Summer knitting is fun. It just requires a few adjustments. Going to an air-conditioned room is one option. The other, which allows for sitting on decks, porches, and in yards, is to choose a yarn that is comfortable to touch, even in high humidity.
Jeffrey Wall, one half of The Yarn Guys, the U.S. distributors of Rauma yarns, suggests Rauma Baby Panda. “It’s extremely high-quality Merino wool, super soft, knits beautifully, and is machine washable,” he says. The yarn is made from the wool of a sheep’s first shearing, which is always the softest. It is also a Superwash wool, meaning the yarn is treated so the scales on each fiber don’t catch and felt with one another. That’s why it’s comfortable in your hand on a humid day.
As Jeffrey said, it knits beautifully and is perfect for baby and children’s garments. Theresa Gaffey’s baby booties pattern is well-suited to knitting with Baby Panda. Because of wool’s wicking qualities (pulling moisture away from the skin) Baby Panda is also an ideal yarn for adults’ summer socks. Try the Classic Sock pattern to make a pair for yourself.
Another yarn that makes knitting in summer a pleasure is Berroco Sox yarn. Even the colors ways, some cool and soothing, others vibrant and sunny, have a summery feel. This self-striping yarn can add pizzazz to a child’s sweater, summer shawl pattern, and of course, socks. Berroco provides a free pattern for a water-bottle cover so you don’t have to worry about condensation, and it lets you tie the bottle to your backpack or tote. With the self-striping pattern, it’s a project that looks good while knitting up very quickly.
Yet another option is to come to Ingebretsen’s for our knitting groups on Monday, from 1 to 3, and Fridays, 3 to 5. It’s air conditioned, you can find the above-mentioned yarns for comfortable knitting, and we get to enjoy your good company!
