I’ll Knit If I Want To: Episode 164

[@chantald9661]

I never ever stop knitting no matter the season. I am 95% a process knitter so I would go crazy if I didn’t knit 😅

[@sc00badive]

I went through a lull before Christmas 2023, I had at least 6 WIPs waiting, but I didn't want to work on any of them. I was burnt out on long term projects, so I started knitting wash cloths and hand towels. I learned some beautiful stitches! The linen stitch, fisherman's rib, basket weave stitch, and mosaic stitch using all different colors of the Libby Cotton yarns, so inexpensive! I gave most of them as gifts to family at Christmas. I still had something to do with my hands, I was still learning, but it was short term. I love all the colors available in the Sugar n' Cream & Peaches & Cream yarns by LIbby. That's my method for lulls. Right now I'm still working on my first Half & Half Triangle Wrap. I'm 63, and about to graduate with my masters in data science, 1 more exam to go. So when school was at it hardest, I didn't want any problems to solve in my knitting, it had to be mindless or I didn't do it. Your Birch Pullover is one of the patterns that I want to knit, now that I've learned Fisherman's Rib doing a hand towel, I know what I'm getting into if I start that sweater.

[@joeycat1441]

I’ve been knitting almost daily for a little over a year and recently took my knitting on a vacation to Mexico and relaxed by the pool knitting socks. I enjoyed it so much compared to another trip when my knitting stayed in my hotel room and I grabbed just a few minutes of knitting before bed. I’ll knit by the pool if I want to!😊

[@LorenMarieP]

As a librarian, I meet people in the middle of a reading dearth all the time!😂 the key in these circumstances is often to ask people what they loved about a book… The characters? The plot? The setting? When you can get them to ruminate on what they enjoyed in a book, they can seek new ways to enjoy that particular element or they can start to search for a new book will give them a different type of fulfillment. Converting the strategy to knitting, I would encourage someone to reflect on what they loved about the project they just finished. For the Douglas, I really loved the colors and getting to add “just one more stripe”. that might translate to looking for more patterns with color work or striping, or returning to my love for texture and looking at designs that give me a new type of fulfillment.😊

[@jomeurer9444]

I just knit! No agenda….just knit whatever my brain says….hence 3 blankets and 1 sock and soon a Brume project all on the needles at the same time! I’m never bored…just truly happy ❤

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

I usually get so excited at the end of a project because I am looking forward to what I wil knit next. I tend to swatch before I finish something, it gives me the motivaiton to finish something to get on the next project. I often knit one or two small projects in between bigger projects. I knit all year round, but tend to use more vegetal fibers in summer, or a mix cotton/wool, silk/wool. I tend to knit smaller or lighter projects in summer.

[@dianedean521]

I like to wake up early and knit before I leave for 7 am work. Just a nice way to meditate before a hectic day.

[@cjkathe]

A friend of mine kept all her swatches and washed them with the final garment. That way, if she ever had to do a repair she had the same yarn to fix it with, and the repair never looked like a patch. I never keep mine because if I do them I use that yarn. Too many times I've played yarn chicken and won with about 4-6"! I NEED that swatched yarn, lol.

[@everystitchaprayer6268]

Everything else cleared off your needles?! I can't even fathom that! Go, Andrea!

[@SomerKnits]

sometimes I swatch for the next project before I finish the current one so that I can dive right in to the "fun" part

[@debsievert4766]

Also!!!!! Knitting with friends always gives the group ideas one would not have thought of before! It gets you through that hesitation on the STARTING! Knit envy!

[@moagirl5]

I love to knit all year long. In the summer…I enjoy working on summer projects because I feel that the selection of summer yarns is at its peek. And in the fall.. again I feel that there are so many new and fun fall and warmer yarns to choose from.

[@woxanna]

HI Andrea, For me it's more about indoor, outdoor and public knitting - not caring about the yarn content as such. During the day, I sit in what was my home office (now retired) with my knitting (usually a sweater) resting on my mostly unused keyboard tray, watching all the delightful podcasts that I can. I don't do outdoor knitting in the winter but in the warmer months I usually have a pair of socks to knit. For public knitting, which I usually do a day or two a week while hanging about one of our local breweries before dinner, I'll do something simple and small like a shawl so I can easily participate in conversations without making too many mistakes.

