This sweater is a blend of 2 patterns - the alligator from the Gator sweater and the pattern for the Songbird sweater (without the stripes and birds).

In order to make sure that I sewed the gator on straight I purled for about 40 stitches partway up the side.

I knit the sweater in the round up to the armpits and then split for front and back. I knit each sleeve in the round (adding stripes) and then sewed them in. I made the gator and then sewed him on the line.