The thing I really love about sewing/knitting/crafting is that there is always something new to learn. You could choose never to repeat a project and you wouldn’t run out of options. I think that’s why it appeals to both adventurous people and those who like to stick to their routine once they learn a particular...
As someone getting into knitting more seriously I cannot recommend adding Elizabeth Zimmerman and Barbara walker to your library. You will learn so much about knitting and garment construction, those women were/are true geniuses.
Also, as for the length, you can change that. Unpick or cut off your bind off, frog your rubbing if you want to keep the ribbing the same length, pick up your loose stitches and knit some more. It’s more time consuming but a lot easier to seamlessly add length to a knit garment than a sewn one.
you did a fantastic job, meredith! so cute!