Red Plaid Sweater

The past few years, I've enjoyed starting a crochet project right after Christmas, for some crafty relaxation.  This time I made a plaid sweater.  I'm a long-time plaid fan, and I was inspired by this Plaid Pumpkin pattern.  I thought it would work well with the top-down raglan construction of this Classic Sweater pattern.

And it did, though I modified both the plaid motif and the sweater itself.  The pumpkin pattern uses three colors.  I'm sure it would have been easier to keep the plaid organized if I had.  But I couldn't find a lighter red that would work with the lovely Wine and Cream colors of Red Heart Fashion Soft yarn.  So I alternated the red and cream in the between-color spaces, like you would when weaving gingham.  The sweater pattern only calls for one color, so I had to estimate my yarn needs--and got it wrong.  I ordered two skeins of each color.  One was more than enough for the cream, but I ran out of red halfway down the second sleeve.  Oops! 

Also, I used linked double crochet for a more stable structure, and crocheted in distinct rounds, rather than in the long spiral described in the sweater pattern.  It worked better for the plaid.  Anyway, this was fun to make, and it's nice to have a new warm sweater now that the trees are blooming, right?  It's all ready for next winter.