crafty shtuff: my first sweater

I have finally done it!  I decided on a sweater knitting pattern & bought the skeins of yarn need.  I think I have been wanting to do this for at least a year.  
I'm making "The Swindle" from Pretty in Punk.  My goal is to actually follow the pattern for once! I tend to have pattern A.D.D and try to change it & tweek it.  So,  I decided for the first attempt I would even keep to the same color scheme which was not too hard to wrap my head around seeing as I LOVE green. 
I was unable to get a mohair blend of yard here on the island so I did substitute Merino wool by Malabrigo, which is divinely soft! A BIG thanks to my gals at Island Wools here in Friday Harbor who helped me through the selection process.  Yarn shops make me feel like a kid in a candy store all hopped up on sugar, so focusing on why I came in can be difficult. 

Delicious skeins of merino wool in Lettuce & Black. 

The pattern called for 3 skeins of each color but I did not even touch the 3rd skeins.  In fact I still have a good amount of the 2nd skeins left.  Which would make me think I made a baby sweater, but alas it did fit. Hmmm?!

Here we go! Working my stockinette.

First front/back piece finished. 

I was lovin' how the kettle dyed lettuce was a bit variegated in the color!

Front & back are connected now at shoulders and waiting for sleeves to be finished 

For the most part there were no new techniques for me in this pattern so as long as I paid attention it went smoothly.  But there were many times of not being focused and I had to undo rows due to not increasing or decreasing properly. Ha.
There was one new exciting moment though... My very first 3 needle bind-off! wow was it awesome! If you have never tried one, you must.  The feeling of accomplishment was intense.

Time to block this mother out...

I blocked the pieces once done at the recommendation of a fellow knitter.  The pattern did not mention it.  I have never blocked before.  But so glad I did it made the edges less rolly and easier to stitch together. 

All stitched up & begging for felted star elbow patches

I think it adds a whole lot a star power... hee! 

Not only does it fit... but I think it kinda rocks. 

I added a tiny star on the front too. Couldn't leave all the fun in the back...

First sweater complete!

I had put a deadline on myself for finishing this project.  It needed to be finished by Aug 14th to enter into the San Juan County Fair.  I made it by the lack of sleep skin o' my teeth! I will let you know if I win a ribbon!