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An everyday essential with year-round appeal, this cropped sweater vest brings versatility to your wardrobe. Designed with a sleeveless cut and button-up front, its close fit is tailored for comfort without compromising shape. Best made in a textured sweater knit, it adds instant polish whether styled solo or layered over a crisp button-down. Perfect for beginners looking to elevate their everyday staples.
Download the FREE PDF sewing pattern, and sew your own handmade sweater vest now!
1 cm (3/8″) seam allowance included!
Material
- FABRIC: 0.7 m (7/8 yard) ribbed sweater knit or drop needle knit with at least 40% of crosswise stretch
- INTERFACING: Knitted fusible interfacing
- All-purpose thread
- Stretch or ballpoint needle
- Roughly 0.3 m (3/8 yd) clear elastic, 0.5 cm (1/4”) wide
- 2x buttons, 1.5 cm (5/8”) wide
- Buttonhole cutter or seam ripper
- OPTIONAL: twin stretch needle
Important: Fabric requirements are based on a fabric width of 150 cm (59″). If your fabric is narrower, additional yardage may be required.
Download the free PDF sewing pattern…
… and once you’re done, share a photo of you wearing proudly your new handmade piece with #unfetteredpatterns or tag us @unfetteredpatterns!
Need help to print your pattern? Check our detailed tutorial here! Also, find out how you can customize your pattern for A0 printers and projectors here.
Sizing Guide
This pattern is drafted according to the following body measurements. Standard height is 1.64 m (5.4 ft). Check this tutorial if you want to add sizes to your pattern!
If you need to adapt the length of your garment to your height, check this helpful tutorial here!
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Bust | 85 cm (33 1/2″) | 89 cm (35″) | 93 cm (36 1/2″) | 97 cm (38″) | 101 cm (39 1/2″) | 105 cm (41″) | 109 cm (42 1/2″) |
| Waist | 64 cm (25 1/2″) | 68 cm (27″) | 72 cm (28 1/2″) | 76 cm (30″) | 80 cm (31 1/2″) | 84 cm (33″) | 88 cm (34 1/2″) |
| Hips | 94 cm (36 1/2″) | 96 cm (38″) | 100 cm (39 1/2″) | 104 cm (41″) | 108 cm (42 1/2″) | 112 cm (44″) | 116 cm (45 1/2″) |
Finished garment measurements
Keep in mind that the final measurements have negative ease built in so that the fabric can stretch and hug the body nicely.
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Bust | 73 cm (29″) | 77 cm (30 1/2″) | 81 cm (32″) | 85 cm (33 1/2″) | 89 cm (35″) | 93 cm (36 1/2″) | 97 cm (38″) |
| Shoulders | 30.4 cm (11 7/8″) | 31.6 cm (12 3/8″) | 32.8 cm (12 7/8″) | 34 cm (13 3/8″) | 35.2 cm (13 3/8″) | 36.4 cm (14 3/8″) | 37.6 cm (14 7/8″) |
| Length | 43.5 cm (17 1/4″) | 44.5 cm (17 5/8″) | 45.5 cm (18″) | 46.5 cm (18 3/8″) | 47.5 cm (18 3/4″) | 48.5 cm (19 1/8″) | 49.5 cm (19 1/2″) |
Sewing Notes
Here are some tips we recommend for a successful sewing project:
Fit and style
- Choose a size based on your bust. Take a look at the body measurements chart to guide you.
- To get your bust size, measure around the fullest part of your chest. Take a nice deep breath before you check the number. Just to make sure the measuring tape isn’t too tight. You want it snug, but not squeezing you.
- On the finished garment measurements chart, see how long the garment is and if it’ll work for your height. It’s a good idea to compare the length with something similar you already own. Just keep in mind this top is cropped, so the hem should hit slightly below the belly button.
- If you need to adapt the length of your garment to your height, check this helpful tutorial here!
Fabrics
- Make sure your knit has the right amount of stretch before you start your project. For this style, you’re looking for about 40% stretch; so if you pull a 10 cm (4″) piece, it should stretch to 14 cm (5 1/2″) without much effort. If it starts feeling tight before you get there, it’s probably not stretchy enough.
- Also, pay attention to how the fabric bounces back. If it doesn’t snap back to its original shape after you stretch it, that means it doesn’t have great recovery. This can lead to wavy seams and a stretched-out look by the end of the day. To avoid that, go for a knit that has some spandex (or Lycra) in it. It’ll help everything keep its shape.
