#summerknitting

Interweave Knits: Summer 2023

Summer knitting is here which means lighter yarns and shorter sleeves. There are 9 tops and a cardigan in this issue along with an intriguing article by Karen Frisa which has broken me forever from not swatching. She knitted then blocked and also hung four yarns used in this issue; some of them grew in width or length and if you then multiplied out the 2 extra stitches in the 4 inch swatch to determine the effect across an entire garment, you realize how far off your sizing could become. Better to spend some time in the beginning, I now think, than to despair over time wasted in the end.

But on to the patterns. On the cover is the Branchport Cottage Top by Laura Barker which is a top-down circular construction with short rows over the yoke and a shaped waist. its is a full 4 out of 4 for difficulty because of the complexity of the lace stitch yolk. It is made of Elsebeth Lavold Hepathy a blend of cotton hemp and modal, which is a kind of rayon.

I give you a close-up of the front shoulders of the Orlaya Shell in a pale pink by Elena Dimchevska. It is worked in the round from the bottom up with a more solid stitch pattern across the shoulders. It has a very simple shape and then a charted lace stitch. It is 3 out of 4 for difficulty and is made of Drops Cotton Merino which is just what it sounds like.  

Far simpler to complete, but needing care for its eyelet argyle motifs is the Serene Summer Pullover in minty color by Fiona Munro. It is a 2 out of 4 for difficulty and is a bottom up, circular needle project made in Quince & Co Wren another wool and cotton blend.

The pale blue green tee is done with wrapped stitches and called Patio Nights Tee by Debi Maige. It is a 2 out of 4 for difficulty despite having shaped shoulders. The yarn is Shibui Knits Pebble in Crete, a blend of silk, merino and cashmere. 

Cables and a lace stitch that looks like wheat appear in the V-neck Abundant Tee by Blazenka Simic-Boro a 3 out of 4 for difficulty made of Hikoo Rylie in Pearl which is a alpaca, silk, linen blend. While cables always strike me as a cold weather feature, I want to try the lace stitch on something else.

The cover garments is the only pattern here that has waist shaping, the rest are rectangles, so you may want to add your own shaping if you swim in rectangles as I tend to do.

So my next Marco the Phoenix inspired garment.. this time its a knitted sommer sweater

I used vegan tencel made out of wood..dont ask me how i just saw it an was like ohh shiny 😅 it has a shimmer like silk but a less soft feel..its what i call a "cold yarn"

The colors light blue, gray and orange with this new shell pattern remindes me of feathers.. maybe i have to re knitt the colar because its a little to lose...

My finished June Top! I think I want to make it a little longer at some point, but for now it’ll be good with high waisted stuff.