The Shruff’s End cocktail combines Scotch and Apple Brandy, using Benedictine to tie the flavors together in a way that brings out a delicious smoked apple essence. Kinda like how the heather in these John Arbon shades brings the colors together and brings gorgeous depth to this cabled vest.

My vision was for a vest with a bookish vibe, and you know I wanted classic, but not something I’d seen before. With that in mind, I found cables that look somewhat like honeycomb, but not quite. The lines are more detailed, crisply folding to and fro as they climb up the body. The resulting fabric is dense and delicate, and the shapes are almost boxy. These cables really catch your eye when knit in a yarn with some depth of color, which visually draws the texture out even more.

Instead of combining different patterns, I concentrated on the one, having fun at the hem and neatly trimming the edges along the V-neck and armholes. It’s quite a simple knit once you get going, and these little cables are fun to work. 

I love how these two colors play off each other. The flecks of rust in my blue Badi Da (left over from my Plymouth Gin Hat) pick up the brown and orange tones of the Russet background yarn beautifully - and the Russet has some blues and greens in there that reach right back into the blue. The two shades are perfect together and the vibe they lend to the vest is that perfect Fall Librarian I was hoping for.

Given all the stunning colors over at John Arbon, there’s a perfect color pair just waiting for you! But if you don’t have all day to dream about hues. John Arbon has got you covered with kits! Follow this link to see the available color options.

If heading to the John Arbon website, use the code ShruffsEndLove at checkout for 10% off both Yarnadelic and Harvest Hues yarn or a Shruffs End kit. The ShruffsEndLove code will also get you 20% off the PDF on my website or Ravelry. Both offers are valid until 1/23/26!

Below are details on construction, sizing, and yardage.

Shruff’s End is worked flat in one piece from hem to armhole, then split into 3 pieces that are worked separately from armhole to shoulder. Once fronts and back are seamed at shoulders, button bands are picked up and worked flat around the center opening. Armhole trim is picked up and worked in the round last.

Sizes
36.75(40.25,43.5,46.75,50.25)(53.5,56.75,60.25,63.5)” 93.25(102.25,110.5,118.75,127.75)(136,144.25,153,161.25)cm

Sizes reflect bust circumference worn closed, in final, blocked fabric. Choose the size that allows for the ease you want. Shown worn with 4”/10cm positive ease.

Yardage by Size
Background Color
550(600,650,700,800)(850,950,1050,1150)yds 505(550,595,640,735)(780,870,960,1055)m

Accent Color
175(175,175,200,200)(200,200,225,225)yds
160(160,160,185,185)(185,185,205,205)m

Shown in Sample:
Background: John Arbon Harvest Hues Worsted
(33% Bluefaced Leicester/33% Falklands Merino/33% Zwartbles, 218yds/ 200m per 3.5oz/100g skein). Color: Russet.

Accent: John Arbon Yarnadelic Worsted
(100% Falklands Corriedale, 236yds/216m per 3.5oz/100g skein). Color: Badi Da.

Both of the above yarns work beautifully in this pattern. You can choose two colors in the same yarn or choose one shade in each if you fall in love with a combination of the two as I did. This design also works beautifully in a single solid shade.

If substituting yarn, use a worsted weight fiber that works to gauge. Heather or tweed shades will allow you to match colors beautifully. Use a wool fiber with some memory for ease in working the cables and for beautiful stitch definition once your vest is blocked.

Yardage reflects fit shown in pattern, plus about 10% extra. Modifications to pattern or substitute yarn may affect the above estimates, so adjust as needed.