Picot Love

I have been trying to finish up some projects and not start new things quite so often because my UFO bin is getting a little out of hand again but every so often, you just have to listen to your quiet inner voice. Sometimes it's just not quiet at all and in this case, it shouted.
With the way my wrist had been feeling I was really trying to go easy on the knitting to let it rest but since knitting is my normal resting state, it was difficult. I finished spinning my blue laceweight and I was working on finishing the spinning on a sweater quantity of brown wool. It's turning into lovely yarn but I was thoroughly sick of looking at it and I decided I needed a new knitting project. As soon as my brain settled on the skein of handspun I had in mind, I knew it needed to be a shawl and I needed to start right away. I even tried to quiet that little voice and dug out a shawl I had been working on and tried to work on that. It would not be stilled.
I had struck upon what I thought was a great idea. Awhile ago, quite awhile now that I think about it, I had spun a skein of merino. It was chain-plied and lovely colors in almost a gradient and I had been so excited to knit it into a shawl. Then, distracted by whatever projects I had going at the time, I tucked the skein into the handspun storage area and forgot about it. When I struck on the idea of knitting it, I also struck on the perfect pattern. Holden Shawlette. I have it in my Library from back when it was free but it's been updated, improved and is now a purchase pattern.
I cast on and started knitting. My wrist started feeling better and I just kept knitting. I was getting close to starting the edge pattern and I just kept on knitting. Then I was on the edging and I still just kept on knitting. Last night, I finished.

Don't the colors look great? I had more than the called-for 400-450 yards so I kept going on the pattern.

The edging was bright blue. (I manage to run out of yarn too and finished the picot bindoff with some other blue handspun, the epic laceweight as a matter of fact. I think it matches fine and came out lovely.)

Then at 1 am I blocked it. I pinned out almost every single picot to make them look right. I pretty much hated the picots while I was knitting them. I pretty much hated them while I was pinning them but now? Now, I adore them! I think they make it look fancy and beautiful. I love the look of this shawl and the (much more subtle in person) shifts of color. I can't wait to wear it everywhere and I plan to.
I was also really surprised that it came out as a large as it did. I only had the one 4-ounce skein which was about 600 yards but it's huge. I love that about it too.
It seems like it was a pretty quick project. I started it less than 2 weeks ago and it's finished now. I didn't even really have the time to blog about it earlier. That little shouting voice in my head telling me to knit this? You were right, I'm so glad I did!