So many restarts - but think I’m finally on the right track. US 4 seems a better size for this yarn - though my gauge is 24 sts for 4”. Wonder if I should bump down to a 3 before I get much further.

Using doubled up laceweight black as substitute for fingering. The stuff was turning my hands blue as I was knitting so it also got subjected to an intense rinse with soap and a lot of water… some spots are almost red now (the water was quite blue - ah, dyeing, you are so persnickety… but at least this one was NOT my fault - I wonder if Cherry Tree Hill is still in business…) The hank was slightly felted in the agitation and rinsing - but was still pretty much separable - so I’m going to use it anyway. Live and learn. Do not agitate MEANS do not agitate.

Catching floats of the darker contrast color wasn’t working - they showed through to the right side. One of the other testknitters suggested an alternate method found here:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/practice-invisib...

It doesn’t seem to be entirely necessary to catch them at all for this project, as the dangly bits will be enclosed on the inside of the tube of knitting.

Last Note - It was Extremely helpful to place stitch markers at the beginning of each “feather” in the sequence. Some of the testers shifted the markers each row, but I only shifted them at the start of each left/right paired sequence (12 rows, give or take). One of the most challenging, yet satisfying projects I’ve worked on in a long time. This is truly a one of a kind cowl - and one that will mean a lot to me in years to come!

(If only I could guarantee anyone after me will enjoy it after my passing, sigh… but I plan on living a few more decades, at least!)