Is it ever too hot to knit?

I have to say that after the last few weeks of hot weather there have been times when I did think it was too hot to knit. It doesn't help that the commission I am currently working on is knitted in chunky weight yarn so I have only been able to work on it first think in the morning before it gets too hot. At other times i have been working on different projects which don't make me as hot while knitting.

Socks are always a good alternative in hot weather or as a project to carry around with you. I have several socks started, usually as the result of teaching a workshop. Quite often they stay in their 'just started' state for quite a while or if I finish the first sock, the second one can often take quite a while to complete.

This sock is the second of a pair worked in my zigzag and cable pattern published in The Knitter issue 49. The first sock was knitted some time ago before I knitted the sample pair for the magazine so I thought it was about time I finished this second sock. I have been working on it, on and off for the last few months so I should set myself a goal to finish it before the end of the summer!

As well as knitting this sock I decided I needed to make myself a bolero to go with the dress I have bought for my son's wedding. I decided to re-knit my 'Kidsilk Bolero' pattern but as I wanted something that would be fairly cool I have knitted it in Uppingham Yarns 100% Bamboo yarn.

I am pleased with the way it has knitted up. If I get a reasonable photo of me wearing it at the wedding I will post it. The bamboo has a nice drape and is between a 4ply and DK in weight, I guess nearer the American Sport weight. I was able to match the stitch gauge although the row gauge didn't match exactly but it seems to have come out OK.

Another piece I have been working on, off and on since June is the 'Dreambird Shawl' pattern from Ravelry. it is a variation on the 'Wingspan' pattern and uses the 'swing knitting' method of keeping track of your short rows and the German method of working short rows which has made it an interesting knit.

People who know me well know I don't often knit from someone else's pattern but as this pattern is using several techniques in a different way I thought it was worth trying it as I am always interested in new ways of working in knitting.

The last small project I thought I could work on in this hot weather is knitting with wire and beads.

I did start this project when teaching a wire and beads workshop earlier this year and thought this would be another good project to try and finish because it is small and knitted using wire which stays fairly cool (as long as you don't leave it in the sun). It is the same pattern as the lace and bead bracelet I designed for the bead knitting workshop at Unravel in February.

If I get any of these projects finished by the end of the summer I will post some more pictures. Let me know what you are knitting in this hot weather.