Super Mario Bros scarf update

[cassinator.livejournal.com]

I've officially started on the scarf after finally buying yarn and getting some planning done. I spent a lot of time breaking up the image I downloaded of the full first level of Super Mario Bros and putting it through the knitPro web app. In order to get a least a little bit of definition in the grid image, I had to use more stitches in the size options. So, knitPro tells me I'm gonna need to do 91 x 91 stitches for each section I made.... and I made 10 section. YIKES!!!! I decided to go ahead and cast on my 91 stitches and guess what- it was HUGE.

So I frogged the whole darn thing and am free-styling the picture. I'm looking at the pic blown up and plan on scrolling along and making it up as I go. My first start showed me how disproportionate the sky is to the rest of the picture so to bring out the smaller details, I'm making it narrower and closer together. I don't think I can knit all the tiny details, so my plan is to knit the basics and cross-stitch in black outlining, Mario, and the turtle/mushroom-dude features when I finish.

After about 2 hours of intarsia, here's where I'm at...


For reference, here's the whole first level (sorry it's so small- several clicks will lead you to a full-sized image):





This is the very first hill in the level.... I wonder how long the whole thing will end up taking!!!



What it all looks like from the back. I haven't done much intarsia so I'm hoping that I'm doing it correctly and well!