DUCHESS WRAP - My "Nighttime, Take a Break, Sit-on the Couch, and Rest Your Back" Medicine...

I hate when I go silent on here for too long.  I've had a good excuse in that I've been painting and re-doing a room, but I owe my Mom a Mother's Day post, in the very least.  Freshly painted walls make a great backdrop for the project I finished up last night - my evening "therapy sessions" where I rest my back in preparation for more painting shenanigans.  This is the Duchess Wrap from the new "Dress-to-Impress Knitted Scarves" book.

I won't bore the non-knitters with the details - for those who want to know, comment here or email me direct.  I did do change-ups (actually they are simple, and only encompass the first three rows) on the pattern at the beginning to rectify buttonhole and needle size/gauge issues I had with the pattern - I'm more than happy to share what I did.  I used ten 3/4" antique buttons - five of them are Victorian age "twinkle buttons", with mirrors behind the pierced metal.  My "go-to source" for all of these is a sweet local friend who deals in antique/vintage buttons, as well as antiques, period. Want her contact information?  I'll gladly provide that, as well!

Cooler weather can't come soon enough now - especially for those of us in the desert that are heading into soaring Summer temps already.  There's a winter coat in a closet back home in CO that this is going to look fabulous on...

In the meantime, it's seems to feel "right" on my old (not really - it's vintage Chico's) long, paisley Janis Joplinesque coat, with the faux fur collar and cuffs.  The mannequin never looked so groovy!  Happy Thursday - looking forward to being done with the paintbrush for awhile!