Silk for Summer
Jun 16th 2026
It is HOT here in Southern Oregon this week; summer has officially arrived with temps soaring close to 100 degrees!
When it's hard to imagine working on a wooly project, it's time to turn to cooler fibers... and silk is one of our absolute favorites. Silk can have shine or be matte, can add warmth or be cooling, and is strong and yet delicate. It all comes down to the quality and treatment of the silk in your fiber. Today we are looking at a few of our most beloved silk yarns in the shop, starting with Ito Kinu.
Kinu is a 100% silk noil yarn (also called organic silk) that is produced from the leftovers of spun filament silk. Differently colored fibers are blended to produce a melange effect. This all-purpose silk yarn has a tweedy look and a lovely cotton-like feel. This lace weight yarn has a lovely hand and drape, making it ideal for garments and next to skin accessories.
We love a good color block accessory! Pick 4 colors of Ito Kinu (1 cone each) and cast on for the lovely Warm Day Scarf by Cecelia Campochiaro.
Ito Kinu pairs beautifully with Ito Sensai, another silk yarn that is blended with mohair. This combination is put to great effect in numerous garment designs, including this stunning Suzukaze Top by Ririko of Hand Knit Life.
This design asks you to hold both yarns together for the entire project. Depending on size, you will need 2-4 cones of Kinu, and 3-7 balls of Sensai.
Another luscious option for knitting summer tops is Knitting for Olive Pure Silk. Pure Silk was the first yarn we tried from Knitting for Olive, and it was love at first stitch. This raw silk, fingering weight yarn is ethically produced, OEKO-TEX certified, and is ALSO an incredible value at just $16 for 270+ yards!
Shop Knitting for Olive Pure Silk Yarn
The Cumulus Tee by Petiteknit is truly a summer staple! With its generous sleeve coverage and lightweight design, you can wear it comfortably even in the warmest climates.
Shop Knitting for Olive Pure Silk Yarn
We talk A LOT about Dan Doh in the summertime, and for good reason! The combination of lightweight, versatile yarns with Yumiko Alexander's extraordinary designs could keep our needles happy all season long.
Our all-time favorite yarn from DanDoh is Silk+, a delightful blend of luxurious mulberry silk infused with vibrant specks of color and mercerized cotton. This yarn is not only soft and lightweight but also incredibly comfortable to knit with and wear!
One of the best things about DanDoh designs is the incredible variety of options that allow you to truly make it your own! Whether you prefer long sleeves or short, a cropped length or a tunic, the size-inclusive range of choices makes her designs easy to recommend for every shape and size.
Above we are showing Hourglass, which has 6 options for chest size, 4 length options, and short or long sleeves. The samples as show are:
Cream top (Vanilla) : 49 ½“ chest, 18 ½” long
Black top (Lava Rock): 46” chest, 23 ½“ long
Shown here on model with 33” chest and 5’ 5” tall.
Doodles is always popular; such a fun exploration of texture! Doodles has 4 options for chest size, 3 length options, and a variety of choices regarding sleeve length, depth, and cuffs. The samples as show are:
Black (Lava Rock) sample: Chest 45” and 19 ½“ long
White (Vanilla) sample: Chest 49” and 19 ½” long
Shown here on model with 33” chest and 5’ 5” tall.
Even More Summery Silk Blends
Silk pairs beautifully with a wide range of other fibers, and it can transform a basic yarn into something quite special. Here are a few of our favorite silk blends:
 |
 |
 |
|
Noro Silk Garden Yarn Noro Silk Garden has been around as long as we can remember... the silk adds a whisp of brightness to all of its colors. |
Ito Tetsu Yarn This unique yarn has a remarkable "memory": the knitted fabric retains its shape as you crimp, crumple, or pleat it. |
Isager Silk Mohair Yarn
|
