I'm a year-round knitter. When the temperatures rise, I park myself in front of the fan and crank up the AC.

Here are my top 10 summer knitting patterns from the Alpaca Direct site—enjoy!

Deep Forest by Jana Markova (Free pattern!)

I have to start my list with this fabulous shawl, which combines colors and textures to make a simply stunning summer wrap. 

Deep Forest is a showpiece shawl that's actually pretty easy to work, but it keeps you interested as it changes stitch patterns and colors. Love it!

Sand Dollar Tank by Yonca Ozbelli (Free pattern!)

This is quintessential summer: lace combined with large-gauge cotton yarn and a super-fast knit. You'll be able to wear the Sand Dollar Tank this summer! 

Choose your color and cast on. Equally lovely with shorts or a skirt, this tank will be your go-to for years.

Madame Entrechat by Lisa Chemery

This pretty shrug will come in handy all summer, keeping your shoulders warm at the movies, out to dinner, and at the office (who cranked up the AC??).

Shop owner Kelley loved Madam Entrechat so much that she featured it in one of her Technique Tuesdays—check it out for some great tips! (The DK-weight pattern is linked above; there's also a fingering-weight version of this pattern if you want to use up some sock yarn!)

Sakura Dress by Rachel Brockman (Free pattern!)

Use shop favorite Bamboo Pop to knit up this darling dress. Your little one will love summer activities in this pretty frock. It's a little lace, a little stockinette, a little lovely!

This Sakura Dress is written for newborns up to 4-year-olds, so you can keep making them as your little lady grows up!

Lindy Pop by Meghan Jones

Summer knitting means shawls to many people, so here's another winner! Lindy Pop is the shawl to pack for a beach vacation—share a colorful pop with everyone around you! 

Knit this shawl up in sport-weight yarn such as Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light, or for a slightly smaller version, choose your favorite sock yarn. This is a real showstopper!

Happy summer knitting!

Cheers,