Knitting Patterns – Shawls for Summer Days

Some knitters toss all their knitting aside during the warm summer months, but those of us who are a little more obsessed both knit and use knit things even when it’s hot outside.

Because we know hot outside doesn’t mean hot inside, and a warm day can turn into a cool evening without much notice. And summer knitting can easily be done from an airconditioned room too.

That’s why it’s a great idea to always have a little summer shawl knitting pattern at the ready should a chill come your way. Here are a few pretty summer shawl knitting ones I’ve come across recently.

The Jocelyn Wrap from Fibra Natura is worked in a cool linen blend yarn that’s great for summer. Wear this eyelet and lace pattern over a tank top and you’ll be comfortable all day.

Joyce Fassbender’s Psh-shawl from Knit Picks has a fun story to go with its cute name. It’s the answer to knitters who say shawls take too long or lace is too hard. This little bitty pattern has a pretty simple lace diamond pattern and is a great first lace shawl pattern (though it is rated for intermediate knitters).

The Ojos de Bruja scarf from Knitting and So On has a shawl shape and fun holes along the edge. It’s worked in a multicolored yarn in Garter Stitch with German short rows, which is a slightly different technique that will increase your knitting skills.

Berroco’s Dorothea shawl is a big project, worked with a relatively easy diamond lace pattern from the center out. This one is designed by Amy Christoffers and would be great to wear in spring and fall as well.

I’m a big fan of little shawls like this one from Zsuzsa Kiss on the Love Knitting blog (free membership required to download). It has a fun deep lace edging paired with a textured section and is worked in a pretty gradient yarn.

Have you knit any shawls this summer? I’d love to know what you’re working on.

Looking for more summer knits? check these knitting books out on Amazon

Looking to chat about Knitting and Patterns? Check out our Facebook Knitting page and our Facebook group dedicated to Knitting and Knitting Patterns.

Looking for more amazing shawl patterns? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

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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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