[@lgm204]

Always like having something on the needles, something of a “let it ride” kind of knitter and not too fussy about my fiber ☺️

[@saramerrick3539]

I'm a year-round autumn/winter knitter. Love the wool!

[@debsievert4766]

As I’m knitting something, I am ALWAYS thinking of the next project! I have knit the Nightshift Shawl four times in the last year. My knitting friend has knit it over TEN times. We have discussed this wild happening, and decided we could go the rest of our lives only knitting the Nightshift, and be perfectly happy. What colors or yarns should we use next!? There are endless possibilities, of course. Now I’m branching out to the Trinigan cardigan. And for a break from that, I’ve started the Shift Cowl. I have several other DreaRenee patterns, and it is just a matter of time before I get to them all! If I’m in a funk about knitting, I will go back to Quilting for a week or a month…. I go between the two. They are the Two Great Loves of my Crafting Life….. thanks to you!

[@AimeeLynch-bc1dv]

I tend to choose my yarns based on color for each season (depending on who I'm knitting for). If I'm knitting for the fall I knit choose fall colors, spring and summer- brighter colors, etc. I also lean more towards the natural fibers as they can be worn year-round. I can't imagine not knitting in the summer! Every season is knitting season!

[@zephyraK]

I'm in a knitting low at this moment. Just finished a project, no urge to start a new one, even don't like my Ravelry queue at the moment. For me, this often is the moment I switch crafts for a while. So I picked up my cross stitch and have faith the inspiration for knitting will come back at some point. I decided that it doesn't matter what I'm making with which craft, as long as I'm enjoying myself. A happy crafter here!

[@mariloknitting]

I am allways have a blanket on the go so when a larger project is finished I can just contiue with the blanket until I have desided what to start next. I never stop knitting and I can knit on in whatever yarn comes to mind, mostly wool.

[@ladydlc550]

I'm a year-round knitter. Summer knits include a lot of linen or linen/cotton tops. I love wearing my knitted garments every day. In the summer, I tend to knit the sleeveless garments because there will be less weight of fabric accumulating in my lap, which feels like less heat. Thank you for your well-rounded explanations for problems we encounter.

[@tessa5]

I definitely knit for fall and winter during the summer! Summer in The Netherlands is short (if we get a summer...) and I wear wool much of the year. Also, I like to think I'm knitting some of the summer warmth into the winter woollies!😉

[@sleepydrJ]

Fill the knitting lull with a little gnome! You can get inspired by new yarn, or scraps. It’s fast and easy and allows for endless creative expression. Swap in a textured stitch you’ve been thinking about. Give it a personality- make it a news reporter, a pirate, a book character, sport fan, express the changing season etc. if you don’t want it, somebody will adore it. It’s the perfect palate cleanser to refresh your mojo.

[@monicalarose7980]

I pretty much knit very warm, wool sweaters all year round! I feel like even in the summer, weather is weird and there's those cooler days or evenings you can wear a wool sweater, and thus far I just have not been motivated to knit with any fiber other than wool. Cozy is usually what I'm going for with knits. That said, lately I have been craving quick knits in a lighter yarn - I feel like a nice cool fiber like a silk/cotton/wool blend would knit up really quickly in a short sleeve top, maybe a nice airy lace pattern - enough so that I could both finish knitting it and wear it in the summer!

[@michellem5495]

For sewing projects, I highly recommend tracking future projects in Backstitch! It's like Rav where you can create a project with a pattern/fabric, then on your projects page you can see both the pattern photo + your fabric as a reminder. I really like that you can categorize your patterns as things like "Idea" or "Ready to Sew" because sometimes I have the perfect pattern/fabric combo in mind, but don't want to make a winter coat in the summer, so it can remind me come fall what I was planning to make for the cooler months.

[@becship]

I have a picture of my yarn stash that I keep on my phone and whenever I don't know what to make next, I look at it and usually at least one of the skeins speaks to me. It's usually a smaller project, but it helps me get over the decision hurdle. I'm also a year-round knitter, but the seasons don't make a huge difference. A couple years ago, I knit a wool blanket throughout the summer and last autumn I made a camisole; I just go with what feels right at the time ☺ Thanks for another great episode!

