Yaaay Presents!

This week I've gotten two packages of goodies in the mail. I absolutely love getting packages, even when I know exactly what the contain, it is still like opening presents. Here are the goodies! FINALLY the copy of One Skein I ordered came! This book has some really great patterns in it that I can't wait to try! Being a frugal knitter, These projects are great for when I would like to use a more expensive yarn, but only use a little bit of it. I'm excited to try some of the goodies in here! Now for more presents... That, my friends, is ten- yes TEN- skeins of recycled silk. You really need to go look at the huge picture- it is so amazing the colors of this yarn- it is so beautiful! I was a little worried, because I got it on Ebay, and he didn't have a picture of the actual yrn he was selling, but it was such a good deal! I paid under $40- with shipping-for all of it. Pretty good considering it goes for around $6 or $7 a skein in lots of other places online. For those of you who don't know about this amazing yarn, recycled silk is made by women, very often widows, in India and Nepal to help support them and their children. It is made by spinning together the loose threads of saris, collected from textile mills in India. I love that this yarn has such a history! It is so amazing to see and feel- I'm really excited to knit with it. I've heard it can be a challenge, but I always love a challenge. I'm planning to knit a clapotis with it- I know you all might be gasping and thinking I am absolutely nuts, and maybe I am! But I saw one on craftster and it was so pretty! I really want to do something special with this yarn, and I definitely think this is the way to go with it. I've been fantasizing about knitting clapotis since the pattern first came out. Just a question for you folks- what do you find is the best way to carry yarn up the side of a project? I plan to alternete skeins every 2 rows, and I've never carried yarn up the side before, and I can't really find any good advice on how to do it. So help please! Alright. Enough babbling about my pretty yarn. The Project Spectrum month of August is dedicated to the neutral colors. I started a day or two early, but my wheelie is black. So there's one neutral project. James also wants an illusion skull scarf in black and white, so I'll probably try to start that this month also. I've decided to set aside the short row scarf until the "clean-up" month of P.S. My sari silk project will probably sneak in here too- I'm practically itching about knitting with it. It was even in my dream last night! I know, I'm a dork... Adios all- I have knitting to do!