Getting creative with summer yarns

There's this thing I do the minute it starts getting warm: I put away all my wool yarns and pull out the summer ones.

And immediately I notice the colours are much brighter, the textures much smoother. But there's much less choice.

Wool gives you variety. Summer yarns are plainer.

With wool, there's such a variety: tweeds, bouclé, furry yarns, mohairs, chunky and multi-coloured mixes. The yarn brings its own texture and feeling before you've even started.

Summer is the opposite. Cotton, viscose, the lighter yarns: there's far less to pick from, and what there is tends to be plainer.

So what can we do?

Get creative with the details

We can mix colours, stitches, yarn thickness and shapes to turn simple summer yarns into something exciting and fresh that's fun to make. Summer yarns also drape differently from wool, and we can use that to our advantage. Playing with details encourages you to be creative.

Six summer yarns I love

The really good summer yarns are out there, you just have to find them. So here are six I keep reaching for.

• DROPS Belle. A soft blend of cotton, viscose and linen with a gentle sheen and a bit of texture. It feels lovely against the skin, so it's my go-to for anything I'll actually wear.
• Mondial Prezioso. A cotton with a fine thread running through it, so it catches the light just a little without being flashy.
• Katia Estrella. A silky cotton and viscose mix with a beautiful drape and a subtle sparkle. It moves so nicely, perfect for something light and summery.
• Scheepjes Stone Washed. A cotton with a soft, stone-washed feel and gorgeous gemstone shades. None of the stiffness cotton can sometimes have.
• Anchor Freccia. A fine mercerised cotton with a real sheen, crisp and soft at the same time. Lovely when you want something a bit more delicate and dressy.
• Lang Yarns Paillettes. A fine thread dotted with tiny sequins. I like to hold it together with another yarn for a touch of sparkle, the fun kind, not over the top.

As it warms up I keep thinking: how can I play with details to make summer yarns shine?

If you'd like to play with exactly this kind of detail in a summer-friendly cotton piece, my Flower Power Masterclass is a lovely place to start.