WIP Wednesday - Piano Scarf

I have a couple of things on my needles at the moment - mainly because I got started on something rather complicated and needed something portable as well ;)

So for the portable, I'm making the Holy Cowl for my sister. I hope to have this finished by October 6th when I see her next.
It's a fun knit, but I'm having problems finding the best method for casting on the stitches above the holes. So far I've been using the 'reverse loop' but it's not quite as neat as I would like it. I've tried the knitted cast on but can't quite make it work. Do you have any recommendations?

The other project is much more elaborate and MUCH more fiddly - but I'm loving it! Ever since I saw Shadow Byrd's Piano Scarf I knew I HAD to make it! In fact, this was what got me started on my knitting again. Last week I finally got hold of the yarn and was ready to cast on and by yesterday evening I had gotten the first octave done.

I actually love the way the back looks as well!

Buuuuut... it uses 4 skeins at a time (actually the pattern calls for 5, but I decided there was no reason to make it worse ;) ), so this is why I don't bring it anyway... this is the result of just 2 rows knitted...

Knitting this just makes me SO thankful that I've learned the knitting backwards method of purling - it makes it a LOT easier to keep the skeins straight!
I'm using Hjertegarn Woolcott, which is a wool-cotton blend and SO lovely soft. Can't wait to wear it :) I chose an off-white instead of a plain white though, as I think I'll like that more in the long run.

Funny story about buying the yarn (funny to me anyway). I went down to my local yarn shop Thursday before last to get hold of the yarn. It needs quite a lot though, so they only had half the amount of white yarn that I needed. The owner asked if a different dye-lot would be okay, or if I needed to go with another type of yarn instead. I answered that I thought a different dye-lot would be okay, as I was making piano keys, so they had black separating the different colours anyway.
Her: "You're making a piano?"
Me: "Yes, I've got the photo right here" and I showed her the photo on Ravelry (I love my smartphone ;) ).
She oohed and aahed appreciatively, and we arranged that I should give her a call the following week, as they were getting a new shipment of the yarn in.

Life interviened, and I didn't get around to calling her until yesterday.

Me: "Hi, my name is Maria. I'm calling about a shipment of Hjertegarn Woolcott you should have received?"
Her: "Ah yes, the off-white for the piano, right? Yes, we've received some more."

Marvelling at her memory I asked her to set aside 4 skeins for her, and told her that I would be by that afternoon to pick it up, traffic permitting.

I arrived shortly before closing, and another person was behind the counter. She didn't really know what I was talking about, but fortunately the owner came out from the back just at that moment.

Her: "Excellent, you made it! I've got the skeins for you here. Oh, did you bring the pattern? I wanted to show my colleague!"

Fortunately I had brought my iPad with me, so I was able to show off a larger photo of the finished scarf, and they both commented that it would be a lot of fun to knit. I told them that I'd gotten it on Ravelry, so who knows Shadow, you might make some more sales now ;) In any case I have to go by to show off the finished scarf once I'm done... whenever that may be ;)

As usual I'm linking up to Tami's Amis :)