Strength, protection, and transformation: these are the motifs that came to mind repeatedly while designing Neige. 2020 has been a rollercoaster to say the least, and we wanted to create a piece that would evoke a sense of empowerment and resiliency.

With a dropped shoulder and dramatic sleeve silhouette, the Neige sweatshirt is quite literally designed to look like a cocoon. View A features a funnel neck and side split hem, and is great for somebody with a dressier style or who wants to highlight the architectural design lines of the pattern. View B is more casual with ribbing at the neckline and cuffs, perfect for an athleisure context or a cozy day at home.

Choosing Fabric

We recommend choosing a medium to heavy weight knit with 0 to 30% stretch percentage. View A in particular will benefit from a stiffer fabric to preserve the height of the neckline, but in general the less drape a knit has the more it will highlight the architectural sleeves of the pattern. Our favorite fabrics for Neige are french terry, sweatshirt fleece, scuba/neoprene, and quilted knits. Try to pick something that contains some elastane to ensure the fabric will have good recovery.

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If you are making View B, you will also need to source some ribbing for the neckline and cuffs. For those of you familiar with knitting, rib knits are created by alternating knit and purl stitches, which produces a fabric that has great crosswise stretch and does not curl up on the edges. These qualities make ribbing ideal for finishing necklines and cuffs. Typically, it is sold in tubular form by the yard, but it can also be found as precut.

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Consider using contrast ribbing if you want to play with color or add a fun retro-inspired detail. You may also have luck sourcing a sweater knit from a shop that happens to carry ribbing to match. Either option looks great and can make a garment feel ready-to-wear. If your fabric is stretchy enough, you can also use self-fabric to finish the neckline and cuffs by cutting the appropriate width on the cross grain (be sure to account for this in your fabric yardage).

The Neige sweatshirt is a simple sew with a big impact, that will keep you feeling warm and protected for the months to come. What is your favorite style?