[@carriechameau7982]

I usually just make one summer project, a quick knit in linen or cotton. But I will then jump right back into a wool fiber, even if it's warm.

[@cynthiaguild61]

After your show and tell, I'm excited for your June release too! I prefer bottom up knitting- like the Traveler Shell I'm working on currently.❤ Yes, I love the colors too.

[@Guilloub]

I love joining a KAL for inspiration… by looking at fellow knitters projects I get lots of ideas on color combinations I want to try either on the same project or another pattern. I keep a queue on Ravelry and I use my favorite list to get inspiration! By always looking ahead, I can order yarn ahead and have options for the next project as soon as I finish my wip

[@bgbaltuth]

I knit all year long. If it's hot , knit small or in an air-conditioned cafe! I wish I could knit all day everyday. Thanks

[@zoedoodle]

I don't stop knitting but as the seasons change, the kinds of things I feel like knitting, the fibers I want to work with and the colors I want to use, do change. If I have a warm cardigan on the needles when spring comes around, it will end up hibernating until November. Summer colored wraps will languish until March or April, once the cold weather comes along unless it is a gift for someone. It will stay in the back of my mind and then I'm excited to get back to it when the weather changes. I let my joy be my guide. Life is too short.

[@christinaheesakacowden-wut3809]

I actually never or almost never knit with "summer yarns"/cotton/linnen/bambu ... I just do not like the knitting experience or the finished products from those plant fibers. I get really hot in the warmer months and I cannot wear anything knitted at all. I do however crochet with plant fiber yarns. 🙂 Blankets, toys, handbags, totes etc. About the knitting for the colder months and visa versa. I knit with warmer fiber all year round, especially in the summer months, so I can have them for the colder seasons. It is just like in the fashion industry. The collections have to be made a season beforehand, so they can be ready and worn. I love to sew my own wardrobe and home decor. I have been sewing and knitting and crafting for 47 years now. It is like the air I breath, the basic need that keeps me going, the joy in my life, my calling. Love your channel and your designs. I would love to see more of your personal life. That would be awesome. How you live, what else you do, your house and interiour, your foods, your sewing, your trips to fairs and knitting shows, interviews maybe etc. I remember an interview you did years ago with Kristy Glass. It was in a hotel room somewhere at a fair. Was it Reinbeck? I loved that interview. 🙂 Huggs from the Schurwald Forest, Germany. 💖

[@dlindsay913]

I love to go to a yarn store and look at their projects that are knit up for inspiration of yarn and patterns. In the spring/early summer, I like to knit for the upcoming season and switch it during early fall/winter.

[@tmulligan8227]

I’ve been all of those people 😂. I used to sew in the spring and summer and switch to knitting in the fall and winter. Now I knit all year round and I knit concurrently with the season. Warm weather items in the warm weather and heavier items when it’s cold. I’m about to knit up some cotton yarn I bought when I was in India. It’s like a fun trip down memory lane!

[@susanmiller3863]

I continue knitting all year. I wish I was so organized that I could answer your question about the yarn I use. I knit for the future for my grands, so I just crank out what I can when I can. I live in Florida, so I tend to use lighter yarns where I am concerned, but I love yarn, so...... Knitting is my mood regulator and keeps my hands from freezing up. I no longer fight the mistakes, I pull the yarn out and reknit. I enjoy knitting so it is all good. My grandmother started me knitting at seven, I am now 80 and the journey has been off and on, but since 2005, I am all in.

[@kristanenns4022]

So exciting! Going to head over to ravelry and join the knit along! It'll be my first. I just casted on my first sweater, the DRK everyday sweater! ❤

[@juliaabernethy2500]

It's such a feeling of luxury to me to sit in the AC on a hot day and knit wool! But I do like to keep a linen or cotton project going also. Or silk.

[@sarameyer1]

THANK YOU for sharing your wisdom, processes, creativity and patterns with ALL. OF. US. ❤🧶🎉. I’ve tried to be a seasonal knitter/crocheter, but that just doesn’t seem to mesh with my life so I just pick up projects that look fun for the moment. I mostly use plant-based or acrylic yarns because I’m allergic to wool and other animal fibers. So my fiber choices seem to fit year round anyway. Be well Andrea Mowry. BTW, love the sweater story about your husband. He truly loves you and shows it with this charming story. ❤

[@janettemarquardt4051]

Although I knit year round, I do not knit as much in the summer, I love to be outside in the summer, I live on a farm and there is so much to do outside, especally in the summer. I wash my wool outside, I try to get in all washed, picked and a good start on the carding. That leaves spinning and knitting to do in the dark cold days of winter when I really don't like to be outside.

