Let's Talk About Knits

Shopping online can be fun.  I don't have to put shoes on?  (or pants for that matter)  In just a few clicks, my goodies can be on their way to me.  But also...what am I buying?  How do I know what I'm getting is actually what I want?  Buying online doesn't have to be intimidating if you have an idea of the fabrics already.  Today we are going to talk about some of the most popular fabrics we carry on our site.  So buckle up, here we go!

Brushed Polyester:

Double brushed poly or single brushed poly in most cases you will see this abbreviated as DBP/SBP.  The difference being that it's either brushed on one side (SBP) or on both sides (DBP) which gives them a slightly fuzzy feel and is incredibly soft. It has wonderful drape, stretch, and recovery (ours is 96/4 poly/spandex).

French Terry:

Poly Cotton French Terry : This french terry is a medium weight fabric.  It has cotton in it, so it does have some ‘body’ to it.  This has a 4 way stretch.  It’s smooth and soft on one side and has tiny, soft loops on the wrong side. You’re going to find that it has a little more stability and thickness to it (thank you cotton).
Cotton Poly Jacquard FT: This french terry could almost impersonate as a double knit.  This has more weight and stability than Poly rayon Spandex French Terry.  Similar in thickness and weight to Poly Cotton French terry.  It also is apart of the 4 way stretch club.  It’s smooth and soft on one side and has tiny, soft loops on the wrong side.
Brushed French Terry:  This is a poly rayon spandex blend and is a little thicker and has a ‘squishy’ cuddling quality to it. It’s smooth and soft on one side and has soft loops on the opposite.  The loops have been brushed to give it a fuzzy feel.  Great for all the same things you would use french terry for but give you that extra cuddle feel.
RSL (Right Side Loops) French Terry : This is just like Poly Rayon Spandex, but instead of the design being printed on the smooth side, it is on the loops side.  It gives this fabric a lovely interesting texture to it.
Two Faced FT:  A poly rayon spandex french terry.  What gives this french terry it’s name is the loops or “wrong” side is black.  The smooth side also has a little more of a luxurious feel to it.  You guessed it, 4 way stretch!  With a wonderful drape.
Baby French Terry:  This french terry has all the same great qualities as poly rayon french terry, except this one has smaller loops on the back, which makes this french terry a little more light weight in feel.  Excellent drape and 4 way stretch.  This would be perfect for summer projects and layer pieces.
Triblend French Terry: This french terry has an almost “heathered” look to it.  It has cotton in it giving it some stability and ‘body’.  It has 4 way stretch and a great drape to it.

ITY:

ITY- “Interlock Twist Yarn”  This has a ‘slinky’ feel to it, a coolness to the touch.  This has a nice dress weight that makes it feel a little thicker than other ITY, perfect for more ‘dressy’ projects.  You may also see it labeled as DTY.  Has a 4 way stretch.  

ITYP - The 'P' stands for Puff.  It will have slightly raised designs to it. Giving it an interesting hand to the fabric.  Giving it something a little extra.  Has 4 way stretch.  
Venezia ITY- Has a wonderful silky “slinky” feel to it.  It has a slightly brushed feel to it.  Is slightly heavier than Bulgaree ITY with a bouncy dressy feel to it.
Bulgaree ITY - On the right side, you will see lines running through the pattern.  Not to fret, those are supposed to be there.  Bulgaree has all the same lovely attributes as the other ITY’s, but can be slightly opaque, so you may want to line this or wear the correct undergarments that won’t be seen.  Most Bulgaree’s will have 4 way stretch.  

Double Knits:

Liverpool: Has a similar thicker hand giving it a structured drape.  The right side is a raised texture, with a smooth wrong side.  Has a limited vertical stretch but excellent horizontal stretch.  Poly spandex blend, but has a lovely breathability to it.
Scuba: This is NOT a scuba suit!  Has a similar ticker hand to liverpool giving it it’s structured shape.  Has a flat smooth texture to it on both sides.  Has a limited vertical stretch but excellent horizontal stretch.
Crepe Scuba:  Has a lighter feel than regular scuba, but still has a structured had to it.  Has a textured right side, and smooth wrong side.  The texture slightly differs from Liverpool, the texture isn’t as raised or prominent.  Has all the same great qualities of Scuba.
Ponte: Nylon ponte has an excellent 4 way stretch to it!  Has a little thickness and ‘body’ to it giving it a great drape.  Has a smooth side on both sides.  High quality ponte’s are hard to distinguish a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ side to it.

Rayon Blends:

Rayon Spandex: Rayon is broad category of semi-synthetic viscose fibers. There are different types of rayon and they depend on the type of plant it is made from.  Rayon is mainly made from wood pulp.  These have gorgeous drape, great stretch, but recovery depends on the type- normal rayon spandex doesn’t have great recovery.  Once you wash and dry it thought it will go back to it's normal shape.

Modal: Modal will feel slightly more “luxurious” than typical rayon spandex. It does not pill as easily with wash and wear like typical rayon spandex does. It has a gorgeous drape, great stretch, but recovery will depend on the blend.

Bamboo: Bamboo is very similar to modal in it's qualities.  The biggest difference is what they are made out of.  While modal is made from beech trees, bamboo is made from...you guessed it, bamboo!

 If you're still wanting to see some more visuals, we have some excellent videos on our YouTube chanel talking about different fabric types!