Some of us put down our knitting during the hot summer months. There are many reasons for this—we get busy in the garden, we go on vacation, or we're just plain too hot to knit!

In our corner of the Inland Northwest, it's not common for houses to have air conditioning, unless they were built in the last fifteen years or so. My house was build in 1953, so no AC for me! I do have an estimate on the calendar, though, because our summers are getting hotter every year.

Anyway, I knit through the summer, in front of a fan. It has a permanent spot in the family room throughout the warm months of summer!

Show owner Kelley Hobart recently shared some ideas for summer knitting in her weekly Facebook Live video. Here are her hints!

1. Find yourself a lap table, like the kind used for breakfast in bed. It keeps your knitting clear of your body so it's not so hot.

2. Choose your patterns with heat in mind. Work on small projects like socks, hats, or other accessories. The Footie Sock Pattern (above right) is a free download, and these knit up quickly in Berocco Comfort Sock. These make great gifts! Lace patterns are also great choices—like the Augustine or Jubilee scarves—the texture of lace projects lets the air circulate through your knitting.

3. Place a cotton pillowcase between you and your knitting. The cool, cotton layer will protect you from the warmth of your projects.

4. Pick your yarns carefully. Look for blends that include cotton, silk, and bamboo. We love Universal Bamboo Pop, which is 50 percent bamboo and 50 percent silk, and HiKoo CoBaSi, a cotton/bamboo/silk blend. Berroco Comfort Sock is a wonderful choice for any sock pattern. It's a hard-wearing, washable yarn that's super soft.

5. Work on a pieced project like blanket made up of squares. We love the book Building Blocks by Michelle Hunter. She teaches different stitch patterns knit up in blocks and then stitched together to make a beautiful afghan. The squares are small and portable—perfect for summer knitting! Check out Building with Lace, too, which follows the same formula.

Bonus Tip: Use wooden needles in the summertime. I've left my metal needles in the sun and they were HOT when I picked them up. I had to dip them in the lake to cool them down.

I hope these ideas help you keep knitting through the warm-weather months!

Cheers,