Knitting and crochet are definitely year-round hobbies in my book. But it’s true that we don’t always want a pile of wool on our laps – and we definitely don’t want to wear big fuzzy sweaters in a heatwave. So summer knitting isn’t just about knitting something with short sleeves; in the warmer months, we tend to reach for a different kind of yarn, not just a different pattern.
Most of the time, that means plant fibres – this is when cotton, linen and hemp have their moment in the sun (sorry). Silk is also a strong contender, though, as are bamboo and other viscose fibres. All of these fibres share certain characteristics that differentiate them from wool; it’s worth understanding how they behave, and how you can get the best out of them. For the sake of simplicity, I’m writing “cotton” as a shorthand for “all the typical summer yarns”. Although they’re not all identical, their behaviour is close enough for this to work – but I will note some distinctions as I go.
Cotton vs wool: less bounce, more weight
The most obvious difference is that, as most knitters learn pretty quickly, cotton and the like are way less elastic than wool. They also tend to be denser, making for a heavier final garment. This means you get great drape, but the big trap is: there is a strong chance that your garment may grow after washing, especially if worked at a loose gauge.
If you don’t want that kind of surprise, here’s what to do:
– Start by working an extra-big swatch (at least 20cm per side), measuring it, then washing it and hanging it to dry. Then measure it again, and compare that to the earlier dimensions to see if it’s grown. This won’t give you a very accurate impression of how the finished item will behave (a bigger piece of knitting will probably stretch out more than even a big swatch), but it could help you to plan.
– Maybe pick a smaller needle than your first choice; knitting worked at a tighter gauge will hold its shape better.
– Consider making your garment a bit shorter than you normally would. Horizontal expansion is less of a worry, but gravity may well add a couple of inches over time, especially after a wash.
– And of course, don’t hang your garment up to dry or store it! Always dry flat to prevent stretch. (Honestly that’s a rule for all knits, but for these yarns, hanging would be even more disastrous.)
Choose patterns that will work with cotton, not against it
Traditional knitting styles from cold regions – Fair Isle colourwork, Aran cables and the like – make the most of wool’s natural properties. So with cotton, you want to go the other way.
Colour: keep it simple!
Cotton is badly suited to stranded colourwork for two reasons: first, the inelasticity means that it’s much harder to get the even tension you need. And second, cotton lacks that toothy fuzz that helps stitches hold on to each other, meaning there’s a chance of slight gappiness around colour changes.
Look for other ways to bring colour into your work, with just one yarn per row. Stripes work, of course (think of those classic Breton tops: what could be more summery!), but also mosaic patterns, linen stitch, and other slipped stitch trickery. Or you might try colour blocking. I’ve collected some fun ideas in this Ravelry bundle to inspire you.
Slipped-stitch patterns have another advantage for cotton: it adds structure, fighting against that tendency to stretch. The same is true for crochet! Again, it’s quite telling that the craft traditions of warmer countries, which tend to favour crochet, are so well suited to summer yarns.
Texture looks great, but avoid cables
Similarly, with texture, choose knit/purl combinations over cables. Cables work best with wool’s bouncy structure, and besides, they add a lot of weight; not ideal for dense yarns. I knew someone who had a beautiful chunky cabled sweater made from pure cotton… She told me that she’d always tumble dry it to tighten up the fabric, but by afternoon it would be down to her knees again.
There is an exception to this rule. Thinner cotton yarns can be beautiful worked in travelling cables no more than 2 stitches wide – i.e. 4-stitch crosses – moving over the fabric rather than forming a single pillar. But I wouldn’t recommend this treatment for anything fatter than a fingering yarn, so it becomes a pretty big, time-consuming project.
Simple knit/purl textures, on the other hand, make the most of cotton’s natural crispness. Light and shadow create surface interest without disturbing the flow of your fabric. Or add a lace edging to elevate a simple stocking stitch tee.
What about lace?
Now this is where silk and linen shine (quite literally)! Although they lack wool’s memory, these fibres block out well. Linen in particular undergoes a dramatic transformation: block a linen scarf and it becomes a smooth, flowing thing of wonder. A gleaming silk shawl is of course about the most glamorous thing you could possibly knit. But cotton?
Cotton does not hold blocking effectively. Your elaborate lace will simply collapse under the pull of gravity. Don’t do it. So once again, the rule is to keep it simple: add a lace trim to a cotton tee, or work a pretty eyelet pattern.
Seems there’s one golden rule for summer knits: take it easy. Doesn’t that seem just perfect for hot, lazy days?