Summer Yarn: Guide To The Best Summer Yarns For Knitting

Summer Yarn for knitting in the warmer months. There are gorgeous yarns perfect for summery lightweight garments. Don’t stop knitting projects during the summer months! Using these yarn types bring such joy and keep you cool.

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Frustrated Teacher Quits In Disgust, Sells The Farm, Moves The Family Halfway Across The World And… Starts Knitting

I reviewed, fact checked and updated this post on Apr 8, 2024.

Table of Contents

• Best Yarns For Summer
• Cotton
• Silk
• Bamboo/Cotton
• Linen
• FAQS

Best Summer Yarns: The Best Choice For Good Yarns For Summer Knitting

When you think of summer, one doesn’t think of knitting. That doesn’t mean you can’t knit in warmer weather. Most of us relate to knitting in the fall and winter seasons. Wearing warm knits made of wool, alpaca, mohair, and angora.

We tuck ourselves under snug blankets and wear warm shawls around our shoulders. The colder months aren’t just for knitting. Spring and summer inspire and unleash knitting creativity! Spring yarn is a great gift for a knitter.

What Is The Best Yarn? – In Summer, you’ll want to use plant fiber yarns. Plenty with lovely textures. Add a drape to your garments and be functional like dishcloths and scrubbies. Here’s the best yarn for warm weather.

1 Cotton

Cotton is an easy yarn to knit with, comes in an array of colors, and there are many to choose from. For recommendations, see here. Simple open-air shawls and shrugs, and summer baby blankets are great summer knitted items.

Cotton is breathable, more so than synthetic yarn like acrylic. One of more inexpensive plant based yarns. I love cotton yarn for summer garments! It becomes super soft after multiple washes.
It’s the best yarn for beginner scarf in the warmer seasons as it creates a breathable fabric.

I experience sweating on warmer days! If you’re anything like me, cotton yarn is a perfect choice for summer yarn projects. Knitted items made with this yarn are absorbent and dry quickly, a winning combination!

Other fiber yarns trap sweat against your body. This can irritate your skin. No-one enjoys being hot, sweaty, and irritated! If you like natural/synthetic fiber blends, try a cotton/viscose blend. Consider organic cotton yarn for clothes. It’s better for the environment.

It’s not treated with harsh chemicals. There is some lovely organic cotton available. Dishcloths/Scrubbies are great summer knitting projects. Using cotton yarn, try patterns with different stitches. This keeps the knitting fun and interesting.

These projects are quick to knit and make great gifts. I attest to this. I make dishcloths while traveling. They’re great! If you know people who love making summer knits, gift cards for their favorite yarn shop might be a perfect gift.

To add some fun to your project, sometimes cotton is made into novelty yarns. ⁽¹⁾

2 Silk

Silk yarn is luxurious and has amazing properties. Keeps you cool in warm weather and toasty in the colder weather. For recommendations for your knitting project, see here.

Silk is made by the caterpillar of the silk moth (the silkworm.) Silk is also often blended with cotton and makes a gorgeous summer weight yarn. The only downside of this good yarn for summer is it stretches.

Combat this by knitting summer garments for the hot weather, with a beautiful drape rather than a figure-hugging top. Complex or intricate stitch patterns show up very well in silk.

It’s one of the more expensive yarns for summer. If the garment you’re knitting is something you’ll get a lot of wear out of, it’s worth it to use these natural fibers. Particularly for the silky soft fabric.

3 Bamboo/Cotton Blend

Bamboo/cotton fiber yarns blends are a popular choice. They feel soft and light against the skin. Be particular with your gauge as bamboo/cotton blends have more drape. For recommendations, see here.

After a few washes, some yarns become softer. Testing a knitted swatch comes in super handy. To check how comfortable a yarn is, place it against your cheek or throat. An excellent choice for socks. Lightweight sock yarn is made from this blend.

4 Linen Yarn

Another great option for lightweight yarn for summer is linen yarn. For recommendations, see here. While linen yarns are more expensive, they are a beautiful choice for summer crochet and summer knit projects.

These yarns have a lovely sheen and drape, and can also be blended with silk. Linen is naturally moisture-resistant, so it’s a great yarn if you like luxury.

Recommended Top Summer Yarns Comparison Chart

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FAQS About Summer Yarn

What Is Summer Yarn?

A great summer yarn is one that’s soft, with rich, beautiful colors, cool breathability, and lovely drape. They’re comfortable to work with when it’s hot. 🙂

People comment knitting with animal fibers during warmer months makes them feel heavy and sticky. There’s a reason animal fibers aren’t popular in warmer climates!

Gorgeous Summer Yarns are cotton, linen, bamboo, silk, hemp yarn, and blends of these yarns. Expert knitters swear by knitting yarn like bamboo/silk or bamboo/cotton for breathability.

• Other blended yarns are cotton and merino.
• Crochet yarn for summer is made of the same materials. Perfect for summer crochet patterns.
• Choose any type of summer knitting pattern with these yarns.
• Another excellent yarn mix is cotton and linen yarn. Cool sweaters and loose vests are great picks for these yarns. They vary in yarn weight so thinner yarns are my recommendation.

Here’s an excellent overview of the choices for warmer months.

What Is Summer Weight Yarn?

It’s often described as a light worsted-weight yarn, somewhere between worsted and sport yarn. Using medium-sized knitting needles, it knits up quickly and has many possibilities for knitted items.

What Is The Best Weight Of Summer Yarn?

Many knitters highly recommend worsted weight yarn. A versatile weight and great for knitting shawls, sweaters, summer Afghans, summer shawls, and vests.

Given how many knit with this yarn, there are many colors to choose from. Other great choices for summer projects are DK yarn and sport weight yarn .

Choosing The Perfect Yarn For Summer Clothing

Here’s how to choose the perfect yarn for summer clothing.

• Plant-based fibers are best.
• Go for thinner yarns. It’s more breathable.
• Avoid fuzzy yarns.
• Experiment with looser tension and patterns.
• Avoid acrylics. They’re uncomfortable in the heat.
• If you use animal fibers, ensure the yarn is superwash.
• Choose lace stitch or open patterns.

Is Acrylic Yarn Ok For Summer?

Acrylic yarns are not what I’d recommend for summer. Often a cheap yarn, it’s wonderful for lots of creations but not wearables for warm weather. For garments, it’s best to avoid it.

Can You Knit With Wool For Summertime?

Lighter weight wool is a great choice for summertime garments. Mohair wool is good for all sorts of things you’d love wearing – lace shawls, tank tops and t-shirts. Avoid wool bulky yarns as the fabric isn’t comfortable in warmer weather. Wool yarn is better suited for the cooler seasons.

What Patterns Should I Knit In Spring Or Summer?

There are spring/summer patterns available online (like on Etsy). You want light patterns and open-weave designs. Hats, mittens, and sweaters are stitch patterns for the winter.

In warmer months in your country, find inspiration to make knit and crochet patterns like lacy shawls, knit tank tops, halter neck tops, cute skirts, lightweight hats, and if you’re game, attempt knitting bikinis! Baby blankets using the best summer yarns make a lovely gift for babies born in the summer months.

Conclusion

Plenty of fabulous Summer Yarn to consider. Yarns made from plant fiber are the best to use. Hope you find something to inspire a gorgeous summery item. Have questions? Tell me below in the comments. (Your email address is never published.)

References

1. Watkins, Phillppa. “Fibres and fabric.” Textile View (2002): 18-21.