[@theholisticinitiative]

Oh those fibers from Mellie Knits !!!

[@PhyllisGrit]

I’m a year round knitter. If it gets really warm here in Michigan than I will work on socks. Something small. Right now I am finishing a shawl and getting ready to knit a summer 3/4 length sleeve summer sweater for cool evenings.

[@cwanlin128]

I knit all year--mostly with wool. I might decide to knit for the season I'm in, but usually it doesn't bother me to knit heavier things in the summer. Of course, I live in the Bay Area of CA, so I'm not dealing with humidity--and I am happy to use my AC!!

[@gailkorhonen8553]

I knit everyday, all year long. I tend to knit tees and socks during the summer. Currently, I have two wool sweaters on the needles.

[@dianejoel717]

When I’m looking for a new project, sometimes I’ll go to my yarn stash for inspiration. I love to use up stash yarn and it feels so satisfying when I finish s

[@TheNeophyteKnitter-wf7yl]

At 30min you mentioned turning off your coffee mug WHAT? WHAT? My partner was sitting right there and I turned to him and asked, in literal amazement, if he had ever heard of such a contraption! We are both avid tea and coffee connoisseurs....I must know... where did you find this gift from the gods???

[@tamesonob]

I knit all year, I spin all year, I sew when I need something, and I weave all the time. Gift weaving hot and heavy from October to a couple days before Xmas

[@amyj9907]

Regarding question 1, I always try to start the next project before completing the current one. Then all of the tedious bits are already done and I can just happily jump in with both feet!

[@karyncook4291]

Thanks, Andrea for another inspiring episode! I’m currently knitting the Winters Beach Cardi; I have 1-1/2 rows before I can split for the front & back. I also have a pair of socks on the needles (I always do). I knit with wool year round. I always have at least one pair of socks going, but I knit sweaters year round. I live in Minnesota and I never seem to have enough sweaters or cardigans. I have a couple short sleeved tops, but they’re knit with wool (fingering & sport weight). I also seem to sew & spin more in the summer, than any other time of year, but that’s probably because I seem to have more uninterrupted time for both. Thanks again!

[@tamsnell8189]

I knit all year long. I knit with more plant-based fibres in the Spring and Summer, but have no problem knitting with wool in the hotter months (I might just avoid heavier weight yarns or mohair, unless I had to have it on my needles and couldn’t wait for Fall 😉).

[@debsievert4766]

I just bought the Find yer Fade Shawl pattern!!!! Eeek! I can’t wait to make it.

[@TaylorOwen]

I always enjoy watching your podcast in the morning while I drink my coffee and get ready for work. When you sip, I sip (…we sip!) ❤☕️❤ Happy Friday!

[@barbbuteyn8800]

I’m currently knitting on a Shift cowl and I love it. This will definitely be a repeat pattern for me. As for summer knitting, I knit year round but mainly knit smaller projects in the summer so I don’t have a lot of wool laying on my lap. I do still have a larger project like a sweater for cooler nights or when the air conditioner is on.

[@mokepemberley4525]

I keep a - sort of - journal. I say sort of because the pages are more like mini mood boards. So, when I see something like color combos or textures or designs- I add it and when I need a little inspiration I flip through and then pick colors or textures and then a project to go with it - rather than finding a project and then finding the color, etc.

[@sassyd59]

Love the TFD cotton/wool and Oh Dang color combo. Looking forward seeing your creation.

[@alisongummery3767]

I just love to knit, especially hand spun yarn, you are right it’s just magical! My only problem is my hands get a little sweaty when it’s hot and spinning isn’t so smooth and easy.

[@paulafralick2905]

I just keep on knitting through the summer. Whatever I wantbto knit. I may do kore smaller projevts, but not neccesarily. I am just an I'll knit wuatever brings me joy today. Even if thaat means a new cast on.

