From Knitting Slump to the VEST Season Yet! | KNITTING PLANS | aka Nora Knits 

Thank you for saying that knitting for Olive is expensive. It definitely is and no one talks about it. I wish more designers would use budget yarn in their samples. Like yes, I know yarn substitutions but it would be nice to see someone using like Michael's merino lux lol. The extra video was a pleasant surprise!!!

I love when a knitting podcast dives below the surface of the "hot right now" Ravelry page, thank you for doing the work for us and giving so much inspiration. Slogging, slogging along with my Texo (that you dangled in front of me on your Spring inspo video). It is not mindless so I am itching for a fun striped, dk/worsted, top down, comfy, use up some old stuff sweater to knit when I'm too tired to fix messed up cables ten rows down!!! Strip hype it is. . .

The Clematis vest would look SO Cool with the two front panels being different colors. I’m not sure how that would work, but I’m already thinking through what color combos I could pull out of my stash

I just finished a dk weight full sleeve woolly sweater, just in time for hot, July weather! But then i found this beautiful Pima cotton yarn called Amani Sami, and now I am knitting the Anker’s summer shirt ❤ I hope I can complete it while the summer lasts. I have a vision of wearing it at the beach 😊

I love your thoughtful approach to seasonal knitting. I too had planned to skip summer knits, partly because I have a few knit linen tops that get lots of use and also because the summer season in the northeast USA is relatively short. But I fell in love with the Islet drop by Lelia Raven and cast on - I could not be happier with how it is coming along ! This will likely be my only warmer weather knit this summer, but I will thoroughly enjoy watching your projects as they develop!🌞

I appreciate that you consider the budget for knitting projects. Few podcasts base whether or not to start a project based on cost.

As always you are keeping me inspired. I’m testing a tank top and I’m loving it so much. It will be for my daughter but I still love the ease of a tank top.

I love your wardrobe capsule idea for your tops! The Clematis is so gorgeous I would love to add it to my summer list but I am always torn between the optimism of “no sleeves” and the reality of “ work work work”😂. Lovely video and approach! ☺️

I was never one for vests but now you’ve got me excited. And now I realize you can wear it alone, over a t-shirt, over a long sleeve button down, turtleneck, then under a cardigan or blazer… following the seasons!

The vest clair in the next project in my queue. I already have the yarn (I chose knitting for olive pure silk in "sunflower"). I'm so excited! And I'm finishing another vest in a spring yarn (a blend of linen an an italian wool): Olivier Vest by Emily Y Chen. I'm into vest too, I wouldsay!! On my needle also flutter buttshirt (in a cotton-linen blend) and thea top in drops belle. Many kisses from Italy!

I appreciate your personal approach to crafting and sharing your ideas with us. I have been a knitter for almost 8 years and I had purchased too much yarn in comparison to what I was able to knit, (all the excitement of fibers and colours). For now, I had decided not to buy yarn anymore, unless I need some contrast colours or extra yarn to finish my project. So I am thrifting my own stash at the moment and I find it exciting as well. It is an exercise in creativity and developing my personal style. Sometimes I decide to overdye my yarn since my colour preferences has changed too. I had also started planning ahead my projects to the upcoming seasons according to what I need the most in my wardrobe. Since I like to finish the project I had started, my spring knitting was finished quite late, and decided to keep my summer knitting very short (two tops), so I can jump start for my cooler months projects in August already, and have new items ready to wear in September. It takes me 4-6 weeks to knit a garment. Overall I use more „warmer garments” than summer tops, but I love to experience and wear „me make garments” in different seasons, so I can’t resist casting on some light weight tops. My favourite summer yarns are Tynn Line from Sandness Garn, and Lindy Chain from Knit Picks as both are light weight and machine washable. They create nice texture in Stokinette and work well in lace or textured designs. They don’t pill and are practical and durable. I have not tried Silk from KFO yet. By working through my stash I had discovered that I like to have a few lines of yarns that I use regularly since I can combine the leftovers for striped or colourwork garments or accessories. I am looking forward to your next episode, cheers Kasia

I finished a sommer knus lite and felt a little burned out from knitting. Your Messi Dressy inspired me to look into crochet dresses. Then I saw the Taylor Swift crochet dress and decided to go for it! And, I'm also working on a Woodstock Weekend crochet top.

I can't wait for you to show us what the dyed knit set looks like. I find this very exciting. Also, all your knitting plans look amazing. I love the capsule wardrobe, especially for work. Happy creating 💚🧶💚

Right now I feel you are talking directly to me!!! All your projects were so beautiful but I so get the mindless knitting! I am looking at three projects right now. None are hard but I feel like all I want to do is mindless knitting right now! Life and work is busy right now on and I just want to watch Nora and knit and relax!

Such a treat to have a bonus Nora episode!! Thanks for a great rundown of your plans. I think your Spring knitting was fantastic and you did a great job of mixing plans with spontaneous opportunities that popped up. It is nice to have a framework of plans but allow for variations that present themselves. Thanks for the inspiration, I am awaiting the arrival of some Bamboo and Lycocell yarn for a summer short sleeved sweater and now I can hardly wait!

