Made By A Fabricista: Effortless ITY

Clothing made from ITY (Interlock Twist Yarn) fabric is effortless, almost like wearing secret pajamas. It is silky and cool to the touch, with a beautiful drape and amazing stretch. ITY fabric is incredibly versatile, and some of the best dresses, skirts, and athletic wear I’ve owned are made from it. Thanks to Fabric Mart’s recent influx of unique ITY fabrics, I was inspired to add some additional ITY items to my wardrobe.

I found two beautiful ITY fabrics on the Fabric Mart site that stopped me in my tracks. The first fabric I loved was a funky off-white and multi-color flora and fauna print from a New York Designer. I ordered two yards of this print with a top in mind. Next, I saw a beautiful ITY fabric panel featuring off-white and blue floral print. I’m usually hesitant to buy fabric panels without a plan of how to use them, but I threw caution to the wind this time. I ordered 5 panels, hoping that would give me more than enough fabric to showcase the design.

For the multi-colored flora and fauna print ITY, I searched for a top pattern that would showcase the print while complementing the cottagecore nature of the fabric. The Ellie and Mac Patterns Lakeisha Cottage Core Crop Top, Peplum, and Dress pattern was a perfect fit. I sewed the long peplum-length circle skirt with a cap-sleeve option. Most of Ellie and Mac's Patterns include projector format files, so I used my projector to cut out the fabric, which saved a ton of time.

If you’ve never sewn with ITY fabric, it can be a bit challenging due to its slippery nature, so I’ve assembled a list of tips for success:

1. Cut your fabric with a rotary cutter and pattern weights to prevent the fabric from shifting while cutting. Scissors make cutting ITY more difficult and less precise.

2. Use a new ballpoint needle size 75/11 or 80/12 in your sewing machine. Fabric Mart sells them on their website. If you have a serger/overlocker, do as much assembly with your serger/overlocker as possible.

3. Use a Stretch Stitch, zig-zag, or lightning bolt stitch. If using a serger/overlocker, either a 3-thread stretch stitch or a 4-thread stretch stitch will work well.

4. Test your stitching on a scrap of fabric first to ensure the proper thread tension.

5. Start stitching at least ¼ inch from the edge of the seam to avoid watching your fabric get sucked into the thread plate. I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt, so I try to avoid it whenever possible.

After making the flora and fauna top, I was ready to start working with the floral panel ITY fabric. I used the recently discontinued Seamwork Moneta pattern. This is one of my favorite dress patterns for knit fabrics, so I’ve made multiple Moneta dresses over the years. The pattern features a bateau neckline, fitted bodice, and shirred skirt with in-seam pockets.

I’ve always wanted a maxi-skirt length Moneta dress, so this seemed like the perfect time to make one. The maxi-length skirt would allow me to show off the full fabric panel. Before cutting, I placed a panel on a table to see the full flower pattern and to decide which portions of the design I wanted to feature on each dress piece. I cut the bodice front and back pieces from the heavily floral areas. Next, I used the full length of a panel for each front and back piece of the skirt, which allowed me to cut the pieces with the part of the panel design I preferred.

The off-white portions of the fabric panel design are a little sheer so I fully lined the bodice front and back and partially lined the skirt to just above knee length. The lining fabric is an off-white lightweight knit from my stash, originally purchased in the amazing Fabric Mart retail shop. It was the exact color of the off-white in the ITY panel fabric. Backing the ITY with this fabric makes the beautiful design stand out more on the bodice and upper skirt while also adding modesty.

I didn’t make any changes to the original Moneta dress pattern; I simply lengthened the skirt front and back pieces to achieve the maxi-skirt length. The assembly of the dress was easy, and I managed to avoid having my fabric sucked into my needle plate by utilizing the tips above.

Whether you're sewing a breezy summer dress or an elevated top, ITY should be the fabric you use for your next project. ITY fabric is the perfect blend of comfort and style. With Fabric Mart’s amazing selection of vibrant ITY fabric and the sewing tips I’ve shared above, you’re bound to create some effortless ITY secret pajamas!

SHAINA | @shaina_sews

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