[@marymann3975]

I'm definitely an object knitter which makes me want to knit for the next season but I can't get my act together (maybe I can now that I am retired). So I just knit whatever strikes my fancy. I do always tend to have a pair of socks on the needles now and I'm going to try my first pair of shorties for summer.

[@nancyprinsze2211]

I always feel like I am a season behind finishing projects. For example, I just finished the summer top and now it is getting cold. It frustrates me, so I am trying to work on that. It is a mindset and hard to think about summer tops in the winter. Also, the yarn shops and online sources focus on projects and yarns for the upcoming season. I do have a summer goal this year of starting gift projects in the summer so they are done for Christmas.💖

[@sarahkay6302]

I definitely have starter's procrastination! One thing that helps me a lot is to do all of my prep work for my next project *before* I've finished my current project. So if I get sick of swatching and whatnot I can take a break and just knit on my current wip. But if I can break up the prep work with knitting on another project, then by the time I'm finished my current project I usually will have everything ready to go for my next one and I can just jump into the knitting. Otherwise I'll drag my feet for weeks on picking and starting a new project, even if I know what I want to make!

[@kj-sf4md]

I knit all year. In march, i knit a cotton blend summer sweater or top. Then i move into small wool blend charity knits, hats, mittens mostly. Great stash busters, great for summer travel, nothing so large its dragging across my lap, & mostly memorized patterns. And they are done by the time local charities require them. Then i move into fall/ winter sweater, and gift knitting. Once Christmas is over, i dabble in dying & spinning. But am still an amateur at those skills. And will utilize my own dyed & spun yarn in a creative shawl type project.

[@nadinegoffart487]

Thanks for another interesting episode of my favourite Friday podcast! I knit all year round. Now I am knitting with wool cotton blends and soon I will use linen, cotton and silk. Fortunately these fibres are so much better now than they used to be. Linen is not nice on your hands but I love wearing my linen tees in summer! I want to knit with wool again beginning September. It doesn’t get cold before November or even December where I live and I have enough fingering weight sweaters to wear in autumn. By the way my Weekender Crew in Brooklyn Tweed Dapple (wool cotton blend) takes me through spring and will also take me through autumn. I absolutely love the sweater and the yarn. ❤

[@knitsandpurls-143]

Love Fridays with you!! To your seasonal question...I generally still knit what makes me happy and don't worry about the season. I think part of that is because I love to knit with wool more than any other fiber. Sometimes that is a problem because it is very hot where I live. Lucky for me I have grandbabies, so I just knit small things (this also helps with my knitting mojo). Thanks again for all the color and joy you bring us!

[@karinamorgan1084]

Oh my gosh!!!! I started the DK version of Free Your Fade on Monday with scraps that I think will fade perfectly together. How funny you’re wearing it this week! 🤗🥳

[@madrod2]

You inspired me to get things off the needles and sewing machine!😊

[@woolaroundtheworld]

Hey. I don't care too much about seasons. I knit what i feel like. Right now a cardigan with mohair,a hat on the go and i will cast on a cotton summer tank later. Also i live in the Himalayas in india so we can have all seasons in one day. Plus no idea what monsoon knitting would be like. Have a great weekend and thanks for sharing

[@jenniferwoollard8293]

I never stop knitting unless my mojo takes a dive for some reason. I used to knit various things thru the year and would do more shawls and smaller things like hats in the summer but I have become primarily a sweater or garment knitter these days. I don’t allow the seasons to change what I want to knit. However, I might throw in a quick linen or silk top this spring for summer wear IF I find one I love.

[@SueLutz]

I knit and crochet all year long. My projects are usually for the upcoming season. If it's a large project and too warm to work on, I always have smaller projects ready to pick up for lighter options. I can't not knit or crochet daily, even for 15 minutes helps keep me happy and sane.

[@ImmaHippster]

What a funny story about your husband! I am dying! I can just imagine him and I can imagine my partner doing the same thing…. Just wearing a garment I made evvven though it’s falling apart! Thank you and lots of love!!

