Swatch #2... and other UFO's

This is the second swatch in my lace lessons, I'm about a third the way through. I was talking to Mim earlier who reminded me that it had been her that suggested the marker string. I was telling her it was kind of funny, I was using the marker string, but I went on a few rows without moving the string (I get cocky that way, or lazy, or something), counted out my stitches and realized I had one extra.
I had time to regret not moving my marker string up to the last row, when I noticed one of the holes about 4 rows back was in the wrong place. And the marker string was right below it! HA! HahaHA!
One of those instances where you can mock your cockiness, or laziness, or whatever.

I have been wracking my brain, trying to decide what to enter in the state fair this year. I don't think I can beat what I put in last year; a three ply merino lace yarn that got reserve. I spun up some BFL and cabled it, I'm not horribly impressed with it, can't imagine a judge that would be... I thought about entering my seed stitch scarf ('member, the green one?), but that was just a practice piece, something to teach me what the stitches looked like in relation to each other...
So I started this. It is actually supposed to be done in garter stitch, and with a smaller needle, but I didn't like the tightness of the material, no drape whatsoever. So I decided to do a seed stitch with a bigger needle. I think I should have made it narrower too... the finished scarf will be about 42" long, with a gathered middle, I think the pattern is after a mariner's scarf.
Here's whats on the wheel! A very pretty dyed BFL, we'll see how this one turns out... fair material?