Project Report 26.28: Button Band and a Sleeveless Sweater

I was a bad blogger this weekend; I hope you'll forgive me. My yarn shipment arrived and I didn't feel like taking pictures, I just felt like knitting, so I dove into my new yarns without establishing photographic evidence first. I'll catch you up on my shopping soon.

I finished the seemingly endless ribbed hem on my Untimely cardigan and immediately picked up for the button band. 

I worked one inch of 1x1 ribbing for the button band (sans buttonholes, because I am too lazy to knit them and too lazy to use them), but it's currently strung onto scrap yarn while I decide whether to bind off as-is or redo it as a double knit button band. 

After the button band, I procrastinated starting the sleeves because I was intimidated by the five minutes of yarn management I needed to do to align the color gradient. I did finally start the first sleeve last night, but while I was avoiding it, I started a new project.

Meet the Man Sweater (title pending):

My roommate's birthday is next month and I've decided to make him a sweater. This is something of a gamble, because my roommate has never worn a sweater. Ever. In his life. However, last Christmas, I knit him a vest and he wore that thing almost every day, all winter long. So I figure the sweater is worth a shot.

In order to maximize the chances he'll wear the finished object, I'm self-drafting the pattern with what I think is a unique approach. I'm knitting it to vest specifications but I plan to add sleeves in such a way that I can later remove them and add an i-cord edging to the armholes if he turns out to be a sweater vest person but not a sweater-with-sleeves person.

The yarn is worsted weight Berroco Comfort in the color "Driftwood," which is the same color I used for my fingering weight Sonate Sweater. It's a neutral, warm greige color that should work well with most of his wardrobe.

If you've ever done a vest-to-sweater conversion (or vice-versa), how did it turn out? I'm slightly concerned that I might be reinventing zip-off pants.