[@heathergendron]

I have two ideas for question 1… plan for a scrappy project, maybe a gauge swatch patchwork blanket, then you could be more inclined to make the swatch in the first place. You could add them to the blanket as you finish each project giving you time to consider your next project. My personal tip is plenty of WIPs. I’ll cast a few on and work on them as the mood strikes when I finish one there’s always another waiting. New problem is too many WIPs but that’s a different question 😂

[@stephanienogan9757]

Wool knitting year round 😁

[@Sarah.and.Stitches]

I knit with wool all year round! I’ve done a few “summer” knits but it gets so hot and humid where I am that these are mostly worn in springtime, even cotton and linen knits. So I stick to wool and sweaters knit inside during summer mostly. Although I do have a linen Stripes! in my queue that I can’t stop thinking about. My favorite for outside summer knitting is socks! Still wool, but they’re so small and portable and never feel too hot to knit on outside.

[@debracooney391]

I start my fall projects in August so they will be ready to go and I start my spring projects when the weather starts to change. I am always knitting, but I really get in the mood for those wools in August!

[@margreffle]

I just finished a spin, and thought I'd use it for the Traveller cowl. Well, it's not the nicest spin, I'm still very much a spinning newbie. However, now I totally want to make a Free Your Fade, and let the yarn just do what it wants to do. I want to use my handspun, so I'm going to do it! Thanks for the discount code BTW! During the summer, I totally knit with warm-weather yarns, like Knitting For Olive Pure Silk, or any of the myriad of linen and cotton-linen combo yarns. I usually get them done and get to wear them in the same season.

[@andreaderosier1461]

I try to stay inspired by rotating yarn weights - fingering and DK so that I have instant gratification every other project.

[@beanaasz4069]

I knit year round and make whatever tickles my fancy. I prefer not to have more than three WIPs, but that is definitely not a hard and fast rule. I always have socks on the go, a simple knit that I don't have to think about and something bigger, such as a sweater. Sometimes a sweater can be a mindless knit when you hit several inches of stockinette - boring, endless stockinette.

[@HilaryPalmer-hj3ik]

In the middle of knitting Sprite, I had to have surgery on my thumb this week. Bummer. So IKIIWT is helping me get my knitting fix.

[@nicoleyahc]

Oh I totally had a wheel squeak too last week! I felt like a Nobel prize winning genius when I realized it was the metal rod that the pedals hinge on that was culprit, I never even noticed that piece before since it's almost completely hidden by the pedals. Of course this is after I had been obsessively oiling every single screw and bolt on my wheel thinking it was basically a goner. 😂

[@annbaker8748]

I really hate the feeling of a good book/series/movie ending and being like “NOTHING WILL EVER COMPARE!” But I also hate starting a new project and a big part of that for me, is swatching. I’ve learned to find my next project and start swatching before I finish sweater #1 to avoid the slump (and ensuing anxiety!)

[@joannsteinly5325]

OMG, I had just that thought about a really good book right before you said it.

[@the_busy_beaver_brooke]

I enjoy swatching, especially with a pattern, if there's a stitch pattern it gets that tangled into my brain and sometimes magical things happen to yarn when you swatch....I also have the joy of being a tiny knitter so i always go up at least one needle size so that also brings joy

[@sunnyw4148]

I also get stuck sometimes getting into the next project. Since designers don't use all the same terms, it means getting used to how another pattern in written and where those little extra messages that are easy to miss are located. When that happens for me, I knit hats for community knitting. Builds up my knitting karma. And yes I do knit all year.

[@alisonharris7130]

I am hanging to some summer knitting because I bought some cotton/linen yarns but I am always knitting and now spinning and I will work with wool. Make lots of socks, some hats. Am currently spinning for the Traveler hoodie and can't wait to get that yarn on my needles. Don't mind at all knitting with wool in the summer.😉

[@dianegiannini8968]

Just finished the Traveler Cowl! Car knitting on the way to and from seeing the total eclipse of the sun. I am planning on knitting the traveler hoodie out of my handspun. Still spinning the yarn for it. Love your patterns and I have knit some of the sock patterns more than once. Currently caking yarn for the Totally Tessellated socks. I think that is my favorite sock pattern you have created so far. Can't not knit. Always knitting and almost spinning daily now! Summer is sock knitting for sure.

