Knit a Simple Tank Top for Summer

Over the weekend I finished knitting the body (though I still have some edging and seaming to do) of a super simple tank top I got in a kit from We Are Knitters, which I will actually tell you all abut next week, but I am certainly feeling a summer top jag coming on. All I want to do is knit little tees for the girl and me, or a loose-gauge boxy sweater to wear on cool nights, or little raglan shrugs.

If you’d like to get some simple summer knitting done, too, check out this pattern idea for an easy knit tank from Mama in a Stitch.

It’s worked in Garter and Stockinette in flat pieces. The back is a square, and all you need to know for the shaping on the front is how to bind off and knit two together. And it looks really cute for a first garment project.

Hers is a small/medium size, but because these pieces are worked flat, if you know your gauge with the yarn you want to use you can easily calculate how many stitches you need to cast on.

It’s also a pattern you could easily jazz up by working stripes or throwing in a different pattern stitch if you wanted, but it’s totally cute as it is, too.

Are you doing any summer knitting? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo via Mama in a Stitch.]

It feels like it’s too early to be thinking about back to school, but as I write this my daughter has just a couple of weeks of summer left! So let’s get in that school and fall knitting spirit by looking at some apple knitting projects.

If you have a 22 needle circular knitting machine, knitting an apple is one of the easiest things you can do. I have an apple pattern over at Our Daily Craft that will take you just a few minutes to knit and they’re a great addition to your fall decor.

Apple hats are a classic, and whether you want to knit a hat that looks like an apple or one with apples on it, we’ve got you covered. For hats that look like apples check out the rolled brim version from Emma Crochet Design 4 U, which uses worsted weight yarn and comes in sizes for kids of all ages; and the ribbed brim version from Hand Knit Hugs. This one also calls for worsted weight yarn and comes in four kids sizes. Both include a stem and leaf.

If you’d rather have apples on your hat, try the Red Apple Hat from Little Red Window. This one is sized from newborn to 2T and calls for four colors of worsted weight yarn.

How about apple socks? You’ll find Ariel Chang’s Apple Picnic Socks as a free download on Ravelry. These use three colors of sock yarn and come in three sizes. Stone Knits also a pair of stripey apple socks that show the inside of the apple. These also have three sizes but they use six colors total, with the main color being a self-striping yarn.

If you want a little apple accessory for the house, the apple potholder from Nifty Knitter Designs is cute and a great way to practice double knitting. It uses two colors and you’ll find the colors in the reverse on the other side. The pattern only uses about 50 yards of each color of worsted weight yarn, so it’s a great use for odd balls, too.

Once you’ve got your double knitting skills sorted you can also try the double knit apple scarf from Crow and Chai Shop. The Winter Apples scarf is shown in red and gold, but you can use whatever colors you like. There are apples, stars and random stitches in the design, which calls for DK weight yarn. There’s also a matching fingerless glove pattern.

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