitting that calls to me varies from summer to summer. Sometimes I pick a semi-ambitious project—cabled sweaters in finger-staining Rowan Denim were big in the summers of 2013 and 2021. Other summers have found me sitting on a beach, shaking goldfish cracker crumbs off of one knitted dishrag after another, with no end of sandy, sunscreen-scented dishrags-in-progress until I actually ran out of dishcloth cotton. I remember the dishcloths almost—OK, not nearly—as fondly as I remember the sandy, sunscreen-scented toddlers. (Beanie Babies on boogie boards, those were the days.)
This summer, it’s socks—of course! Socks from MDK Field Guide No. 27: Sock Odyssey, Fatimah Hinds’s fabulously liberating DK-weight socks and their playful, interchangeable cables. These quick, portable projects will be happy-making holiday gifts.
And blankets. Blankets are about as far from socks, and as far from portable, as a knitting project can be, but here we are. In the months with no Rs, I’ve been happy as a clam when I’ve got an inconveniently large garter stitch blanket, wadded up and sharing lap space with a small terrier, on a crammed-full Long Island Railroad train. This is a kind of bliss for me, and I recommend it heartily to all the sensible souls who have not tried it.
This year’s blanket is nearing completion. It’s my take on the Zigzag Zen Blanket by Anniina Juuti.
I’m going off-piste from the pattern by edging my version in applied i-cord, because I get to do what I want, and I almost always want to apply i-cord.
It’s amusing me to change the color of the i-cord to match the stripes of the blanket. I-camouflage, because i-can!
Is it fiddly to change colors every 9 rounds of i-cord? Not if you enjoy it as much as I do.
If it’s summer where you are, knit on—and make sure to knit whatever you like.
I’ve just come back from a 10 day trip to Florence and Tuscany. i had 2 knitting projects with me – a pair of vanilla socks for knitting on planes, waiting for meals to be served, etc and a shawl which i cast on when we got to our Tuscan countryside hotel . it was quite lovely sitting on an Italian patio knitting something using a pattern and yarn bought on another holiday in Flagstaff Arizona a few years ago (OK, it was nearly 8 but does that matter?)
That blanket is looking completely amazing, Kay! I know you mean about the light. I can SEE so much better in these months, so I am desperately trying to stitch and knit and see things as I do them in the beautiful sunny light! Very sublime embroidery and hand-stitching light. Also, best light for mending my black sweaters. Hugs!
It’s the Habitation Throw, by Helen Stewart, for me.
* garter stitch
* YO, K2tog-ing just enough to keep it interesting
* clever (but not difficult) I-cord edge.
Zen on the needles.
And I thought I was the only one (re knitting in summer) and working on a blanket (in wool). But no to socks and i-cord. So I guess we’re not twins. I guess that’s the doing your own thing part. Mine is variegated with the yarn doing all the work . (Hey, it’s summer. Thank goodness there are designers for the lazy ones of us.) Looking forward to your far more polished one, Kay.
I love this. Up early to knit when the sun comes up is one of my favorite summer activities!! Always love your writing Kay.
I can so relate to the summertime drive to Knit All The Things!
Just blocked a fingering-weight sweater yesterday, in 90+ F weather (with 80% humidity!) here in upstate NY. Now off to cake up yarn for another fingering-weight sweater. Both will be packed for an October trip to New Mexico.
Somehow, small projects aren’t interesting me in this heat. Too sweaty for tiny needles and sock heels? But I happily drag a sweater WIP out to the deck, plop my feet in the dogs’ wading pool, and finish a sleeve. Go figure!
You’re coming out to my home state, yay! If you’d like info on knitting groups and stores, contact me through ravelry at knittingceleste. It’s hot here but no humidity so much more tolerable.
I’ll definitely be in touch through Rav. We are headed out for our second Balloon Fest vacation, and I acquiesced when my husband wanted to extend the trip to include a photo shoot at the Durango and Silverton railroad in Colorado. So, needles and cameras will be packed, along with our sweaters and hats.
My fingers have been stained blue for nearly 2 weeks. Although it’s mostly car knitting I have my black bento (from the first summer camp kit) stuffed with 2 shades of Rowan Denim and always at my side. Travels have been full of adventure – but I am nearly finished with the second sleeve and then will make the body as long as I want or as long as I can.
Happy Summer !
Daring, as always! A blanket in summer? Spectacular! What yarn are you using?
The late lamented Rowan Denim from my stash!
Yes, I was curious about the yarn too. Love everything about this blanket and all the fun being had making it!
I am finishing up the last panel of my Zigzag Zen blanket and thinking about adding an I cord What timing! And I agree that sitting here with a lap full of wool is somehow enjoyable. Perhaps due to the wet and foggy summer we have been experiencing here in RI.
Good morning,
I love when you write to us especially from a sandy beach mixed with suntan lotion.
I was wondering what yarn you are using for your blanket?
Enjoy! Eat ice cream.
