What does ITY stand for?
ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn. This describes the weave of the yards in the fabric. It is a knit fabric with quite a bit of stretch. Most ITY fabric is made of polyester/spandex blends.
The construction of ITY fabric allows the fabric to breathe more so than other types of polyester fabric. ITY resists pilling and wrinkling – making it an “easy to take care of” fabric.
What does ITY feel like?
ITY is a medium-weight knit fabric. It has a lot of drape and has a bit of a silky feel to it. This silky-ness might make it more difficult to sew, especially to new sewists. A common tip is to place a piece of tissue paper between your machine and the fabric to keep it from shifting.
The drape, breathability, and stretch of ITY makes it a great fabric for a variety of projects. You will often see ITY made into dresses, skirts, tops, and shrugs/coverups.
Needle
Use a ballpoint needle when working with ITY fabric. A size 75/11 is ideal and will result in a nice stitch.
Sewing
As mentioned before, sewing ITY can be a bit of a challenge if you are new to sewing with knits. It is a slippery fabric that will want to shift as it goes through your machine. Don’t let this intimate you! Sewing with ITY results in a wonderful piece of clothing that you will want to wear again and again.
Using a lot of pins will help keep your fabric in place. Also, a piece of tissue paper placed between the fabric and the sewing machine will help keep the fabric from drifting to the side as you sew. Just go slow and you will have no problem with ITY.
If you are using a basic sewing machine, be sure to use a zig-zag stitch to allow for your seams to stretch without popping while wearing.
Caring for ITY
ITY is a fairly resilient fabric that will be sure to look great for a long time. ITY can be washed on warm, but a warm drier is not recommended for this fabric. Instead, lay flat to dry or tumble dry on the lowest setting.
Summary
There are many garments that can be made with ITY fabric such as dresses, skirts, shrugs, and even tanks and tops! It’s a breathable fabric that is easy to take care of and comes in many beautiful patterns and solids! Give ITY a try on your next project!
