Stitch a Lightweight Top with a Touch of Lace

It took almost all summer but I’m finally getting interested in knitting some tops for the summer. I have so many long-sleeved, cozy sweaters, which is great, but I don’t have a lot of stuff I made to wear when it’s hot outside.

I’ve got my eye on the Wild Flowers Tee from Tif Neilan as a solid option to stitch for summer. It’s a fingering weight top worked from the top down, mostly in garter and stockinette stitch, with a little bit of lace at the top on the front.

The easy drop shoulder construction makes this a good project for someone who hasn’t knit a garment before, though it will take some time to knit even though it’s mostly stockinette because of the fineness of the yarn. The shoulders are shaped with short rows but that’s probably the most “complicated” skill required in the project. There’s also a provisional crochet cast on, and instructions for both the cast on and the German short rows called for are provided in the pattern. You’ll also need to be able to pick up stitches.

The pattern suggests using stitch markers to mark each of the repeats in the lace pattern, in which case you would need 10 to 18 markers for the lace section, depending on the size you are knitting, plus a different marker for the end of the round.

The pattern comes in nine sizes up to a chest measurement of 66 inches/165 cm. It is designed to be worn with 5-7 inches of positive ease. You can also choose to knit a size with less ease, but you’ll want to try on the garment before and while knitting the sleeves to make sure that they fit comfortably with the reduced ease. It’s also written to a cropped length but you can adjust that as well, though you will need more yarn.

Check the pattern out on Ravelry.

[Photo: Tif Neilan.]

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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