I love the blanket! Those are my colors. Would you share the yarn brand and colors ? Thank you
So far it’s been a summer of reknitting favorites patterns of summer tops while a “Light in the Window” blanket was in time out waiting on a yarn delivery. Fortunately it will be shipped out to TX and no one there needs a blanket in this heat.
For Mother’s Day my son, with the urging of his sister, gifted me with 3 shades of blue Berroco yarn made of beach plastic finds and acrylic which was a challenge since I had to find a pattern to fit my gift yarn. I settled on a sleeveless top of stripes. Instead of making the front/back identical, I chose to make two different patterns of stripes so 2 in 1 top. I’m delighted, my son is glad to see the finished top, and the bits of leftover yarn will be used as compliments to future knitting projects. Too hot here in NJ for a big project unless you are inside where it is cool.
The blanket looks good, but I don’t see any terrier fur knitted into it. So what are you knitting on the train?
I too am a year-round knitter. I need a new lap blanket and this looks great. Thanks!
The posting from a dishrag that was long-lost and then found (behind the washer, as I recall) was one of the funniest columns on MDK ever — and that’s saying something!
I have begun a blanket too, for the https://www.welcomeblanket.org/ project — (blankets for refugees), and was hoping for cooler temps at Tanglewood to knit away during concerts–so much for that idea. May just have to concentrate on shawl of fingering weight cotton/wool.
It’s Rowan Denim, which is discontinued, using all the very limited range of colors that yarn came in. I wrote all about it here: https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/lemon-cookies-and-log-cabin/
I make blankets all the time. My favourite is the Ten Stitch by Frankie Brown. I’ve almost completed 17. Also the Afterglow scarf which uses 2 colours alternately has also become a favourite making strips and sewing them together. I’m adding this Zen blanket to my cue, similar to log cabin which is one of my favourites.
For some strange reason, I usually crave knitting with wool in the summer.
I’ve always assumed that air conditioning was invented so we could knit during the summer!
Beautiful blanket!! And the Hana in progress pics from 2021 were great too! Such a cool sweater. How did that sweater turn out? Is it comfy to wear??
It’s wonderful, I wear it a lot.
Thanks 🙂
My knitting knows no season. I just finished a wool cardigan and an on my way to another. I love the blanket.
I am having a knitting vacation in Michigan for my south Texas knitting group. I loved your article! We are spending 5 days together and going on excursions to different shops in south western Michigan. The rest of the time we will be knitting lakeside!
I’m going to try my hand @ socks. It’s been long time since I knit socks, but the Florida weather is a good time to knit socks.
A denim dream blanket!
Isn’t that I-cord edging life changing on a garter stitch project????
I’ve used it on the last two baby blankets and it just finishes the sides so beautifully. Your blanket looks amazing
Dear Kay, Your writing always transports me to another place – usually one that is cooler. I, too, love an applied I-cord – I love the look, I love the process. What I do not love is weaving in ends. Are you carrying your yarn for the 9-row stretch – if so how? Or, are you cutting your yarn for each section? A future project lies in the balance. Thank you so much for sharing.
The blanket looks beautiful! And I was happy to be enlightened about Color Cathcers in your earlier post about the blanket.
I do have a question; why did you choose applied I-cord over knitting as you go? I learned about the incorporated I-cord edge when I knit the Botanic Shawl from Stephen West. So easy and a nice finished edge.
Looking forward to seeing the finished product!
(My summer knitting has been a new baby blanket and Emotional Support Chicken for the new big sister). Now working on my first Shakerag skirt!
Hi Kay. I especially enjoyed your post, as I, too, love knitting in the long light filled days of summer. I’m also currently knitting whatever I damn well please (having put aside for a while a number of projects that are to be gifts or for charity). I’m making dishcloths, exploring the smaller sizes. I’m making spa cloths, exploreing the lace patterns. I have even just finished perfecting my crocheted potholder pattern, getting it the size and texture that I want it to be. What is even more exciting (to me) is that I can use the smallest leftover scraps of kitchen cotton in those potholders! I know that it must sound a little crazy. I am really enjoying the process, though, and that’s what counts (especially as I find my shut in status continues and I have been unable to get out.). In the near knitting future are some socks. My Sock Odyssey field guide awaits!
Summer knitting? Heck yeah!! However, it has been way too hot and way too humid in California for a few weeks, so my knitting has mostly languished. Today it’s a bit cooler so I’m going to get out one of two projects I’m currently working on. And one just happens to be a blanket! I’ve meshed together two blanket patterns from Purl Soho in some wonderful cotton yarn. Colors of a summer veggie garden. The other one is a shawl I keep trying to finish. Almost there!! Cheers to all the other summer knitters out there. And don’t be afraid of a summer blanket. It takes a while for them to reach baby elephant size and take over your lap.
My chiropractor actually asked me one summer what I did instead of knitting since it was surely too hot to knit? He was slightly incredulous when I laughed and replied that summer knitting simply meant smaller projects – a good time to work on hats, mittens, and socks – things that don’t sit in your lap in the heat. I’ve also been known to work on a fingering weight shawl in the summer. Ha! True knitters rarely put down their needles – too many things to knit!