My First (Finished) Crocheted Garment!!

I do a lot of artsy-craftsy things.  I used to make Temari balls.  I make jewelry and sell it on Etsy (visit my Etsy store, see below on right for widget).  

I also learned to crochet in college and over the past couple years learned that there is more than the one stitch I was taught then and have been experimenting with a variety of different patterns.

I just finished my first sweater!  It is a free pattern from Lion Brand (with a free membership), and I just fell in love with it at first sight:

I also happened to have a J Crew sweater I'd gotten from Goodwill two years ago that developed a half dollar-sized hole in the upper left shoulder.  I couldn't repair it, so I decided to unravel the entire thing and reuse the gorgeous denim-blue wool yarn.

I got a LOT of yarn out of it, four huge balls in fact.  I used nearly 3 in this sweater - it was the perfect yarn for it. So, I still have a ball left to do something else with.

It was only AFTER I started the pattern that I actually read some of the details.  Isn't that always how it is?  This was considered a project for an "experienced" crocheter.  I felt I was intermediate at best.  There were some things with the pattern that confused me, but it turned out I was just making it harder than it really was!


And here is the finished item:

I'm very happy with it.  The body was worked in the round, once piece.  The sleeves worked separately and attached just below where the lacy part starts.  I didn't make the turtleneck part quite as long as it called for (6" instead of 8").  I can always add on if I want.