Cast on? Magic. Results? Not so much.

Every now and then, I get this idea that I need to try something new, get out of my knitting comfort zone. And this "something new" is almost always knitting socks toe-up with a short-row heel. What you see above is the result of my most recent attempt, but what you can't see in the photo is that the most recent attempt has been ripped the hell out.

I am strictly a top-down, heel-flap, "knit for length of foot minus two inches, then begin toe shaping" kind of gal, and from this point forward, I vow to remember that. There's really no reason to turn my favorite thing to knit into something that is not fun at all.

What, doesn't everybody go a year between blog posts?

Meet my Elm Row. Inspired by another knitter involved in the Sundara Lace Knit and Crochet Along on Ravelry, I knit mine in sock yarn, as opposed to the lace that the pattern is written for. I got 32 repeats out of my skein (Sundara sock yarn, in the Limited Edition Rhubarb Crisp colorway), and my blocked scarf measures 46" long. I really wish I had remembered to take a picture of the scarf before blocking, too, because it was such a transformation.

Here's a close-up:


Speaking of Sundara sock yarn, I got my Seasons club mailing on Friday afternoon and, armed with the Autumn colorway, my trusty new swift and ballwinder, immediately set to work. The end result?

The pattern, Dahlia, was from Sundara's Petals Club and is not commercially available. I had been searching for a yarn that I thought would do justice to the pattern, and this one - Roasted Persimmon over Green Papaya - does.