[@karenwhite2601]

Happy Friday! Seeing you pop up this afternoon really cheered me up as wasn't expecting it until tomorrow, thinking that today was Thursday. My brain is addled! I always love your colour combos and the new one on your needles is especially luscious! I enjoy listening, whatever it is your talking about, your lovely personality shines through and I always learn something new. I try to knit something summer weight in spring and move on through the seasons so I will nearly always be knitting for the season ahead of the one I'm in. Unless it's a big project which will take me longer - I am not a quick knitter!

[@brookwillow]

I used to knit seasonally, so summer garments in the summer. But then I noticed I would overcommit and have a back log of summer garments by the time fall came around. So this year is the first year I’m going to try making only 1 summer garment and the rest fall/winter!

[@lisa.johnsonnn]

Re: summer knits: I have also been pondering this! I am not fast and could use more sweaters so I might just cast on a wooly cable one this summer. I also *might* do a short sleeve one in a linen blend, but tbh I am less excited about hand-knits when it's really warm. (Though in my part of Canada I can get a lot of use out of springy and early fall knits.) So: I am leaning towards *not* being very seasonal with my knits, as the time from start to finish is long ... and for my personal wardrobe, I value the cozy knits more.

[@cynthiarence6375]

I knit a sweater for my husband, and twelve months later I knit another one with the same pattern, yarn and needles. I didn’t swatch the second year, but it turned out that my knitting was much tighter than the first time. So, I had to frog part of the sweater, and then recalculate the number of stitches for the correct measurements.

[@julierines1100]

Warping is what keeps me from weaving . It is a huge production that involves moving furniture and I'm never sure I've done it tight enough.

[@lindapayne9474]

You are so correct that dye makes a difference in stitch count. Also I find my tension changes over time. Surprisingly to me, it seems to be seasonal. I tend to have a looser tension in warmer seasons

[@comfycozytoo]

I think the same way but only reakized recently that i want to knit my summer knits in the colder months so they are ready come spring and summer. Right now im racing against the clock to finish a tee. I also have a sweater on the needles that i will finish before fall.

[@SusanBurger-m2p]

I have a long term "pallet cleanser" project that I knit when I finish one project but don't have an idea for another project. My current PC project is a scrappy miter square blanket.

[@brendaferguson9235]

I'm working on Tif Neilan's Woodhaven Pullover but now I'm wanting to cast on the Free Your fade shawl now. 😍

[@jessicastuppyknits871]

I put my swatch in a binder with the printed out pattern. I’ve used my swatch to mend sweaters before that got holes. It’s the perfect amount for repair.

[@nealieanderson512]

I visit a yarn shop and see what people have done and get tons of ideas.

[@vindeljay]

I can't get the desired effect I want from my normal spinning yet, so long draw will be a future lesson to learn. However I have been inspired to spin every day from your long draw spin along. I allow 15min but it ends up being an hour. For seasonal knitting, I live in NSW Australia so I knit all year round with all types of wool, mainly because I can't wear any type of knitted garment in my summer, even cotton, much too hot, so all my knitting is done for autumn and winter and for family who live in England and France who's seasons are opposite to mine. So summer knitting is essential. I just change the size of the garment/project for the weather and put the aircon on in summer, which is a necessity. I've just completed my second night shift shawl in sport weight, which I will use a lot this winter. That shawl inspired another friend to try a shifty project in sport weight, she's chosen great colours

[@songvo1563]

I am knitting Spark cardigan. Never steeked before so going to figure it out! Knitting MC in Jade Sapphire Zaggeo cashmere + Spincyle Dream State.

[@debsievert4766]

Summer knitting? ABSOLUTELY! Always knitting. Taking a trip in June…. Cannot travel without knitting, so…. Socks are portable. Gonna do socks! If I DON’t bring the knitting…. I will be so very sorry.😢😢

[@allnaturalnutknitting4272]

Knit year around, but I also make a lot of tee type knits with cotton. I also never have knitting block. I want to make more than I can ever wear.

[@helennorris1888]

I knit with whatever yarn and project i want at the time, regardless what the weather is!

[@kayladernier1314]

I live in Florida so I have found that summer projects are socks and hats so I don’t have a big pile of wool on my lap. I do knit less in the hottest of months because my hands are too sweaty to knit or spin, sewing takes precedence then

[@heatherbaird2041]

I think my husband's bristly chin and neck wear out collars. Like sandpaper.