Fresh off the needles: Solaris Shawl

I bought the yarn I used for this project last August during Yarn Along the Rockies and kept it in my closet until this March when a local yarn shop was hosting a KAL on Facebook for this project. It gave me the confidence boost to cast on knowing that I could ask questions if I had any and someone would be able to help me. I was a little nervous about the short rows and the special stitch in the border, but Melanie writes her patterns so simple and clearly that I didn't have any issues! This is actually the first knitting project where I didn't have to frog any of it or use a lifeline.



Here's what I used:
Solaris knitting pattern by Madeline Tosh here
Madeline Tosh Merino Light in The Raddness (2 skeins, but should've gotten 3!)
Madeline Tosh Unicorn Tails in Coquette, Neon Peach, Edison Bulb, Blue and Black
4.0 mm needles



Even though I bought enough yarn according to the pattern, I was about to run out towards the end so I had to eliminate a few rows in the border as well as a few repeat sections before the border. Oh well, I didn't mind cutting it short because this project was taking for-ev-er and I didn't finish the KAL in time. But because I cut out a few rows before the border, my count was off from the pattern's, so I kinda improvised with that as I went along.



I'm notorious for losing interest once projects get too big, and that happened with this one, not surprisingly. It was such a laborious effort, I may have still cut out the end of the border anyway just to end it. I got to the point where I was basically only finishing so I could cast on a new project.

I have to say, if I could go back, I would replace the dark pink with a bright pink to match the pink speckles in the main color. But otherwise, I'm pretty happy with it.