Summer on the needles - about summer knits

Isager yarn in wooden box outside

You might not think that summer is a time for knitting – but it is! There are some fantastic designs for summer knitting out there and a lot of beautiful summer models. Also, summer is actually the time to start knitting for winter, to make sure the project is finished when you need it – when is gets cold outside again.

But when the temperatures reaches 30 degrees Celsius / 85 degrees fahrenheit and all hot drinks have been switched out with iced coffee or ice tea, we turn the knitting needles towards summer yarns like cotton and linen.  

Sommerstrik, striktrøje udenfor

I love summer knitting! Summer knits are most often quickly done and very often it's something I'm looking forward to wearing. There is nothing better than styling a light summer skirt with a light tank top or a colorful t-shirt with puff sleeves, that you have created yourself. But from a design point of view, it can be a little difficult to design for the Danish summer, because it can be very comme ci  comme ca - and you never really know what kind of weather to expect.

"I love summer knitting. Because knitting projects are fast,
and because it's something I'm looking forward to wearing"


On my needles I very often have mohair; I love to knit with mohair - also in the summer. It is light and airy, and it is available in the most beautiful summer combinations. I like to use Önling's own No 10 Silk mohair, as we have more than 40 beautiful colors to choose from. 

 

Lamana Premia and iced coffee

"I know that not everyone can subscribe to my motto 'everything is better with Mohair'."

But not everyone can follow my motto "everything gets better with mohair". A lot of people think that summer weather is cotton weather. Here at Önling, it is important when using cotton that it is 100% organic, and even better, GOTS certified. Our own summer yarn, Önling No 14, is a beautiful yarn consisting of GOTS-certified cotton and linen.

Recently we have added another summer yarn to our portfolio, namely the well-known Sofistica quality from Hanne Falkenberg. There are already a large number of summer designs available in this yarn - namely Hanne Falkenberg's summer designs - and I am also working on a couple of new designs in this yarn. It's always fun to get to know a new yarn - its quality, benefits and shortcomings - and I do that best by testing the yarn in many different techniques and designs.

Amongst other things, I am working on a 'makeover' of Retro summer top 'and Striped summer top' in No 21 - and also I'm working on a completely new design, which currently has the working title 'Fie'. Fie will feature some great new details and I will present some brand new ideas. I really look forward to showing it to you.

Also, I very much looking forward to launching a new Easy Peasy t-shirt in No 14 very soon. It will be simple and easy to knit, but with some good details that give it a little boost.

You can keep an eye out for our latests designs, which we will be dropping during spring / summer on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Krea deluxe organix cotton

But in the meantime, while we wait for Fie and the Easy Peasy summer Tee, there is no need to give the needles a rest. There is really so much lovely summer yarn just waiting to be cast on. 'Hør Organic' is a brand new yarn type from Isager and a wonderful yarn to knit with in the summer. Seven fine summer designs have already been developed in 'Hør Organic' - and I especially love the Nice t-shirt designed by Anne Ventzel and the Valencia t-shirt is also beautiful. 

Japanese Cotton from Isager has had a revival, especially after the release of the book K(Knit) from Helga Isager, where she uses Japanese cotton in combination with Alpaca 1 in YO Sweater, and with Silk Mohair in SSK T-shirt. We have also brought out an older design from Isager, Smoothie summer top, and worked it in Japanese Cotton and the Isager summer yarn Trio.

Isager Japansk Bomuld og Trio

Otherwise, a sure summer classic at Önling is Isager Bomulin. At Isager they have been going through the color palette and updated many of the colors, so you can now mix the finest sorbet-colors. We still really love the Bjørk summer top in Bomulin and it will look so amazing in some of the new, beautiful colors.

Once the summer wardrobe is updated, I will launch myself at winter knitwear again. You can keep your knitting project in a bowl on you lap, and with ice tea within reach it won’t be too hot :-). Maybe I will knit myself a Summer in Denmark sweater, a Fluffy Fluffy Sweater or an Ingrid Cardigan to wear when the summer evenings turn cold.

If you are still not certain what summer knit project to start with, then check out our “Summer knits” board at Pinterest or our collection of summer knits here in our web shop. Here you can find all the summer designs that I have mentioned and much more.

I want to finish, make myself another iced coffee,  because summer weather is knitting weather.

Well, it’s time for me to wrap up, prepare for the lovely summer weather that is awaiting and find my knitting project, as summer weather is knitting weather.

Katrine Hannibal, Creative director and knitwear designer at Önling