Get Ready for Summer Stitching with the Summer Love Collection

Annie’s has just launched a new collection of summer-inspired knit and crochet projects called Summer Love. The collection was envisioned by lead designer Lena Skvagerson, who draws from more than 25 years in the European knit and crochet design markets.

Collection contributors include Lisa Gentry, Jill Hanratty, Meghan Jones, Charles Voth and Kara Gott Warner. This group of collaborators share one unified vision—to create a feel-good volume of knit and crochet patterns with the intention to infuse loving energy upon those who create them.

“This collection is so timely for Annie’s because we are deeply listening to the needs of knitters and crocheters,” Skvagerson said. “They demand more than just another pattern, and our answer is a lifestyle approach that invokes emotion, excitement and passion. We want to design garments and wearables that people will actually wear every day and that look flattering on a broad range of body types. They should be clothes that make you feel good and that make people say “Wow, did you make that!?”

This is the first seasonal collection from Annie’s, and it includes knit sweaters, vests and tunics, a crocheted swimsuit and hat, shawls and other accessories perfect for warmer weather. The projects suit a range of skill levels and suit a variety of tastes, with an emphasis on romantic, beachy styles perfect for summer, even in landlocked states. Each pattern costs $7.

Some of my favorites include the Montecito Tunic and the simple Painted Sky Shawl, both pictured above.

Check out the lookbook for the projects, and learn more at Annie’s Signature Collection.

[Photos via Annie’s.]

Next Pattern:

I’ve been toying with the idea of making a yarn cozy or yarn ball holder on the circular knitting machine, but I haven’t gotten to it yet. In the meantime, here are some yarn cozy knitting patterns you can make with knitting needles. Use yarn to hold you yarn!

In its simplest form, a yarn cozy is just a sleeve or a little basket that holds your yarn when you’re working with a center-pull ball so it doesn’t fall apart when you knit. The easiest ones I could find are from Love in Stitches KN, which has a regular size and a mini size. They’re worked with sock yarn and there are options for making them with ribbing, faux cables and with self-striping yarn.

For bigger cakes there’s a project called We call it the “bail holder” from Nicole LeBlanc. This pattern is available on Ravelry and you can use any yarn and make it any size you like. It features an I-cord edging that has a loop in it so you can thread they yarn through the loop to keep it extra contained as you knit.

Another large one that has a slightly fancier pattern is this one by Mareike Meye. You can use any yarn and any gauge, and slip stitch pattern worked in different colors on the sides makes it a little more fun and uses a bit more stash. A strap buttons across the top to hold the ball in place and you can add a buttonhole to the middle of the strap to thread the yarn through. Check this one out on Ravelry.

Adding lace to a yarn cozy makes it fit a wider variety of balls and expand or shrink a bit as needed. Jennifer Sugarman’s Ball Sack uses sock yarn and is made to hold sock yarn. It has the option of making I-cord or using ribbon or cord you already have to make a drawstring at the top. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

Another lacy option is the yarn ball holder from Frugal Knitting Haus. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has an easy mesh lace pattern and an I-cord drawstring that’s sewn together at the ends so you could loop it over your wrist while you knit if you like. This pattern is also on Ravelry.

Speaking of wrist yarn holders, I also found this one form Knituition. This one uses sport weight yarn and has a spiral rib pattern on the body. The strap is attached to the bag with D-rings, or you could make it a little longer and just sew it into the bag.

Next Pattern:

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