Here’s another project that I’ve been working on. Strange but true – it’s wool.This is the back of another vest for Mr. Math. It’s knit of a heavy sock wool – Regia Design Line 6-ply – in a colourway designed by Kaffe Fassett. The yarn is doing the striping, all by itself. The pattern is Conservative but Pretty Dad Vest, which is a free pattern – here’s the Ravelry link and here’s the designer’s link. (It’s the pattern in the bottom left corner of this display – if you click on it, you can download the pdf.) The pattern is great – very easy and straightforward, and also easy to modify. Mr. Math is leaner and taller than the designer’s dad, but I’ve got it covered.

These socks are knit from the 4-ply variant of this same yarn, in the same colourway, but in the variegation that doesn’t stripe. Here’s my post on the socks – I can see now, though, that there are slight differences in the colours. There’s no brown or dark green in this variant.

Why knit with wool in the summer? Well, because it’s my favourite. Wool isn’t frustrating to knit with. It doesn’t shed. This is unlike the KSH projects I have on my needles right now – I have no patience for finding mohair fibres everywhere when it’s hot! Wool has elasticity, too, so tension comes out beautifully even. I have a cotton sweater on my needles right now, too, but knitting with cotton is never my favourite. Also, this vest is mostly plain stockinette – I just knit a row and purl a row and repeat. Self-striping yarn is a good choice for this weather because I find it entertaining. It keeps me knitting, just to see how the colours come out next.

Which is why I’ve knit the back of this vest in less than a week, in a heat wave.

What do you knit in the summer, and why?