I adore Feather and Fan. It made this lovely (yet strangely Rastafarian) yarn look ever-so-much better than it did when I was knitting the scarf in Farrow Rib. Here’s a close-up:
Delicious.
Yarn: Fleece Artist Peter Rabbit (70% Angora, 20% Nylon, 10% Wool) in a color whose name I can’t recall.Needles: 5mm/US9 Addis.Specs: The scarf is 6″ wide by 60″ long, and I used almost the entire 273 yard skein.Time to knit: less than a week of evenings.
I’ve been inspired (or else I’m just crazy) to make three more little scarves for the other women who work at the store. I’m fortunate — two of them are away until next week, so I’ll have extra time to get theirs done.
Time is something I’m really short on these days. I haven’t been able to appreciate the season yet. I’ve yet to put up my little tree, but I did manage to haul it out of the closet. A wreath is on the door, the envelopes and packages have been sent to my family, and I’ve gotten as far as creating an image for my holiday card.
I got to do a little more shopping today, my last chance before Christmas to drive to far-flung stores. I’ll be working every day through Christmas Eve, so anything else I need will have to be gotten locally. Our village has some really nice little shops, and I know I’ll be able to do all the last-minute things on Main Street.
I’m in my usual mood this year. It’s not a bad mood, exactly. I’m not terribly depressed. My heart aches a little, though. I miss my family, miss being near all the people I share traditions with. I miss my tribe, the sisters and brothers with whom I stood on the stairs or in the hallway, in a line from youngest to oldest, while our parents made sure Santa had put everything in the right place. I miss that music box recording that meant we could finally come in the room. I miss my grandmother’s sweet rolls, and my father’s plaid woolen bathrobe. I miss the Christmas village, with the skater with the broken foot. I wish I could be little again, just at Christmas, in the middle of my big, crazy, funny old family.
As I was driving home from Sag Harbor this afternoon, the melancholy lifted a little. I acknowledged the effect this place always has on me: I chose to come here, and I don’t regret it, and I get to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I have another family to be with on the holiday, and they love me.
I don’t want the old days back, because of course they weren’t all shiny and bright. I have plenty of new, sweet memories that I’ve accumulated in my thirteen years here. And yet…
Not Plain Jane 
That is a beautiful scarf and T will be thrilled. Today at Circle in HB Noelle brought choc. croissants from Golden Pear – can I just say OMG — I am going to have to stop in the and get some – have you had them? Although I have family (not my immediate of course) I miss the family traditions from my upbringing – I didn’t get to keep any of mine – so I am a bit blue over the holidays — I will actually be happy about Wed next week 😀
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sweetieI lost my parents a long time ago( 21 years for my mom on friday, and 11 years for my dad….also this friday)holidays are a rough time for a lot of folkshoweverI have found that I am so very blessed to have friends that are family.alsomy mom used to tell me to make sure i learned something new and did something new everyday….and especially if I was unhappyso……..each holiday season, I plan a projectsometimes it is making a doll…..or learning a new skill…….( that’s how I ended up learning bookbinding)this year I plan on sewing some new tunicsin a nice wool…….maybe with some needlefelted flowers on them…….oh and I got sheep too!vi
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What a lovely scarf!There’s a bit from Illusions: Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah about our true families – rarely do we grow up under the same roof, but we find each other later. It sounds like you’ve found that family where you are.
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The scarf is lovely and cheerful. I can see why the feather and fan pattern looks better than the Farrow Rib. The family I grew up with and the family I found where I live now are each important this time of year but in different ways.
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What a lovely scarf Jane!With the craziness of my work this month I’ve had to fight “with all my might” to get the holiday spirit in effect – but thankfully it’s here now. Have a lovely holiday Jane! I’ve so enjoyed getting to know you this year on your blog. 🙂
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merry christmas Jane -holidays bring such a mix of emotions to us all. hang in there. perhaps it’s a day for a long walk on the beach. I am glad for you that your have a wonderous group to be with there.
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hugs to you sugar.But I have a question. Do you let staff take vacations the week before Christmas? In retail?My goodness girl. You are a saint.And a special woman. I’m glad you have warm fuzzies about Christmas past and loved ones for Christmas present. hugs again
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Jane- Your scarf is beautiful! We all seem to get down during the holidays. My personal opinion is it is a result of the high expectations we have as a child, waiting for the perfect gift, the excitement of Santa, the perfect family. It is hard to enjoy what is in front of us, when we are waiting for that perfect Christmas. Hope you can find happiness and joy in all the wonder of life as it is. I KNOW you have alot of friends in the knitting world.
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I love that scarf in feather and fan! It really works with the colors. Having grown up Dysfunctional, I have odd (not horrible, just odd) holiday memories. With the exception of my cousins, who are still a riot and we still enjoy each other, I built my tribe from scratch, and mostly past the age of 30. Tomorrow two cousins and I are doing lunch with my mother, it should be fun. I’m glad my cousin C decided to do this, it’s a very long drive for them but my mother is looking forward to it. But thanks to the bad weather predicted, this weekend is MINE! It’s supposed to rain for three days and I am going to make the most of it – load up on my favorite food and beverage, watch movies, read, and plan the next year.
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Jane, your scarf is just lovely. Your childhood Christmases sound a lot like mine, at least the waiting on the steps for the go-ahead to proceed downstairs to where Santa dropped his load. I don’t really miss that time of my life, but I do miss being part of some child’s Christmas morning — perhaps one of my few regrets about being single and childless. Whoa – how did this comment get so sad? Anyway, have a lovely, beautiful, warm Christmas in your beautiful home town of your choosing. 🙂
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What a lovely post. I think what makes Christmas special is both the celebratory part and the wistful and sad part. It is a time for old memories and missing all those people who are no longer with us. It is a time for missing those who are far away. It is also a time for new memories to be created and new traditions to be started. I can fluctuate between “in the spirit” and sad very quickly these days.I too waited on the stairs with my brother until all was set and the super 8 movie camera and light were ready to go. We still have those movies and I keep thinking I’ll get them put on dvd…. maybe next year for Christmas.My family may have been splitting apart at times and eventually it really did, but Christmas was always special and amazing. In many ways it still is, though in a different way. I miss my father terribly at this time of year – he died almost 4 years ago just after Christmas – and with divorced parents, I got two Christmases… one at his apartment in the city and one with my mother.Ah, you’ve made me both happy and wistful… And we do live in one of the most beautiful places in the world!Stacey
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Looking back, things do look sweet. I dream at night sometimes that I’m young and troublefree, yet when I awake I remember that I never truly was. I can only gather my family around me now and create new traditions of love and togetherness. Your life sounds full of friends these days. Hope your holiday is happy and full of joy! Oh, and the scarf is gorgeous! What a lucky friend, she’ll be so surprised!
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Isn’t it hard to go without those little traditions? I think we have a similar little village scene, with the skaters and the mirror for a frozen pond . . . it’s one of my favorite things from my childhood.
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I know what you mean about missing the old times. Even though they weren’t perfect, somehow we put some tinsel on them or something. This year there was a bit of a meltdown in my family (heh, more than usual), and one sister has refused to participate in any of our holidays. It’s put a real pallor on things. Feather and Fan is one of the only patterns that truly tames wild variegated yarns, it seems. That is a lovely scarf, and such a nice gift!
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Jane, nostalgia, the way that you write of it, takes on a sort of haloed beauty. Thanks for sharing memories. The rasta colored yarn scarf is really gorgeous. It looks perfect for a gray old day in winter. Happy New Year…
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