Summer, the meterolgical calendar tells us, is not far away. But given how the spring has (not) turned out in this corner of east London, we’ve decided it pays to plan for all eventualities, and not just the hot-hot-hot one. We’ve been investigating tops of the sort that are cool enough for when it’s too warm for wool and not quite there enough for t-shirts. Throw some light weight cottons, linens and silks into the mix and we reckon we’ve got those cooler days of summer covered. Here are our edited highlights…
With Ozetta’s now-familar boxy shape, this plain elbow-ength tee is a super-simple bottom-up seamless and non-taxing knit. Go silky with The Woolkitchen’s merino silk or Madragoa , or get that nicely worn-in drape from Kalinka Linen .
Designed for a 4ply knitted at a DK gauge, meaning it will knit faster and cheaper than you think. It can be taken in a light woolly (Fyberspates Vivacious, Onion Nettle Sock, Donegal Darnie) or cool silky (Madragoa) direction. Beautifully worked shoulder shaping and lovely edge details.
Time Piece by Ailbiona MacLochlainn
This blouse-like sweater comes with a range of different neck treatments, although I can’t see past the sailor one (pictured). I see it as an evening dark red shade of Kalinka Linen, but the Sport-weight gauge means you could easily choose from Fonty Bohème, Ulysse, or For Nature’s organic cotton.
Long sleeved and slouchy and just right for walking back from the beach when it gets cooler. And those diagonals give just the right amount of interesting to the knitting. For pure cotton (and those colours!) choose For Nature, or for a little extra warmth, the Robinson would be perfect.
A classic top down raglan with A-line shaping on the sleeves as well as the body – could be super floaty worked in Kid Seta mohair on its own, or make it silky and evening-ish by adding in Madragoa.
Colouring Book Tee by Aimee Sher
Beautifully shaped raglans and super-thoughtful details with a choice of body and sleeve lengths (see the longer sleeved version in the feature image of this post), plus it’s an easy knit. What’s not to like!? Take your choice of any 4ply yarns (although my heart is set on the Madragoa silk)
Made for linen, and worked at a deliberately loose gauge: a wonderfully sheer fabric, giving you 2 colours for the kniting of one – whatever you wear underneath shows through. Feature seams with a boxy shape means this one keeps it’s intriguing structure without getting saggy.
A slightly weightier top-down raglan, worked at a speedier 17 stitch gauge – as lovely in stripes as it would be plain. Go with the recycled denim Re-Use and you won’t ever want to take it off.
