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Giveaway: Warm Days, Cool Knits

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warm days cool knits

Stefanie is the winner!

After a really wet beginning to the summer where I live, it finally really feels like summer, with baking hot days and not-very-cool nights. This is the south, after all, and like other southerners I sometimes find it hard to find the will to knit — or to wear something knit — in the heat of summer.

Corrina Ferguson is a knitter in Florida who actually didn’t start knitting until she moved south. She’s had to come up with ways to still knit and wear knits in a climate that is not in need of bulky wool, and some of the results can be found in her fun book Warm Days, Cool Knits.

The book is broken down by season, starting with winter, which offers a couple of long-sleeved sweaters, a hat and a pair of lacy socks. Moving through the seasons, sleeves disappear and more lace is added, but there are also shawls to warm those shoulders in the evenings (or in too-cool rooms).

These projects are pretty and sure to delight knitters in all sorts of climates. You should know that they all use pretty lightweight yarns, but the designs mostly aren’t too challenging and you certainly shouldn’t let skinny yarn stop you.

If you’d like to win a copy of this book (it will be a print edition if you live in the United States, or a PDF if you live elsewhere), leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, July 27. I’d love to know where you live and what the temperature is today.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

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Comments

  2. I live in the mid west and it seems to finally be summer sometimes a bit too hot but today it is supposed to be 88 and humid and some rain possible in the evening.

  3. This looks like a great book for Summer projects! I live in Western New York and the temp today is expected to be in the high 80’s. Combined with the high humidity we’ve been having, it’s hot!!!

  6. I live just outside of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and its a beautiful sumny day (not too hot, not too cold). It’s currently 21 degrees C (about 70 F) with a high of 25 predicted.

  9. i would use a book for cool knits. It has been in the upper 90’s here in Alabama for the last 3 weeks. It is suppose to be over 100 the next couple of days. Thank you.

  10. It’s a lovely 77 in Wahoo, Nebraska right now. It’s supposed to get close to 90 later, so I better get out and mow the grass!

  12. I live in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley…and I’m very pleased to tell you that it’s only about 24 C (75 F) today, which is MUCH nicer than the 38 C (100 F) it was over the weekend! 🙂

  13. I live in NW Indiana and the temperature is 83 today. It is very humid. Definitely, summertime weather here.

  14. I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and the current temperature is 18 C (65F). Its been around 25 C (77 F) all week so I’m ok with the cooler temp 🙂

  17. I live in Atlanta, Georgia. Recently I checked the temperature and it said it was 89° but with himidity its 105! Even with air-conditoning larger projects like afghans can make your lap a puddle.

  18. I also live in a warm climate. In SC it is VERY warm right now and our winters are short and mild.

  20. I’ve seen previews and reviews for this book and I would be ecstatic to win a copy!!

  21. Minneapolis Mb 76° today. I would love to win a copy of this book, it’s definitely already on my wishlist.

  24. I am laid up with a broken leg in Connecticut and would love to be knitting something cool and airy. The book looks absolutely wonderful!

  26. I live in Oregon, about 40 miles inland from the coast. Today it will be 85, much nicer than the nearly 100’s we have been having. Summer knitting is definitely in the works!

  27. I love the two tank top patterns as these are hard to find. This is a book I would love to have.

  29. I live in the Great State of Michigan, and it’s been a balmy 84 degrees today!! We’re supposed to drop in the 70’s tomorrow, which makes me a little sad, but this book is perfect, since I did read my favorite word — shawl!!! Thank you for the wonderful giveaway!! Always love to make new items for myself and others!!

  30. I’m in NYC and the temperature is 91! But I loveeeee knitting! This book seems like the perfect solution to this conundrum 😉

  31. I live in the South, but I am vacation in Maine today! Sadly, it’s 90 degrees and humid here today. This book is full of great patterns. Thanks for another fabulous giveaway! !

  33. I live in Upstate NY.
    It is now 76 degrees.
    Refreshing after 100% humidity
    and in the 90″s last weekend.

  37. The temperature hit 91 today in Ohio. Pretty hot and muggy. Thanks for the chance to win the book.

  38. I live in Phoenix, Arizona now but my knitting started when I lived in michigan. I am excited by this book and can’t wait to take a closer look!

  39. I live in Phoenix Arizona. 9:30 at night and it’s 95 degrees. Don’t know what the high was today, but tomorrow is forecast as 105 degrees.

  44. Georgia, where it is over 100 degrees today. Construction workers had some kind of accident and our power was out for 6 hours. You wanna talk about hot? Try 100 degrees with no fan or air conditioning. And then have a hot flash. It is a wonder I have not incinerated!

  46. I live in Italy and is very very hot at the moment! 40 degrees Celsius, it looks like is 104 Fahrenheit .

  49. Louisville, KY and in the 80s here today. Pleasant after heat of last few weeks.

  50. I live in Oregon. We’ve had a lot of really hot days this summer, but today is lovely, with a high of 79.

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four. 

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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