FO: Rib & Braid Pullover

Yippee! I finished it in time to wear it! And - surprise, surprise, it looks like we'll have at least a few more weeks of vest wearing weather.

The pattern is Rib & Braid Pullover, which I knit as a tunic length sleeveless vest. The pattern is very well written and extremely comprehensive. After choosing my size, the pattern included options for a waist length vest, a hip length tunic or a longer jumper, as well as options for a sleeveless style or optional cap sleeves. I worried about whether I could "pick up stitches evenly along the neck edge" for the neck band, but reading further the designer instructs to pick up two stitches for each column in the ribbing, so that was easy enough. It all turned out just fine and it fits exactly as the pattern chart suggests it would. If I knit this pattern again, the only thing I'd change would be to add to the centre front for a higher neckline.

The pattern has surprisingly few projects on Ravelry, which I'm entirely at a loss to explain. The only thing I can figure is perhaps there isn't much of a market for a worsted weight vest? I will say that  I am considering making another vest for myself,  but I've already decided that it will be knit in much lighter yarn - maybe a fingering or sport weight instead.

For this vest I used Briggs & Little Heritage wool in Sheep's Grey. It's my all time favourite yarn, because it's got an interesting tweedy texture, it's a lovely warm grey and it's so-lanolin rich that I think my hands are actually being moisturized as I knit with it. Truth be told the cables within the pattern might be more dramatic with a smoother yarn, but I wanted a comfy, casual vest just like this. I couldn't be happier. I LOVE this vest.