July 25-29, 2012. Mark that down because those are the dates for the International Society of Glass Bead Makers annual Gathering and this one is being held in Seattle, WA, one of the homes of glass. I think it was the second Gathering I went to that was in Seattle. Good times. All of the best bead makers show up. There are demos and lectures and in the middle is the Bazaar so you can buy beads too. And if you haven’t gone to one of these you really should. Lifetime beadie friendships are made. There are all kinds of fun activities associated with the event too. So wander over to the web site and check it all out. Registration is open…wish I could go. Got that store to run. Darn.
Have you read?
Knit a Great Button Down Shirt
Just about anything you can make in fabric you can make in knitting, but there are some styles that you just don’t see that often translated into knitting.
For example, a button down collared shirt. This is a classic design, of course, and it looks great in a knit version, but it’s just not something you see much of.
Noma Ndlovu’s Guglethu shirt is the pattern to try if you want to knit your own button down shirt. This one is inspired by cashmere tops (though the sample was made out of yak yarn, not cashmere, and uses two strands of lace weight yarn held together) and includes lots of high-fashion details like double-knit cuffs, collar and shoulder seams.
It has a patch pocket on the front and 10 buttons including the button band and the cuffs.
The designer says you can also use a DK weight yarn held singly if you’d rather, and that the shirt looks good in a variety of yarns. There is another version on Ravelry that uses Berroco Remix Light, which is a mix of nylon, cotton, acrylic, silk and cellulose fibers. It has a more relaxed look but it still really pretty.
The pattern has 12 sizes, with a full bust measurement ranging from 32.35 to 72.25 inches, or 82 to 183.5 cm. The designer suggests 2 to 6 inches, or 5 to 15 cm, of positive ease when you pick your size. I could totally see knitting one that’s even bigger to wear more like a jacket, because I do that a lot with button down shirts I already own.
I love all the details on this shirt, which isn’t necessarily difficult to knit, but might introduce you to some things you’ve never knit before (like those cuffs with the plackets, or a shirt collar like this).
To learn more about this shirt and grab a copy of the pattern for yourself, head to Ravelry.
[Photo: Noma Ndlovu]