Book Review: Knits for Summer

Summer isn’t really known as prime knitting season, but the truth is there are a lot of great things you can knit — and wear — when the weather is warm.

Knits for Summer by Kristi Simpson is a booklet with 10 ideas for knit accessories you can use in the summertime. The projects include:

barefoot sandals
seaside coasters
lacy cape
rose headband
scoop neck top
anchor pillow
striped tote bag
long vest with eyelets (my favorite!)
allover eyelet tunic
lace wrap with fringe

You can check out all the patterns on the Leisure Arts website.

This is a fun little booklet for those who live in warmer climates or like to have something fun and seasonally appropriate to knit in the summer. All the patterns are rated easy, which makes it a good choice for newer knitters who want to venture into a little bit of lace, colorwork or simple garments.

About the book: 32 pages, paperback, 10 projects. Published 2017 by Leisure Arts, suggested retail price $9.99.

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It’s always a good time for a bookmark, and even more so as we start thinking about back to school time. Reading is more fun when you have a pretty bookmark. That’s just science.

Plus bookmarks are fast, portable, and a fun way to try out different skills. So let’s get busy with some bookmark knitting patterns!

This set of three bookmark knitting patterns from Lucky Fox Knits includes one worked in garter stitch, an easy eyelet lace and one with eyelets running down the center. I love the little I-cord for the tassel!

Add a simple textured stitch to a bookmark to make it a little more fun. This one from Franciscan Gypsy is called the paper towel bookmark, and I’ll bet you can pick it out above just from that description. This one calls for fingering weight yarn.

Another pretty allover pattern is this slip-stitch lace design from Handy Little Me. Inspired by Taylor Swift’s Speak Now, it’s a sweet little design worked in fingering weight yarn. This one is a little extra fun because it has two tassels.

I love this undulating wheat ear bookmark pattern from KMKnits Shop. It’s an interesting stitch pattern perfect for advanced beginner knitters, and it uses sport weight yarn.

A lot of knit bookmarks have a bit of lace, and they’re actually a great way to pick up some lace knitting skills on a tiny project that doesn’t have to be perfect. I like this lacy one from Val Knitting Shop, which is inspired by daisy petals. It calls for fingering weight yarn.

The Jasmine Bookmark from Valentina Fezova-Georgieva is another pretty lace pattern that’s a little more complex but still totally doable. It calls for fingering weight yarn and is available on Ravelry.

If you want a more literal inspiration of flowers in your bookmark pattern, try the pair of floral bookmarks form Warm and KnittedS. One has a little rosette and the other just has leaves. They look like I-cord but they’re actually worked flat on two needles and will stitch up in no time for a last minute gift or to tuck into your latest read.

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Have you read?