Love your summer knitting plans!❤️ I’m making an itty bitty sweater for my first baby 😊😍

Your linen vest is going to be so flattering and versatile. Nora you are going to love it! ❤❤❤

I just love watching your videos! Your KAL got me started down the path of using my stash. I didn't get anything posted on Insta but I've almost finished a Tolsta Tee by Rebecca Clow~ need to block & sew in the ends. I'm on the home stretch of Eyelet Top by Vogue Knitting. Love several of the vests you featured. I'll have to go take a look at my stash to see if I have the right type & quantity of yarn to give one of those a go.

I am knitting Lily Kate France's Calm Night Cami in an inexpensive fingering weight mercerized cotton crochet yarn. I have knitted a summer top of it before and it's lovely. Thanks to Lily Kate I will now learn to knit bust darts to accommodate my large lady lumps. I hadn't heard of bust darts before, and I think that they will make my knits fit me so much better.

I am in love with your capsule wardrobe!! Such a good idea to add the striped set. I can't wait to see it. 😊

Recently discovered your channel and have been binge watching the videos! Thanks for all the amazing pattern ideas and as a beginner knitter it gives me hope that I too can make such wonderful knits in the near future. Also it feels good to see a knitter with a similar body!

This was so fun to watch! I'm glad you're feeling excited and inspired about summer knitting. Personally, continuing Stash Bust Spring into Stash Bust Summer has been inspiring me! It's like I bought this yarn for specific projects that I really want to knit, it's nice to finally be knitting them! I actually cast on one of my big goal sweaters today because I finally feel ready to tackle it! And then it'll be waiting for me when it's finally cold enough to wear it lol

I love summer knitting. This summer I have done a square neck tolsta tank, a Magpie tendency and a Feldspar tee. I have yarn for at least one more tolsta tank and another tee. I would like to do some light weight cardigans also, like the Coran Cardigan or the Rhody.

I feel so encouraged watching this because I am so late to my summer knitting, I almost just skipped summer knits altogether this year but I managed to cast on a Leela top by Caidree. I'm absolutely loving this pattern and it has definitely inspired me to continue with summer knitting plans like the sailor swift top did for you. It's funny how just one little project like that can get that motivation all fired up again. I love the vest patterns you chose and I actually have the Vest Claire in my Ravelry wishlist. So fun having a mid week video from you Nora! Thanks for sharing and inspiring us all!

Nora, I’m so impressed at how many pieces you complete in a short time. I’m a snail knitter. 🤣. I love seeing all of your creations!

Your plans are soooo chic, I want them all!!! Dark chocolate is my favorite color too, and all the linens 😍😍😍

I am about to cast on the vest claire! But I will modify it to knit in the round and the edging down the front will be picked up and lay on top of the stockinette underneath (still putting buttons on). So no gap to worry about . I really hope it works out. Drops Belle of course is much cheaper than Line. I have used both and I do like them about the same. When it comes to Line, I would highly recommend using two strands of Tynn Line instead. For some reason the fabric is softer and drapier. I much prefer it over Line. Gauge is the same and cost is the same too, you might just have to pull from both ends on the last ball if the recommendation is an uneven number of balls. And the best thing is that you don't have to join a new ball all the time which I absolutely hate with plant based yarns!

Yay to the Bonus video . Thanks. Summer lace knitting for me. First time knitting all over lace cardigan. So excited for those summer vest . ❤❤

Hi from Portland, OR! I’m working on a Summer Saunter tee from Samantha Guarin. It’s DK and I’m using a strand of lace weight linen and a strand of lace merino silk. My fav tank I knit 2 summers ago is the a-line Gustavia by Berroco. 😊

Great summer plans! I love all the vests - reminds me of my "Annie Hall" looks from the late '70s. Of course, yours are a lot more sophisticated.

I saw the HOPE top by Gudrun Fesl today and thought immediately of your summer plans, it’s a beauty!

I love that waistcoat and top with the diagonal buttons, Nora. And your capsule wardrobe for work is so chic, Your matching separates will go so well with it. ☺

Webs!!! I got to go there a few times in the past. I extensively shopped at Grandpa’s Garage. Big bills each time but you are right, so satisfying. It truly is America’s Yarn Store. You are inspiring me. I have had the same WIP on my needles since before Christmas - a pair of fingerless mitts for my DGD. I was not happy with the yarn choice and was not inspired to knit on them at all. I showed them to two people who did it seem to like them either but I was too far to frog. Then my DGD came for a visit last eeek and I showed them to her in process. She LOVED them!!! So my mojo is back. You just never know. They will be finished in a hot minute and I willll mail them to her.

Summer is almost over! I’m knitting the Corbis Sweater with a cotton wool blend for the Autumn

Didn’t you also finish your dad’s sweater in spring? Girl, you are prolific! You’re learning so much and taking on so many challenges. You’re planning and documenting it all in amazing videos. Plus your life (oh, yeah, that). With my grandmotherly wisdom kicking in (I hope you know I adore you or I wouldn’t even suggest it), you can take about 10% of the precision/intensity off of everything, and still be the wonderful conscientious creative woman you so obviously are. Maybe try it and see! Took me a few more decades to learn this secret to more fun and ease. ❤

let me log off work since it’s Saturday morning 😂

Maybe overdye the hot dog yarn?

