Knitting is a hobby that seems to come to a standstill once the weather warms, but it's a great medium for crafting summer home decoration projects. Just think of that silky touch of yarn across your fingertips and the sound of needles clacking like crickets at midnight — we can't help but think summer is just right for knit home decoration. From curtains and candle shades to indoor yarn bombing, we've gathered a few of our favorite knit home decoration projects to wake knitters up from their summer siestas.

Huff and Puff 

Chunky yarn becomes a handy home decoration knit when crafted into a puffed pouf. Use on a patio for extra seating or as a handy serving tray. 

For the free home decoration knitting pattern, check out Flax and Twine.  

Fruit Loops 

One of the best parts of summer is the endless harvest of fresh local fruit and veggies. Celebrate the bounty with knit berries, tomatoes and pears. Consider gathering the fruit in the protoypical bowl or set the knit home decorations on bookshelves or windowsills. 

Salihan Crafts has the free knitting pattern for the fruit home decoration. 

Bombs Away 

This Ikea chair got “reupholstered,” thanks to 5 skeins of yarn and an irreverent love of yarn bombing. But don't stop with a chair. Consider yarn bombing lamps, mirror frames — or perhaps you'll keep it traditional, and yarn bomb that willow tree in your front yard. 

For more on this yarn bombed home decoration, head to Knits for Life.

Basket Case 

Featuring one of the shortest knitting patterns we've ever seen, this summer home decoration offers an easy beginner knit, great for collecting beach reads or flip-flops. Sub traditional yarn for hemp or a thick rope from the hardware shop to store gardening supplies or even campfire wood. 

Annie's sells a knitting pattern for a yarn basket that comes in three sizes.

A Knit Night Light 

Heat-friendly yarns like wool or cotton can offer a unique candle lantern shade, particularly when the wool is pulled over a batch of Mason jars and the home decoration is set over a late-night summer picnic. 

Check out Ravelry for the free lampshade knitting pattern.

Leggo My Lego 

Keep cool by leaving doors open and breezes flowing, thanks to this toy-inspired home decoration. A household brick and drink bottle caps are cozied in your favorite Lego color. Consider using the craft as a picnic blanket holder-downer or even (when scaled-down) a paperweight. 

Head to Instructables for a free knitting pattern for the Lego home decoration. 

Christmas in July 

Summer-ize traditional knit ornaments by sewing bells and chimes to handmade yarn toys and then peppering backyard branches with the knit amigurumi. Set the home decoration outside or by an open window for a musical and crafty summer. 

Interested in making your own knit home decoration? Natural Suburbia has a free knitting pattern for tiny strawberries. 

It's Curtains for Crafts

  

Surprised? Knit curtains for summer are not the usual fare, and yet the lacy home decoration allows the bright lights and breezes of summer to peek through without sacrificing an inch of privacy or style. Simply steal a favorite lace stitch and repeat for short cafe curtains in the kitchen. Here's a pattern from Beeton's Book of Needlework that dates back to 1870.

Fun with Bunting 

While bunting reminds us of baseball, and baseball summer, it rarely leads us to thoughts of yarn and knitting. However, this celebration-inspired home decoration adds a flutter of color to indoor and outdoor summer parties. 

To make your own bunting home decoration, go to Ravelry for the free knitting pattern. 

Stag Night 

Reminiscent of summer days lounging at the lake house, this cashmere cable knit deer head by Rachel Denny offers a striking home decoration. Modern colors prove a striking contrast to this traditional rustic “art” work.

Image credits (from top): Flickr.com/IHeartHem, Pickles, Salihan Crafts, Knits for Life, Pickles, lizzyastro / Instructables, Aydinlatma, Etsy.com/LunaCabCo, Nake-Id Knits, Flickr.com/nicoleandthebee and Rachel Denny.