The 5 Best Summer Yarns

As a summertime girlie, nothing gets me more excited than summer knit and crochet projects. This is my 4th summer as an active crafter and I’ve narrowed down my all-time favorite summer yarns I recommend again and again. Let’s jump straight in!

Noro Sonata

I can confidently say that Noro Sonata isn’t just my favorite summer yarn, it’s my favorite yarn hands down. Each solid colorway has that gorgeous Noro variegation and depth that makes this brand one of a kind. The palette for this yarn is so balanced, everyone will find a color they love. Some of my favorite projects are made in this yarn including my Claudia Dress sample.

The fiber composition gives a beautiful drape and doesn’t bag out over time - a major issue for most summer yarns. My guess is that this is due to the 20% nylon in the composition. I like having a touch of synthetic in my summer yarns as they tend to help the yarn keep its shape and make it easier for me to wear.

What takes this yarn to the next level is the value you get for the price. At $20-25 USD/skein a project in this yarn can get pricey quickly. But with 393 yards per skein at a heavy fingering/light dk weight (even though its listed as lighter), I can usually get a full project out of 2-3 skeins. This keeps the cost affordable even when using a luxury yarn.

Composition: 35% Cotton, 25% Viscose, 20% Silk, 20% Polyamide (nylon)

Weight/Yardage: 100g / 393 yards

Sandnes Garn Tynn Line

If you’re not a fan of any synthetic in your summer yarns, then I would recommend Tynn Line by Sandnes Garn. This is a true light-fingering weight yarn and is my favorite summer yarn to crochet. If you’ve been wanting to try some linen yarns, this a great place to start!

One of the biggest benefits of a brand like Sandnes is its affordability and availability. If I’ve got a few projects in mind (or I’m ordering with a friend) I love ordering directly from Garntopia to take advantage of the even lower prices in Norway. This yarn comes in aran and heavy weights as well, but after using the standard Line, the tynn is the way to go.

100% plant fibers can become heavy quickly, so try sticking with lightweight garments or crocheting to give your piece more structure! I’ve made my crochet Claudia Top tutorial sample in this yarn as well as a new design that’s in the works (Rosita Ruffle Top). My biggest downside with this yarn is you can find some of the more scratchy flax pieces that weren’t fully removed in production, this can make your garment a bit itchy. That being said, it doesn’t stop me from repurchasing!

Composition: 53% Cotton, 33% Viscose, 14% Linen

Weight/Yardage: 50g / 120 yards

Amano Chaski

This yarn has a special place in my heart since Amano brand is made in Peru (where my family is from) and all their yarns have Peruvian-related names. Chaskis were messengers during the Incan Empire who would run the trails to deliver letters and packages. The composition of this yarn is perfect for anyone who loves wool year-round but wants to switch things up from 100% wool. You keep the bounce and softness of wool with the extra breathability of cotton and linen. Amano has cracked the code on the perfect wool-plant fiber blend and created a palette that ranges from muted to neon.

It has a much more round shape which makes it ideal for any cabled or lace patterns aka, amazing stitch definition. I’ve been working on a cute little cable-rib cropped cardigan in this yarn and only have 1 sleeve left to go! Similar to Noro Sonata, each skein will cost you around $18-$20 but the yardage goes a long way.

Composition: 60% Superwash Merino Wool, 30% Pima Cotton, 10% Linen

Weight/Yardage: 100g / 383 yards

Cascade Cotton Sox

Ok let me start by saying, Cascade is trying to sell this as a yarn you can make socks with. I promise I would never recommend this yarn to you for socks. However, I do recommend this yarn to you for garments in place of 100% cotton. Plant based fibers have no memory, in other words, they stretch and bag out with wear. Having that touch of synthetic in these yarns helps minimize that which is exactly what Cotton Sox is able to do. I crocheted one of my favorite summer pieces EVER in this yarn and enjoyed every minute of it.

In terms of color palette, we’re looking at mostly earthy colors for this yarn with a few wildcards thrown in. One fun thing I noticed while using this yarn is how the nylon takes dye slightly differently than the cotton, giving you a bit of color variation. Cost-wise you’re getting plenty of bang for your buck. $11 will get you 400+ yards! I made my Grace Dress from Urth by Morg in just 2 skeins.

Composition: 89% Cotton, 11% Nylon

Weight/Yardage: 100g / 433 yards

Hobbii Twister/Wheel

This yarn has been a go-to of mine for years, anytime I’m looking for a sport-weight cotton, I come back to this yarn, I’ve made everything from granny square blankets to bikinis to night-out dresses. It has a higher synthetic percentage making it super durable and you can find it in almost every color you can imagine. I’ve listed Twister and Wheel because I’m about 99% sure they’re the same yarn, rebranded for their “friends” line. Typically I buy whichever one is more affordable at that moment.

I’ve never had issues with this yarn significantly growing on me and that’s part of the reason I’ll go back to it again and again.

Composition: 55% Cotton, 45% Acrylic

Weight/Yardage: 100g/437 yards

Honorable Mention: Berroco Modern Cotton

This one is for anyone looking for that silky sheen/drape without any actual silk. Tencel, viscose, and rayon yarns have been big for the last few years, people love how soft and silky they feel… but they grow like no one’s business. Everyone I know who has made a 100% viscose garment has this issue. That’s where Modern Cotton comes in. It has enough viscose to give the fabric that pretty drape and sheen without immediately loosing all its shape.

At the end of the day, this is a 100% plant-based yarn so I recommend sticking to lightweight projects to avoid weighing them down and getting stretched out. I’ve made some of my favorite projects in this yarn including my Bitchin’ Skirt, Claudia Top (white), and Hole-some top by @mermaidsyarns.

While I recommend this yarn and would definitely use it again, its not one that’s always at the top of my list.

Composition: 60% Pima Cotton, 40% Modal Viscose

Weight/yardage: 100g / 335 yards

There you have it! Let me know if you try any of these out, I can’t wait to hear what you think. Do you have a favorite summer yarn I need to try out? Drop a comment below so we can all give it a try ;) Now go enjoy the rest of your summer <3

xo Dani