Get Your Summer Knitting Started with this Fun Top

I decided last fall that I actually have enough knit sweaters. Maybe even a few too many if we’re being honest with how rarely I wear some of them.

Of course I don’t want to stop knitting garments, so I’ve added more vests and socks to my rotation. I’ve started crocheting more (though only one sweater so far!) and throwing in other crafts instead of being all knitting all the time.

And of course there are summer tops. I don’t wear them as much as I should but they’re a great way to get some knit garments in my life without knitting a whole sweater.

If you’re new to knitting clothes, starting with a summer top is a great entry point, especially if there are no sleeves involved.

Gudrun Johnston’s Simmer Dim Top is definitely going on my list of makes for the warmer weather to come. It’s worked in lace weight yarn, making it super light and comfortable for warm weather. It’s sleeveless and seamless, worked from the bottom up with a-line shaping, in the round to the armholes.

The textured stitch on front and back is worked flat one piece at a time, and finished with an I-cord edging that becomes the straps. The armholes are finished by picking up stitches and then binding them off.

Darts are used to shape the a-line of the body, and faux side seams are used on the body. It’s identical front to back.

The pattern comes in 10 sizes, with chest measurements ranging from 31 to 60 inches, or 79 to 152.5 cm. It’s meant to be worn with 0 to 2 inches/5 cm of positive ease. In the photos it looks a little shorter than my preference (since I have a long torso) but working from the bottom up makes it easy to adjust because you can just knit as long as you like to the armholes.

You can find this pattern (and a bunch of pretty versions other people have made) on Ravelry.

[Photo: Gundrun Johnston]

Adding a bit of knitting to your fall decor is a lot of fun, whether it’s knit pumpkins or a bunch of adorable knit ghosts like these.

Knit ghosts can be super simple like this free ghost knitting pattern from Trixie Zynch on Ravelry. Using about 50 yards of worsted weight yarn, they’re worked from the bottom up and are super cute as a pair.

This fuzzy little ghost from Forest Knitting Toys is holding a pumpkin and wearing a witch hat, though of course the accessories are optional, as is the fuzzy yarn. The main yarn is chunky and the ghost measures about 10 cm/4 inches tall. It’s worked in the round.

Another fuzzy ghost in more of a Pacman style is this ghost plushie form South Stitch Girls. It’s worked in the round with bulky yarn and includes a sweet little bow you can make in whatever color you like.

The ghost doll from Edith Grace Designs has little arms and a curl at the top of its head. The body is worked flat using DK weight yarn and you could also work it in glow in the dark yarn for extra fun. The body and head are worked in one piece with the arms knit separately.

The Grim Grinning Ghosts from Susan Claudino are super cute and you can knit them in any yarn and gauge you like to make ghosts of different sizes. These are worked in the round with the body done in one piece and the arms are knit separately. The ghosts shown were knit in sock yarn, DK and worsted weight yarn. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

Make a ghost with funny striped legs with this ghost shelf sitter design from Claire Fairall Designs. It’s worked in three colors of DK weight yarn, and the letters spelling out boo are made with strips of garter stitch sewn into shape.

Have you read?