I did finish the vest over the weekend and it turned out about 95% as wearable as I hoped. (The armholes are a little long; I was in too much of a hurry to check them.) The contrasting red faced hem (worked kind of like this, but at the end of the sweater, not the beginning) turned out really well, and overall I like it. It looks very rustic to me, like something that would be worn in the Shire where life is simple, the yarn is purple, and nobody wants to go far from home.

However, you’ll notice there are no pockets yet. I tried experimenting with an inset pocket (like on a suit jacket) on a swatch and that was really alarming:
It’s already become a cat toy.

But a Shire vest has to have pockets, my precious, so now I’m considering patch pockets (like the back of jeans) versus further experimentation with an inset pocket. We’ll see.

Details: Free pattern here, with the lace and extra bands edited out.
Yarn is Beaverslide fisherman weight, in “Nightshade.”

Also: Happy Veterans Day today to Dad and Mr. Isbell! Thank you!