Opus Vest

Opus Vest – Love Notions

I was over the moon when Tami announced that Love Notions was adding a woven vest pattern to their lineup (a happy dance may or may not have been involved 😅). It’s such a now piece, perfectly on-trend and ideal for all those cozy fall layering looks.

The Opus Vest is a fresh take on a classic silhouette, polished and put-together, yet still effortlessly wearable for everyday life.

Of course, I couldn’t stop at just one…

01 – Cropped length (as per pattern)

This one is special as it used to be a pair of jeans. I used the hem seams for the faux welt pockets and the waistband for the back cinch. 😊 I love giving old denim a second life, and it worked beautifully for this pattern. The heavier weight adds just enough structure, and that lived-in texture gives it a cool, casual vibe.

To say I’m head over heels in love with it is an understatement.

The cropped length hits me right at the waist, it’s so cute over a fitted tee, button-down, or even on its own (hello, layering goals 🙌).

This pattern is so easy and fun to style, and it’s the perfect companion to the Bridget Trousers, and pairs perfectly with jeans (yes, denim-on-denim and I regret nothing 😄).

02 & 03 – Cropped (reversible hack)

The fabric for my second vest was already picked from the get-go. I had to make one to match my Bridget Trousers, because as I mentioned earlier, they’re the perfect pair.

But while looking for lining fabric, I came across another pair of pants that had been sitting in my “to upcycle” pile… and immediately visualized it as an Opus. And because I’m terrible at decision-making, instead of choosing which one to make first, I simply decided to make a reversible vest! 😄

Due to how the pattern is constructed, the process for this is super simple.
It’s just a matter of sewing two main sets instead of a main and a lining. Yup, it’s that easy! 😉

Here’s the first side:

The fabric is a Punta di Milano, a very stable knit with no vertical stretch. It’s one of my favorite fabrics for the Bridget, and even though the Opus is drafted for wovens, the stability of this knit (combined with the non-stretch woven on the reverse side) worked perfectly. It didn’t affect the final fit or structure at all!

This is the look I had in mind as soon as Tami announced the pattern and it did not disappoint.
I LOVE how it turned out!

The vest also works to style a ’90s-inspired throwback in the best of ways!
Is it me or does this outfit give off Friends vibes? 😄

Now let’s take a look at the other side of the vest!

This used to be a favorite pair of pants that didn’t fit anymore and I’m so happy to be able to repurpose it with such a great piece!

Here it’s time for a PSA:
Stylish and creative humans, don’t be like Livia and forget to iron your princess seams, especially during the sewing process! 😅
That rippling you see there is caused by this. In my hurry to photograph it before the sun went away and the rain started to pour down (hello, Netherlands!) I forgot to properly iron the vest. 🤦‍♀

A couple of insights about making the vest reversible:

Using flat buttons works best to avoid extra bulk since you’ll have buttons on both sides. Snaps would work great too, but I didn’t have the right ones on hand.

Keep in mind that one of the sides will button the opposite way. If you’re used to sewing buttons the same way every time (I do right over left), buttoning it the other way around (left over right, in my case) can feel a bit awkward. 😅

Bottom line:

The Opus Vest is officially my latest sewing fixation, that and repurposing old jeans… haha.

So… should I make another combining the two? Maybe patchwork this time?
Here are the inspos and the denim currently on my sewing table:

Let me know what you think, and which option is the one to go with 😊

And if you want to jump on the Opus (and Bridget!) sewing train and support me at the same time, here are my afflinks to the patterns ☺️️

OPUS VEST
BRIDGET TROUSERS

xxx, Livia

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