The hot dog yarn…. Use it in colorwork so the color is not overwhelming since you’re not sure how it will look on you. But I’m 💯 with you on being stubborn to use something I’m not sure about. It’s the frugal-ness in us 😂

First, you look stunning - the colour and the shape of that top/dress? is great on you. I am not into vests at all, but think your choices are all good, particularly the Vest Claire and will be great additions to a capsule wardrobe. I have taken on a rather hefty baby blanket for the summer, and am just supplementing that with knitting tote bags from stash yarns when I need light relief from that so don't think there are going to be any more summer garment knits for me. Thanks for the midweek bonus episode - always a pleasure!

I'm knitting the Shizen sweater...was off to a rough start....user error...but now it's flying off the needles, and it's going to be beautiful. Yesterday I became aware of a summer top called the Love Letter Top, and I have to have it!! I think I'll cast on today 😊

I just went through a series of not-so -great finishes, looking for inspiration. Your linen capsule wardrobe is great, the striped pieces would be a wonderful addition. Time-consuming but classic so even if you don't get them done this season still worth doing.

So many great projects!! I want to compliment the editing in your videos. It looks so professional, so kudos to your editor!!!😉

Hi Nora, I live in the north of England so our Summer's are quite short. i usually make just a couple of projects for the hot season. This year, I have made the Darjeeling Blouse and am about to finish the Sabai top. Then, I'll start to think about Autumn knits (believe it or not!) The latest design by Andrea Mowry - Framed - has me very over excited ...

the asaginu yarn will be beautiful for that vest!! as far as the pronunciation, you're very close!! japanese doesn't really use a soft g (it'd be a j instead) so it'd just be a normal hard g. so ah-sah-gee-noo instead of ah-sah-jee-noo. i can't wait to see it worked up into a full piece!

Well, I'm not knitting for summer... but for winter. Here in Buenos Aires we have just come out of a polar wave with -6ºC and frozen fingers! 🥶 I hope to have more time and warmth to finish my Reflections pullover by Meiju Kallio and wear it.🤞

Through this whole video I kept imagining your whole knitting/making life captured in a business job-flow software of app. You know, colored lines for different phases, tracking it all like a horse race. 🎉

It’s so funny your reasoning on the hot dog yarn. I thrifted a huge cone of the scratchiest wool yarn a couple years ago and I just cannot get rid of it. I keep swatching with it and thinking of ways I could possibly use it. I just won’t give up!! lol

Nora I enjoyed the video. Thank you for sharing.

Another Line dupe I’ve seen is Hobbii Seashell. I would love a comparison with that as well!

You could marl the hotdog yarn with another color or hold it with a suri/mohair.

Ooooh the shape of the pink vest you showed is WOW!! 37:46

I usually work on 4-5 projects at a time. One mindless knit, one Afghan size project(knit or crochet), one project that teaches me something(knit or crochet), a sock project and a tunisian crochet project.

Yay an extra video ❤

Your description of the sort of project you need for summer reminded me of something I recently saw. Look at Luminos Tee project done by Purlificknitter. It is stunning.

Thanks for the video! I'm currently knitting the Lidia Tee by Juana Román.

is it Saturday already? Great! 😁

How about overdyeing the hot dog yarn? Love your vest Claire pattern and Boro yarn

Wow! You are being too hard on yourself. You made some beautiful pieces this Spring and really busted some stash! I see some big wins! 🎉🎉🎉

I loved the little shorts and sweater set you made! Can you share the pattern? Have a ton of cotton yarn I need to use.

One of my favorite videos! This helps me to make sense of knitting and planning a seasonal wardrobe. It's easy to fall in love with a yarn or pattern, but coordinating a wardrobe with it is the hardest part! Thank you for making these videos just for that purpose.

I have been embracing vests lately. I live in coastal NC and our winters are quite mild. I do not use my Heavy wooly knits. I get far more wear from my summer knits. They are fine (considering color) through fall which often lasts until Christmas. My biggest problem is I knit too large and after the plant based garments grow, I get things that are very oversized. My first sweater was too small and it scarred me.

Re hotdog yarn and stubborn? Yep, hon, let it go!!!

On the Melissa Limbert dress ... what sizes does that dress run up to??

The red dress kinda gives hot mob wife/2000's rich wife.. in the BEST way 💌

Use the hot dog yarn and make Osi a toy.

Hi Nora. I just wanted to make sure you received my message about my Stash Bust winner. I received an email from the post office about a package with incomplete information but I don’t usually answer them because I think they are spam . This is the reason I had emailed you . Thank you. Love your videos

If your summer vest will require dry cleaning, keep in mind that this will add to the cost of the yarn. I wouldn't wear it next to skin.

Webs is an actual store?!??😮

You should totally check Alma Skirt by Veera Välimäki - veerarain. It’s totally beautiful and it’s mindless knit 😅 and the best part is you can make it any length you want and it still looks amazing! 😅