I know a lot of so-called knitters who claim that they cannot bear to knit in the summer. Whether a person knits in the summer is my gauge of dedication to the craft, so to speak - if you can’t stop knitting even when the small arm movements make you perspire and allowing the work to rest against your body is uncomfortable, then you’re a serious knitter.
The dog days of summer make a great time to knit a tank top. Tanks are seasonally appropriate and relatively fast, satisfying projects. The end product is a complete and wearable garment, often with less finishing work than anything with sleeves. My current project is the Jewelled Shell from Knitty; this tank-style piece isn’t actually for summer wear because it’s made of a luxurious kid mohair and silk blend, but will instead be perfect for fall layering.
The deliciously soft yarn was on clearance (last four balls of the dyelot!) for $5/ball at Busy Hands the week before we left Ann Arbor - just enough of it to make the top I had been wanting to knit for several years, and at about 1/3 of the usual price for this type of super-lux yarn. My bargain yarn is a variegated colorway that includes black, pink, purple, copper and navy; the project is knit with two strands held together, which actually softens the effect of the variegation.
I’m about halfway done with the tank - I just switched from working the body in the round to working the back in flat stockinette. I am not knitting particularly quickly on this project, but it should be done fairly soon. And then, like everything else in my life at this particular juncture, I will ask, “Now what?” My yarn stash now fills its own dedicated cupboard and four sizable bags besides - the options seem endless!