Stichin' n Bitchin'

Well, after receiving a book of patterns for Valentine's I felt compelled to figure out how to read a pattern and actually make some thing out of it. This actually surprised my boyfriend, as he expected my to smile sweetly, put it on the book shelf and never open it again...
I found this pattern I rather liked, seemed like a good way to use up all the one of skeins of mohair I have laying around. Well, then I get around to actually reading the pattern, researching the "recommended yarn", and discovered one of skeins won't do it. this requires 650 yards. @.@

Well, I figured I'd just use the stitch pattern and make a shawl so when I do decide to spin 650 yards of something I'll be ready. So why doesn't mine look like the picture? It's a cool stitch pattern, but I want the lacy holes and fine halo of the picture!! The pattern called for size seven, I've already ramped it up to size 9, and I don't know how much it'll go up until I can't fit the needle under THREE stitches for a P3Tog (the hardest part of the pattern, coaxing the needle under three stitches and back out with the yarn.) It's a good thing I'm using lovely yarn, otherwise I'd rip it all out and burn it...