Made By A Fabricista: ITY Dress

Hi sewing friends - Andrea here from Happy.Things.Here over on Insta with this week’s post – I’m sharing about a favorite fabric and pattern today!

So… the last two months have almost gotten the best of me. We made a somewhat unplanned decision to move homes and life has been just insanely busy and hard to find time to sew. But sewing is such a joy and a stress reliever for me, so I fit in this fun and easy sew amidst the chaos and it made me sew very happy! Sneak peek – how could this print NOT make someone happy?

First, let’s talk fabric. ITY, or Interlock Twist Yarn, is one of my all-time favorite fabrics for sewing clothing. Fabric Mart did an Instagram post with a video on this fabric and I highly recommend you check it out if this fabric is new to you. Three things I love about ITY – 1) it’s easy to care for and rarely wrinkles, 2) it’s easy to wear, great for drapey pieces, and works all year long, and 3) Fabric Mart gets great deadstock prints and colors from fashion designers at amazing prices. OK, I guess that’s actually six things but I can’t help myself – I love ITY! Here’s a casual summer dress I made last year from a Fabric Mart find:

And here’s a dress I made a few years ago in another ITY using the pattern I’m sharing below. This is one of my go to work dresses – and a rare pic of me at the office!

For this month’s project, I used a printed fabric I’ve been hoarding in my stash for at least a year, maybe more. It wasn’t expensive but it is sooooo gorgeous and I was afraid to cut it into it. It’s also a very busy print with a lot going on so I needed the right design to showcase the fabric. I decided to use one of my most favorite dress patterns – the Go To Fit & Flare Dress by Pattern Emporium. Here’s the line art from the pattern:

Why do I love this dress? It’s a flattering design, fitted at the bust but skims over the mid-section without being shapeless due to the separate skirt/bodice design and the flared skirt. It also comes packed with options – four front and back necklines, three skirt lengths and six sleeve lengths give you endless possibilities. It also comes with a waistband piece so you can make a skirt in addition to the dress. I’ve made at least five versions so far and every time I make one, I say, I need to make another one!

So here is today’s sew – I did the knee length skirt with ¾ length sleeve and crew neck. I did a binding instead of a band for a dressier look…and I could not be happier with how it turned out! What do you think?

I had to be really careful with orienting this print on my body – it’s so busy and has some circular elements which I wanted to avoid landing in awkward places. I use a projector for sewing and Pattern Emporium has awesome projector files which have full pattern pieces – so I didn’t have to cut on the fold and could see exactly where the print will hit on the dress (I really wish all designers offered full pieces with their projector files!). I am happy with how the busier print came to life into this gorgeous dress. Here’s me taking a break after all the packing and craziness of the last two months:

I hope you enjoyed seeing this project and hearing more about my love of ITY. Check out the site and see what’s in stock! And Happy Sewing!

Andrea | @happy.things.here

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: ITY KNITS.

Made by a Fabricista: The Bernadette

Hello friends, My Latest Fabricista Make: Friday pattern Co Bernadette Skirt x Midnight Navy Cotton/Lycra Sateen Stretch Denim Hi everyone, this is Byrd with my latest Fabricista make! When I saw Fabric Mart’s Muted Midnight Navy Cotton/Lycra Sateen Stretch Denim , I knew it would be perfect for my next project. The color is rich and versatile—a deep navy that works as a neutral but still has presence. The stretch denim has just the right balance: structure with a bit of give, making it great for a garment that needs both shape and comfort. It’s an ideal fabric for fall transitions, but it’s sturdy enough to carry straight into winter with tights and boots. For the pattern, I chose the Bernadette Skirt by Friday Pattern Company . This is one of their newer designs, and I knew immediately I wanted to sew it up. It’s a modern skirt that blends structure and style, with darts in the back and pleats in the front for a flattering fit. One of my favorite features is the belt, and of co...

Made By A Fabricista: Falling for Knits

We are now well into Fall, even though the temps are still relatively warm here in Texas. I love the fall season and dressing for Fall. When it comes to the conversation of knits vs. wovens I typically sew mostly wovens. So for this post I decided to sew completely knits! With the holiday season right around the corner I saw these three dress styles as perfect for Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving gatherings. The first look is a tried and true pattern Simplicity S9372. Using this gorgeous burgundy ponte knit , I like how this pattern fits throughout. I chose this color to add to my typically neutral palette in my closet. I also wanted something I could wear to my sorority meetings and found this color perfect. It's an easy sew with back fisheye darts and invisible zipper to add to the tapered style. The neckline and armholes are finished with bias binding giving it a clean finish on the inside. I used a universal needle to sew a...

Made By A Fabricista: The Art of the Slow Make: My La Forme Double-Breasted Jacket

I started this project back in July — one of those mid-summer sewing plans meant to get me ahead for fall. My idea was simple: start my wardrobe a season (or two) early so that when cooler weather came, I’d already have a few handmade pieces ready to wear. That was the plan, anyway. But as sewing often reminds us, plans evolve. This jacket, made using La Forme pattern No. 0303, is a double-breasted design with peak lapels and an exaggerated hip detail that gives it such a striking silhouette. I fell in love with the structure of the pattern right away — it has that timeless, tailored feel I can never resist — but it also asked for patience. I picked it up and put it down several times over the months, letting it rest while I worked on other projects, until finally, the timing felt right to bring it to life. And now, here we are — the leaves are turning, there’s a chill in the air, and some parts of the country are even seeing snow. My summer-started jacket is finally finished, and it c...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog