Love Notions La Vie Jacket turned into a Cosy Vest

When I first spotted the Love Notions La Vie Jacket pattern, the oversized silhouette and kangaroo pocket called out to my stash of French terry that has been waiting patiently since a Brisbane trip to Spotlight. The pattern is drafted for a relaxed sweatshirt with a generous hood, drawstring, and ribbed cuffs, but after sewing one for my sister last winter, I found myself wondering whether the hood was doing the design justice. A vest, on the other hand, felt like something I would reach for almost every week.

Australian weather has a habit of swinging between chilly mornings and mild afternoons, especially through autumn in Melbourne or the coastal suburbs of Sydney where the sea breeze picks up by midday. A sleeveless layer that still covers the core makes sense for that awkward stretch when a full jacket feels excessive but a long-sleeve top is not quite warm enough. Stripping the hood from the La Vie gives you that practical middle layer without losing the shape the original pattern is known for.

My plan was simple in theory and a little fiddly in practice. I wanted to keep the body, the kangaroo pocket, the side seams and the relaxed drop shoulder, but lose the hood and re-cut the neckline so it sat neatly without a drawstring casing. I also planned to swap the ribbed cuffs for bands at the armholes, turning the La Vie into a true vest that could be worn open over a tee or zipped up under a coat.

This post walks through how I approached the pattern adjustment, the fabrics that worked beautifully, the seam treatments I trialled, and a few ways I have been styling the finished vest since. There is also a comparison table further down if you are deciding between French terry, sweatshirt fleece and a lighter ponte for the same conversion.

Getting to know the La Vie pattern and why the hood removal works

The La Vie is part of Love Notions' casual outerwear range and shares a lot of DNA with their other relaxed pullovers. It has a slightly oversized body, a hood that is drafted to be worn scrunched around the neck, and a kangaroo pocket that sits low across the front. The hood piece is shaped with a centre back seam and curves down towards the front, which means removing it cleanly involves more than clipping along the neckline.

What makes the pattern such a strong candidate for a vest conversion is the deep front opening. The La Vie is cut as an open-front cardigan rather than a pullover, so once you remove the hood, the front edges already have the structure for a clean band or facing. You are essentially preserving the bones of the jacket while simplifying the upper third of the garment.

A few readers on the blog have asked whether to cut off the hood at the pattern stage or after sewing. I prefer to alter the paper pattern first because it lets you true up the neckline curve and decide on a matching ribbing treatment for the new armholes. Doing the conversion on the pattern means you can stitch multiple vests from the same adjusted template without re-measuring each time.

Picking fabrics that suit Australian layering

For a vest you intend to wear often, the weight and drape of the fabric really matter. I had three candidates from my stash and the local fabric shops I tend to visit when I am in Adelaide or Sydney, and the table below compares how each behaved in this project. The choice comes down to whether you want a structured layer for cool evenings or a softer piece to throw over summer dresses.

Fabric type	Weight and hand	Best season to wear	Notes for the La Vie conversion
French terry	Mid weight, soft looped back	Autumn and early winter	Holds the relaxed shape well; armhole bands sit flat
Sweatshirt fleece	Heavier, brushed inside	Winter and cold mornings	Lovely and cosy but bulkier at the neckline band
Cotton jersey	Light to mid weight, drapey	Spring, summer evenings	Best worn over dresses; choose a stable jersey

I went with a brushed sweatshirt fleece for my first version because I was picturing those crisp Adelaide Hills mornings where a single layer rarely feels like enough. For a second version, I am leaning towards a heavier ponte from the remnant table at my local Spotlight so the vest can be dressed up over a printed midi without feeling too casual.

When shopping in Australia, keep an eye out for end-of-bolt discounts at Spotlight during their seasonal changeover in November, and the small batch runs from local mills that pop up on Instagram. Brushed fleece from a Melbourne-based supplier has become my go-to for projects like this because the colour range tends to suit the soft, earthy palette most Australian sewists are working with at the moment.

