My nemesis. We meet again.

I’m going to say something wildly unpopular right now.

I don’t like summer.

Get a hold of yourself and let me explain. Deep breath. Better?

There are some wonderful things about summer, admittedly. The beach is one. I do loooove the beach. Most activities are acceptably conducted with margaritas or gin-and-tonics in hand. Gardens come in and veggies are plentiful in the back yard. Barbecuing things is pretty awesome. There are other things, probably, that I can’t remember right now because I’m grumpy about how hot it is.

But here’s the problem: where I live, it’s hot. It’s hot and it’s humid and I hate it. A lot. I work in a big, hot, crowded city steaming with pollution and tourists and I ride public transportation packed to the seams with other sweaty people. It’s 80 degrees before breakfast and it’s 90 degrees at bedtime and somewhere in the triple digits in between. BLECH.

The worst part? All that lovely handknit stuff that it’s just too hot to wear. I usually start holiday knitting in July, but it’s hard to lug around skeins of wool making mittens when it’s so hot your sweat is sweating. That’s why I like spring. And fall. And winter. But…just not so much summer.

There are a few reprieves. Take this, for example. My new favorite top. It’s made from Berroco Comfort Worsted,  which is light for an acrylic and almost like a cotton in texture and drape. So it will be light enough to wear in the summer time, on the ninety degree days if not the one hundred degree ones.

The pattern is from the Summer 2009 Knit.1: #14 Leaf Yoke Top.  I did a few mods: extra short rows to flare the bust and more decreases to taper the waist. In this picture it makes me look a bit stocky but the fit is actually very flattering. It started raining when I was taking this so I didn’t have time to dilly-dally for vanity. The arms ended up a bit too big so I probably could have done with fewer short rows, but live and learn. And accidentally flash some side-boob every once in a while.

My only regret about this pattern? FIVE MILLION MILES OF STOCKINETTE. The yoke is super-fun to knit, but it’s done in ten minutes. Then, you’re just left with a lot of stockinette. I’m going to go cast on some Shetland lace or something as a reward.