One More Wicked! Finally!

Hello everyone, this is my first post to the SKC since I finally decided to officially join after lurking on the site for a few months. I did knit Wicked along the the KAL, my first sweater - also my first wearable item other than a scarf! Now I am off and running. I can't seem to stop looking at yarn, dreaming about what I'm going to make next!



(Please ignore my messy kitchen, it seems I knit more than I clean now! Oooops)
(My six year old took the picture for me, not bad considering the camera was almost as big as she is!)

I used Debbie Bliss Merino Aran in Moss Green and US size 8 needles.
I added an inch to the length and a few decreases to the waist. I also had to decrease a few stitches on the arms because I had to pick up a few stitches to close a hole in the armpitt that formed when I joined the sleeves. Is this normal? I couldn't find any info in the pattern so I don't know if I did something wrong. That was definately the most challenging part of the sweater - picking up those stitches. I'm satisfied with the end result, but if anyone knows any tips/tricks to the proper way to do it, please let me know! I really want to learn. My next project will be Rusted Root, and I'm ordering Cotton Fleece in Candy Apple for it. My LYS isn't that great, so I'm ordering a lot of my yarn online, and living in Canada, it takes a while to get here from the States. I have to be patient I guess! Take care everyone!