Adjusting the pattern for a clean vest neckline

The actual pattern work is not difficult once you decide what kind of neckline finish you want. I chose a simple band finish rather than a facing because it echoes the cuff treatment of the original jacket and feels modern. To do this, I traced the front and back bodice pieces, then redrew the neckline curve so it dipped only slightly at centre front rather than rolling into the hood attachment points.

For the armholes, I measured the original cuff length, added a little for the drop shoulder ease, and drafted two narrow bands on the cross grain. The cross grain trick is something I picked up from a flat felled seam tutorial on the How to Sew a Flat Felled Seam on a Cotton Shirt post, where the same approach keeps bulky bands lying flatter against the body. The result is an armhole that has just enough structure without feeling restrictive.

One small change I recommend is trimming the original hood pattern piece down to just the front facing curve. You can reuse it as a neckband pattern rather than drafting from scratch. Mark the centre front and the desired depth, then trace the curve you want. This saves time and keeps the proportions consistent with the rest of the garment.

Construction details and finishing touches

Sewing the vest follows the same order as the original La Vie, with the hood steps removed. I stay-stitched the new neckline curve before attaching the band, which stops the brushed fleece from stretching out while you feed it through the machine. A walking foot is genuinely useful here, particularly through the kangaroo pocket and the side seams where the layers get thick.

For the side seams, I finished mine on the overlocker and then topstitched from the right side to mimic the sporty feel of the original cuffs. If you prefer a cleaner look, a French seam works beautifully on mid-weight French terry and gives a lovely neat finish on the inside. Either approach keeps the bulk manageable around the armhole, which is the area that tends to feel thickest on a converted vest.

After construction, I pressed the bands and the hem with a clapper to set the seams flat. This step makes a noticeable difference on brushed fabrics because the fibres want to spring back up. A quick press at the end also lets you check that the neckline sits symmetrically before you trim any loose threads.

Styling the vest through Australian seasons

The finished piece has earned a steady spot in my weekly rotation. Over a long-sleeve tee and jeans it handles those cool Brisbane mornings when the humidity has not quite settled in, and zipped up under a trench it works for the kind of mild Sydney winter days that never quite get cold enough for a heavy coat. The kangaroo pocket is roomy enough for a phone and a lip balm, which is genuinely all I need when I am out walking the dog at dusk.

For a softer look, I have been wearing it open over a Love Notions Swell Dress Creating a Mock Wrap Variation with sandals, which suits our late spring weather in Melbourne where the mornings can still be fresh. The slight drop shoulder means it layers comfortably over knit tops without bunching at the upper arm, and the cropped length pairs well with both high-waisted trousers and fuller skirts. If you sew a second one in ponte, it slides easily under a heavier coat on the coldest days.

A quick note on care: brushed fleece benefits from a gentle wash and being laid flat to dry, particularly if you live somewhere with hard water. The minerals in tank water can leave residue on darker colours, so I tend to wash mine inside out with a mild detergent and skip the dryer entirely. The fabric softens up beautifully after the first wash and the neckline band relaxes just enough to sit comfortably.

Complementary projects to sew alongside the vest

Because the La Vie vest is a relatively quick make, it is easy to batch a few coordinating pieces in the same week. I have my eye on a few Love Notions patterns that share the relaxed, layering-friendly feel of the La Vie and would slot into the same wardrobe nicely. The Love Notions Essential Tank Quick Project Ideas post has a handful of variations that pair well under the vest, especially the higher neck versions for cooler weather.

For something a little dressier, the mock wrap variation of the Swell is a lovely project to wear under an open La Vie vest in spring. The mock wrap adds a soft drape that contrasts nicely with the more structured sweatshirt fabric. Together they create an outfit that feels put together without looking overthought, which is exactly the kind of easy, wearable outfit most of us are chasing when we sew.

If you are new to sewing with knit fabrics, the La Vie vest is a friendly starting project because the construction is forgiving. Start with a stable French terry, follow the pattern adjustments in this post, and you will have a versatile piece that works through most of an Australian year. Once you have made one, the pattern adjustments are easy to apply to other jacket and sweatshirt patterns in your collection, and you will probably find yourself reaching for the vest on those in-between days more often than you expected.