Bigger on the... blocking mats

I know one of the huge projects to hit the geek-knit community is the "bigger on the inside" shawl, (Which is a really lovely thing, and very cute.), but that's not what I'm working on right now. I am still finishing up a pink Ashton which I've dubbed my "Crooked Leaves" Shawl since in the long standing tradition of creative adjustment I've kind of... backed my way into a slightly modified version of the pattern (you'll have to wait and see though.)
 What I did discover though was a reminder that blocking does strange and nearly magical things to a shawl... and one of my old projects the Vortex is not an exception to that.

 Since it came off the needles my 'Plum Paisley' colored Vortex has been largely used and abused as a small cover for nursing and baby snuggles, and then ended up living on the floor of my husbands truck for a while where it slurped up part of a small coffee spill. ((embarrassed cough goes here.))

 Anyway since he decided to clean out the truck, it came inside, and I decided to be nice to the thing, and dropped it in the tub for a wash and block. Cleaned carefully and pinned out, the shawl that wouldn't even sit decently around my shoulders has become ENORMOUS. And I. Mean. ENORMOUS.

 I'm quite excited to see it actually come off the blocking mats now and maybe get someone to help me take pictures (which won't make the color look any better on me but would still be cool to have) because it's just... I mean WOW it's big.

 This is it pinned out on my uh "Blocking Mats" ((by which I mean colorful rubber mats designed for kids I am using instead of buying mats dedicated to pinning things to. Because they work.))

That mitten is mine, not the kids. Just sayin'.

Updated Vortex Shawl

As of my last check: the shawl is about two feet ten inches across, at least thats as wide as I get doubling the distance from the middle to one edge. My largest pair of needles actually isn't long enough for me to fully spread out at this point.

 I'm still wondering if I'll have to get some more yarn to finish this at a wearable size, but we'll see. I did find the yarn, so I guess it's just difficult to find this colorway, not impossible. That's something.
 The small round thing you see is a quarter I put in one of the spiral arms for perspective.