New year pompom

Last year I could not knit and crochet as much, as I would have wanted. I had serious reasons (work, children, 2 places to live, two households), but I must recognize, it was the laziness also.
I would like some more knitting this year, so I joined the Ravelry challenge.

I would like to finish 21 projects this year. For real there are 19, but I have two, which came to this year almost finished. 
The first finished project of 2019 is a hat.

I imagined it a long time ago.
I had the pompom.
I had the colored yarn from an older project.
I imagined how highlighted would be the colored yarn by a white striping.
But I could not find the time to start it.
Not until 29 December. That day I cast on with an off-white yarn (I got that from a colleagu)
I was not sure about is, then I put the pompom near the yarn, and bingo!
I unraveled the ribbing two times. First, because I had too many stitches (I have no idea how this happened, I know maths), second because I thought that cabled 2x2 ribbing would look better.
Then I knitted with garter stitch in the round, changing the yarns every garter row (2 rounds).
I used 3.5 mm circulars. The white yarn is some acrylic, the colored is Red Heart Unforgettable, Polo colorway.

I planned to finish it before New Year, but on 31 December we had to go and search for a wounded bear. We did not find it unfortunately, in 6 hours.

I got home tired and feeling cold. So I put a blanket on myself and had warm coffees.
So, the hat got finished yesterday. Photos were taken today, when there was 10 minutes of sunshine.
(the hat is worn by my daughter, and it is too big for her)

Now there is dark and gray again. I am knitting a soft white cloud - a scarf to go with my new hat. Just plain stockinette. My soul needs this.