FO: Drops 97-1 Hooded Cardigan

I finished my "Something for Me" sweater, aka Drops 97-1. This was part of the "Something for Me" CAL at Yahoo CrochetChallenge. All in all I think it turned out well. I like the final outcome although I was a bit skeptical along the way! I wasn't sure how I was going to edge this jacket, but after stashdiving, I ended up using some gray KnitPicks Wool of the Andes, double stranded.
The major issue involved the waist shaping. I need to remember to trust my judgment about shaping in crochet. Until someone shows me otherwise, I should follow my gut which says not to make increases or decreases that change the width by an inch or more in one row. Let's just say it makes for interesting seaming. Another way this sweater achieves interesting seaming (memories of Purple Haze....yes, it is almost done) is that its front and back shaping are not aligned. This was particularly tough to smooth out with bulky yarn and a crocheted seam. Finally I didn't like the dark brown wooden toggle buttons that I had chosen before I settled on the gray edging. Now I'm hunting again (yes, more PH memories) for some sort of pewter button. But this time I want to make linked button closures so the edging will show on both front panels. For now I'm wearing it open.

Project details:

Pattern: Drops 97-1 or Ravel It
Main Yarn: Reynolds Lopi or Ravel It
Colorway: Red/White #002
Edging Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes
Colorway: Fog
Hook: Boye "N" - actually ~7.75mm
Pattern Changes: Just a few!

• Assembly - In light of the quirky side seam shaping, I felt the crocheted seaming recommended was too bulky and "bulgy" at the increase points. I actually crocheted an entire side & sleeve seam and decided to frog it in favor of an invisible weave seam.
• Sleeve Edging - I have long arms so I did 3 rounds of sc in the main color before joining the contrasting color for 2 rounds of edging in sc.
• Body/Hood Edging - I added a row of main color edging in sc followed by 2 rows of contrasting color edging in sc (not the dc-group)