Every Day, All Year

I’m here to correct a misconception, and it’s an important one.

We already know that knitting is:

• Not just for grandmothers
• Good for your mental health
• The new yoga
• Popular among men
• A must-have life skill

Uh-huh, we know. But there’s still a pervasive misconception about knitting that hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves:

Knitting is not just for the winter season.

And just in case you didn’t hear me, I’m going to say it again (loud and proud):

Knitting is not just for the winter season!

Friends/colleagues/loved ones, I know what you’re thinking. Knitting is accomplished with yarn. Yarn is warm. Warm stuff is for winter.

No. Just no.

I’ve been knitting since the age of 10/11 and I’ve done it almost every single day of my life since then. I’ve knit at church, my boys’ karate practice, school concerts, soccer games, waiting in line (everywhere), at the bank, at the movies, during Happy Hour with friends, during meetings, while I’m on the phone, at book group, in the car (not while driving – ha!), at the DMV, at the hair salon while my head is under the dryer, sitting on the beach, on my lunch breaks at work, on airplanes and trains, at picnics, on porches, while listening to lectures, at conferences…

You see where I’m going with this, right? Is there really any time of year that you aren’t waiting somewhere, twiddling your thumbs, playing on your phone, killing time? That’s knitting time, friends. Why scroll through Facebook for the forty-seventh time today when you can finish a few rows on a pair of socks? or a sweater?

Here’s why knitting is a year round hobby:

1. There are a variety of lightweight fibers for knitting warm weather projects, like the Mainsail Tee . If you can’t stomach the idea of wool on the hottest day in July, look for linen, cotton, silk, bamboo or merino in a sport, fingering or lace weight. I have a fingering weight merino cardigan with 3/4 sleeves that I wear ALL.YEAR.LONG. For real.
2. Fall will be here before you know it, and with it comes holiday knitting/crochet, which means — for some of you — less time for your own projects. Working on them now, while you have a little time on your hands, means having a sweater or two ready for fall when it gets here.
3. Spring and summer evenings can be chilly once in awhile. A lightweight wrap, shawl, or cardigan can be the ideal second layer. Even just having your knitting project with you, on your lap, might be all you need to warm up on a cool evening.
4. The benefits of knitting (the ability to express yourself creatively, the relaxation benefits, the mental health boost) should be enjoyed all year, not just in the hectic season around the holidays.
5. Like I said above, spring and summer are prime times for “waiting” and therefore, prime times for knitting.
6. Knitting is totally a portable hobby, even for sweaters (up to a certain point). It’s not messy. It’s practically designed to go with you everywhere, all the time.
7. Granted, some projects take a little more concentration and therefore might not be right for “on the go” knitting, but there are SO MANY mindless knits designed for this very purpose.
8. Summer projects often work up more quickly than their wintry counterparts (no sleeves, less bulk, more eyelets)
9. Summer projects can often be less expensive (see #8). Less yarn, no sleeves, less bulk = less cost. (Plus, cotton blends, in general, can often be less expensive than the fibers you use for warmer weather knits.)
10. Air conditioning abounds during the summer season and I don’t know about you, but I am often freezing indoors. Keep this in mind when it’s 90 degrees outside and you’re doing the side-eye-glance at your knitting bag before you leave the house. It may seem too hot to knit (although, I would knit in Death Valley so I’m not a good one to ask) but how often are you actually sitting outside in the blazing sun, anyway?

Next time you leave the house, grab your knitting bag. And if it’s empty, run to your LYS and find something perfect for portable summer knitting. Remember: Knitting isn’t a winter hobby. It’s a mandatory life skill.