Last winter, sherpa fleece pullovers burst into popularity in college campuses, ski lodges, and blogger closets across America. The unique fabric made pullovers fashionable with jeans and leggings alike, and gave us the perfect lounging-by-the-fireside aesthetic. The Sara Pullover pattern is the perfect cold-weather sewing project, and this post will help find the coziest fabric for the job. 

Materials

• Main fabric
• Lining fabric (optional)
• Cuff and Waistband fabric (optional)
• Regular, connecting zipper

Fabric Suggestions

Main Fabric

For the winter, choose a main fabric that's cozy and thick, like fleece, sweatshirt fabric, french terry, or faux fur. A thinner knit fabric is a good choice for a spring project, but consider going down a size in the pattern. 

Sherpa fleece, also sometimes called wubby fleece, is an incredible polyester fabric made to look like sheep fleece, with the cozy flexibility of medium-stretch knit. While it's incredibly soft and usually doesn't require edge finishing, it can be tricky at times to get this plush fabric through the machine. Just go slow and keep your eye on the quarter-zip prize. 

 Fabric.com Sherpa Selection | Did you know you can buy fabric on Amazon, too?

Regular fleece is a good alternative to sherpa fleece if you're looking for something more understated but still plush. Be sure to look for fashion fleece, as some lower-quality fleece can be uncomfortably stiff or itchy. Regular fleece also comes in some adorable patterns, like plaid, to add some flair.

 Fashion Fleece at Fabric.com | This Adorable Plaid on Amazon

Sweatshirt fabric brings all of the comfort of fleece, with half the insulation. Perfect for fall, spring, or layering, sweatshirt fleece can be used as the main fabric and lining fabric. 

Sweatshirt Fabric at Fabric.com | Sweatshirt Fabric on Amazon 

Lining Fabric

Lining fabric is optional, but can add an extra layer of warmth or comfort. A thin knit fabric with descent stretch, like a jersey knit, is excellent. Consider using a fun, contrasting color to accent the inside!

Fabric.com Cotton Jersey Knit | Ivory Jersey Knit on Amazon

Cuff and Waistband Fabric

If you're adding cuffs or a waistband, you might opt for a different material in a complimentary color. A heavy-weight knit is an excellent side-kick to fleece. Have you ever noticed the lined fabric that's popular on sweatshirt cuffs from the store? it's called 'ribbed knit' and can also be found in a variety of colors!

Ribbed Knit at Fabric.com | The Crazy Ribbed Knit Selection on Amazon

Zipper

The Sara Pullover uses a regular, connected zipper, and looks fantastic with a huge variety of zipper aesthetics! The pattern requirements (found below) include recommended maximum zipper lengths, but if you fall in love with a zipper that's a bit too long, the pattern tutorial also covers how to shorten a zipper.

Fabric.com Zippers | Amazon Zippers

Find fabric requirements for the Sara Pullover below. 

No-Sew Options

Not everyone wants to learn to sew, and sometimes even avid crafters just want to skip the pattern and go straight to the purchasing. Shop these items that are similar to The Sara Pullover and bask in the glory of two-day delivery.