belated merry christmas and happy new year!

Did you all have a lovely Christmas? I did, with my family, which is why I vanished for so long. My sister hosted the husband and me, my parents and her boyfriend and conjured up the most impressive meal with a smile. Juju, you rock!

So, in the last of the Christmas spirit series, here is a picture of the Rockefeller Center Tree and skating rink. I have to say that going there makes me smile - it's such a Christmas cliche and yet it is still wonderful to go there and soak up the atmosphere - with a Dean & DeLuca hot chocolate in hand is my favourite way...

And here is a cool picture of Club 21, a restaurant in New York on West 52nd Street. There's something about those jockeys that makes me smile and take pictures of the place every time that I walk by.

I did actually get some knitting done when I was in the US. I didn't post until now as I principally worked on a moss stitch scarf for my father - which I gave to him on Christmas day and promptly forgot to take a picture of it. Oops. Well suffice to say that it was in Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran (again, I hear you all laugh) in colour 500, a greeny/khaki colour which is one of my father's favourites.

Then I worked on this:

This is for my father in law. I said that I was going to keep to simple knitting projects until after Xmas and this is definately one of the easier projects. A mistake rib scarf, using Jaeger extra fine merino aran in the dark grey - strangley called Derby. Not the brightest of colours, even by my standards, but I know that my father in law will like it and that's what counts. I am surprised as to how nice this scarf has turned out. It is rigid enough to be quite manly and yet it is soft and flexible. The husband does not like scarves as he gets too hot and yet he was quite taken by it - I thought at one point that he was going to keep it for himself.

Then I cast on for the Backyard leaves scarf from the Pam Allen "Scarf Style" book for my mother in law for Christmas. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I knitted about 2 repeats over a couple of days (I should have taken a picture but forgot) and then I realised that there was not a chance in **** of my getting in done in time to give it to her. Which is a shame as I think that she would have loved it. She used to knit a lot and some really intricate things from what the husband has said.

But as I know that she likes a bit of a lace effect, I have cast on the Opera scarf in Debbie Bliss merino aran for her. In the loveliest blue - it's not to bright and not too dull (Shade 203). And I know my blues as it is my favourite colour. Here's a picture of it, except that it is now nearly finished as I shall be giving it to her tomorrow.

I know that I have raved about this pattern before but I have to say again that it is fantastic. It looks more difficult than it actually is, and also looks as though it might have been done in crochet. The ridges between the lacy bits are quite thick, the lacy bits are really thin so you have a scarf that not only looks good but which also feels great to the touch.

Right, I am off to Caernarfon in Snowdonia, North Wales tomorrow for a week to stay with the husband's family. I am not expecting to have any connectivity while I am out there, but hopefully I should come back with some nice pictures. All I have to do now is go and find some knitting to take with me. Now that could be a tough decision.

Happy new year to you all and to your families, a little in advance. A.x

Posted by Amelia at December 27, 2004 09:55 PM