We had so much fun last year doing our summer make along that we decided to do it again!

Crafting usually slows down in the summer, but with the right yarn, it doesn’t have to! Last year, we tasked crafters with making ANYTHING they wanted using Cotton Fine, Cotton Fleece, or Wildfoote Sock Yarn. We announced the winners in the first week of September. Each winner won 4 skeins of Brown Sheep yarn of their choice. Our winners made an adorable toy bunny in Cotton Fleece, a beautiful handwoven two-color shawl in Cotton Fine, and a pair of summer-ready shortie socks in Wildfoote.

The same rules apply this year! Make whatever you want in Cotton Fine, Cotton Fleece, or Wildfoote Sock Yarn. To be eligible to win, post pictures of your project to the Brown Sheep Summer MAL Spinning Yarns Group and Instagram with the hashtag #BrownSheepSummerMAL. You have approximately two months to finish your project—this is slow summer crafting at its finest! In the first week of September, we’ll pick one winner for each yarn. Each winner will receive 4 skeins of their choice of Brown Sheep yarn.

To help get you started, here are a few suggestions for projects in each of the yarns. When we say make whatever you want, we truly mean whatever you want. As such, we’ve included some really easy and quick projects, like yarn wrapped bottles and simple macrame plant holders! Don’t forget to check out our project picks from last year as well.

Cotton Fleece

 

April Showers Wash Cloths

With an easy cable on the front and ribbing on the back, the April Showers wash cloths offer a simple and highly portable project. These are perfect for vacation knitting and so useful. Keep them for yourself or give them away as gifts this upcoming holiday season. As any knitter will tell you, holiday knitting often begins in the summer!

Get the free April Showers pattern here.

Water Bottle Carrier

This is a great, quick crochet project that will keep you well hydrated this summer. If you send your kids to camp this summer, they will likely appreciate one as well! Knit it with sturdy cotton and rest assured it will hold its shape and carry a full water bottle with ease. Even if you don’t carry this over your shoulder, you can crochet the strap shorter throw it in your bag. The holder will make it much easier to keep your water bottle contained!

Find the free pattern for the Water Bottle Carrier here.

Macrame Plant Hanger

Macrame is everywhere right now, but the craft never really goes out of style. We love the choice of a bright yarn set against a pale flower pot. This macrame plant hanger presents with a step-by-step photo tutorial, making it incredibly simple to follow along. You could make one of these in a few hours. All you need is some Cotton Fleece, scissors, and a two-inch wood ring.

Find the Macrame Plant Hanger tutorial here.

Gemini Top

Knit in a DK-weight cotton blend, the Gemini Top lends itself beautifully to Cotton Fleece. We love the versatility of this top. It’s like two tops in one! Wear it with the lace to the front or the back. The Gemini Top has an easy fit and a timeless silhouette. It’s a great knit for summer.

Find the free pattern for the Gemini Top here.

Cotton Fine

 

Shetland Shorty

Several knitters on Ravelry have used Cotton Fine to make the Shetland Shorty. A cropped, sleeveless, lacework top feels like the perfect summer knit. It’s light, airy, quick, and only takes about 2-3 skeins to make.

Find the free pattern for the Shetland Shorty here.

Yarn Wrapped Bottles

This is such a great way to reuse an old bottle! It’s also perfect for housing fresh-cut summer blooms. The tutorial for this yarn-wrapped bottle is incredibly simple. All you need is a bottle, yarn, scissors, and glue or double-sided tape. Consider using the same technique for glass jars you plan to house plants in. When the sun hits a glass container full of dirt and moisture, it encourages algae and mold growth. Covering up the glass with yarn prevents that from happening!

Find the tutorial for Yarn Wrapped Bottles here.

Santa Fe Shawl

This shawl screams summer crafting! Composed of a series of crochet motifs, the Santa Fe Shawl calls for 3 colors of Cotton Fine. Modular making is great for vacations and travel crafting. We also love that each motif feels a little different, and features different color schemes, so you’ll never be bored.

Get the pattern for the Santa Fe Shawl here.

Embroidered Wicker Baskets

This is such a cute, fun idea for adding a splash of color to baskets. The natural gridlines featured in wicker baskets make it incredibly easy to play with geometric shapes and line designs. This project would also work nicely with Wildfoote!

Find the tutorial for Embroidered Wicker Baskets here.

Wildfoote Sock Yarn

 

Market Bag

If you haven’t crocheted a market bag yet, summer is the perfect time. Crocheted bags are great for trips to the grocery store, beach, farmer’s market and more. This market bag calls for Wildfoote in 6 colors, so it’s a great scrap busting project. But, you could also make it in one color.

Find the free pattern for the Market Bag here.

Extranilla Socks

We couldn’t suggest projects for Wildfoote without including at least one sock pattern. In fact, this writer’s project for the Brown Sheep Summer MAL will be the Extranilla Socks in Wildfoote. I’m making the heels and toes in Black Orchid (a solid black) and the rest of the sock in Master Grey (a blend of light grey, dark grey, and black). These will be a Christmas gift, proving you can never start too early when it comes to gift knitting!

Find the pattern for the Extranilla Socks here.

Sternkissen – Asterisk

This cute pillow calls for fingering weight yarn, and we think Wildfoote Hand Painted would really make it pop. The Sternkissen pillow is available in both German and English. The pattern requires around 430-460 yards, depending on your gauge, so approximately 2 skeins of yarn. Consider adding a statement button to the center for a little polishing touch.

Find the free pattern for the Sternkissen – Asterisk Pillow here.

 

Will you join us for this year’s Brown Sheep Summer MAL? Don’t forget to tag your entries with #BrownSheepSummerMAL—you might win some free yarn!

 

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