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It’s already the third week of our Summer Series! Knitters often struggle a bit with projects in the warmer months, when a lap full of wool sounds less cosy and more stifling. Today I talk about summer knitting: lovely cool t-shirts created with light, airy, breathable yarns, and the challenges and joys of moving away from wool to other, more seasonal fibres such as linen and cotton.
Show Sponsors
Today’s show is sponsored by The Fibre Co, and their magnificently soft and beautiful Acadia yarn.
Acadia is named after the oldest American national park east of the Mississippi river, a place of natural beauty where the sea and mountains meet, slopes are densely forested and wild blueberries abound. Acadia National Park is in the state of Maine, The Fibre Co.’s birthplace. The yarn inspired by this beautiful region has a rustic look and a soft hand. A subtle tweed effect is created by the silk noil that is combined with a heathered base made from fine merino wool and brown baby alpaca. The yarn is a classic DK weight and makes a beautiful textured fabric that is perfect for next to the skin accessories as well as garments.
My two-colour Whispering Island Shawl sample was knit in Acadia, and it’s gotten so many compliments. You can buy Acadia at our other sponsor’s shop, Meadow Yarn:
Meadow Yarn is an inviting online retailer selling yarn, needles and notions. It’s a small, family business based in rural Suffolk in the UK. Meadow Yarn was born out of a passion for beautiful yarn and knitting accessories and aims to bring you a range of great products. Yarns stocked include madelinetosh, Eden Cottage Yarn, the Fibre Co and many more.
Show Links
The summer knitting patterns I talk about are:
Waterlily by Megan Fernandes from Pom Pom Quarterly’s Spring 2014 issue.
The original is knit from Kettle Yarn’s Islington, which is what I used for the Sunburst Shawl last year.
Linum Tee by Bristol Ivy in Quince and Co’s Sparrow
Lina and Colina by Elizabeth Doherty also in Sparrow
Elizabeth has a great post on working with linen on her blog. Here’s the original post.
I also discuss some other summer yarns:
Aside from Sparrow, Quince and Co also has a worsted weight linen yarn called Kestrel
Blacker Yarns Lyoness I’ve seen this used beautifully in the Drift Raglan Increase Shawl by Sonja Bargielowska
Wool and The Gang Shiny Happy Cotton a lovely squishy, and super soft bulky weight 100% cotton yarn which is absolutely gorgeous knit up into Palila by Natalie Selles
As I mentioned last week, on September 5th I’ll be taking part in the wonderfully fun Great London Yarn Crawl and have a stand at their pop up marketplace Indie Designer Spotlight. I’m excited to be one of their five featured designers. I’ll be in the company of:
Louise Zass-Bangham From Inspiration Knits
Renee Callahan of East London Knits
Boo Knits and
Whether it’s summer or winter wherever you are, I hope you’re enjoying the show. If you have any favourite summery patterns or yarns, please tell me about them! Leave a comment here or join the discussions on Ravelry in the Curious Handmade Group. Don’t forget to join me on my travels on Instagram. Tag me and let me know where you’re listening from, or if you’re knitting one of my patterns. I love seeing your WIPs! Happy Knitting!