- Choose a knitted interfacing so the fabric can stretch once they are fused together. Also, grab a color that’ll blend right in with light-colored fabric.
Cutting out
- Before you start cutting your fabrics, wash and dry them like you’d do for the finished piece. Keep in mind the fabric type and what it’s made of so you choose the right cleaning method (like how hot the water should be or what kind of cycle to use…). Plus, the dyes used on certain fabrics tend to bleed when washed, so wash yours separately, or with similar colors.
- After you wash and dry the fabric, give it a good press to get rid of any creases. Just make sure your iron is set to the right temperature for the fabric. Generally, synthetic fibers like acrylic, spandex, or polyester should be pressed on low heat, while natural fibers like cotton, wool, or linen can handle higher heat.
- When you’re set to cut the fabric, just fold it lengthwise right sides together. Make sure the fold is straight and doesn’t twist up. If it does, unfold it and refold until it’s nice and flat. Then, lay out the pattern pieces so the grainline runs parallel to the selvages.
- Make sure you don’t cut the notches too long; aim for them to be around 0.3-0.4 cm long (1/8″). Also, be sure to trace all the pattern markings on the fabrics with a tailor’s chalk or a fabric marker.
Sewing
- If you’re unsure how to sew buttonholes, just take a look at your sewing machine manual. The process can differ from one machine to another.
- If you’re using a sewing machine to sew with knits, be sure that it’s equipped with a stretch or ballpoint needle. These needles have a rounder tip that prevents snags.
- If your seams are very wavy, you might want to check for a walking presser foot for your sewing machine. On an overlocker, check to increase the differential or the stitch length.
- If the seams crack when stretched or pucker, be sure that you used a stretch stitch, and that the thread is all-purpose polyester, not 100% cotton. You may also need reduce the thread tension. On an overlocker, reduce the tension of the needles, not the loopers, and reduce the differential or stitch length.
Sewing instructions
Just a quick reminder that, unless stated otherwise, your seam allowances should be 1 cm (3/8″) wide. Also, be sure to sew with a stretch stitch, like a zigzag, or a 4-thread overlocker. If you’re using the overlocker, place the left-needle mark 1 cm (3/8″) away from the fabric edge and the blade will cut away any excess fabric.
- SHOULDERS & SIDE SEAMS: With right sides together, sew the front and back panels at the side and shoulder seams. For the shoulders, apply the clear elastic over the back panel as you sew, without stretching it. It will help the shoulders from stretching out over time. Press the seams to the back.
- HEM: If you’re using the overlocker, finish the bottom edges, or leave them raw. Then, tuck them 3 cm (1 1/4″) in and sew them in place. You can use a twin needle or zigzag stitch. Press the hem.
- NECKBAND: Fuse the backside of the neckband around the button and buttonhole symbols. Then, fold it lengthwise, wrong sides together, and sew the short edges. Push out the corners and fold the band, right sides together, to match the raw edges. Press the band.
- With right sides together, sew the raw edges of the band to the neckline. Make sure to stretch the band as you sew to match the notches. Once done, secure both ends of the seam. With the overlocker, hide the chains inside the garment and stitch them to the seam allowances. With the sewing machine, add a few straight stitches at each end of the seam. Lift the neckband and press it so it lies flat.
- ARMHOLES: With right sides together, fold the armhole bands to sew the short edges. Then, fold the bands wrong sides together to match the raw edges.
- With right sides together, sew the raw edges of the bands to the armholes. Make sure to match the seams with the side seams, and stretch the bands as you go to match the notches. Lift the bands and press them so they lay flat.
- BUTTONHOLES & BUTTONS: Sew the buttonholes on the left-hand side of the garment, using the buttonhole symbols on the pattern for placement. Once done, use a buttonhole cutter or seam ripper to carefully open the buttonhole.
- Thread a hand-sewing needle and sew the button on the right-hand side of the garment, using the button symbols on the pattern for placement.
Good luck with your sewing project!
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Thank you very much!!!
Thank you so much and THANK YOU for including the instructions
Buenas! Gracias por compartir. Lamentablemente el patrón se encuentra incompleto 🙁 ; el total observando el diagrama son 10 páginas pero en el archivo hay 8. Qué lástima
I just updated the pattern. It was not incomplete, but the diagram was wrong. Thank you