Learning from Knitting Mis-steps

I've gotten fair at knitting scarves, shawls, hats, etc and for the most part have been pleased with how those projects turn out. I can't say the same for my attempts at knitting garments.  Take for instance these examples:  the green sweater in this post I’ve worn just once, this sweater which I gave away, and this sweater which I gave away as it bugged me that the yoke lace isn’t centered.

Here are two more to add to those.  This first one is a poncho.  I love the lacy pattern.  I love the yarn.  But I don’t feel it is long enough and the pattern instructions for making it longer are, for me, confusing and distract from the previous overall lace pattern.  

This next one is a sweater.  I did make a swatch and rechecked it after I realized the garment was too small which turned out to be correct.  Turns out I knitted the wrong size, so I have restarted with the yarn from the “frogged” poncho after highlighting the correct size in the pattern.  If I need the yarn from the small sweater, then I’ll frog it.  If not, then I may give the small one to a friend’s daughter.

The book (Finishing School: A Master Class for Knitters) in the above photo is one I recently bought in an attempt to improve.  I want to knit garments that fit properly and are a pleasure to wear.  The book has already given me information I wasn’t aware of such as tips on “reading a pattern” to see if it’s even worth trying, choses the right yarn, and has impressed on me the importance of swatches.