majormom

Oh boy, is this thread taking me back! I can remember making blouses and skirts when I was twelve and living on the farm, from the fabric that the chicken grain came in. All kinds of pretty flowered fabric. Those were the days. Now I'm 72 and look back on those days with fond memories.

Grama Lehr

O.M.G. I used to work in the fabric department at J.C.Penney, and I don't remember fabric at 25 cents a yard. But I do remember 35 wide cotton. WOW!! That is some old fabric! :lol:

gramofmany

I worked in the fabric dept. of W.T.Grants when I was 16 and 17 years old and that was in 1956 and '57 and material was 29c yard to 49c.a yard. 36" wide. I bought a yard and half every week to make a gathered skirt to wear to the Sat. nite square dance. I loved material way back then.

gramofmany

My first 4-H skirt was made from a pretty feedsack.

gollytwo

I THOUGHT IT LOOKED LIKE A FEEDSACK WEAVE.

gangles

I love the lavender flowers!!!!!

Corky

How wide is it selvedge to selvedge? The older cotton calico fabrics prior to 1950 were usually about 36" wide compared to the post 50's that were 54" and other widths. Although it depends on the manufacturer, since some were manufacturing on the older machines later than 1950. True "vintage" cottons are 36" in width.

NewYearsOld

[quote=illinois]--and do you remember there was a device mounted on the edge of the table that they simply pulled the fabric through it and it measured off the length? A dial would go around to indicate how much yardage had been pulled through. Then it would clip the appropriate spot for how much you requested and they tore the fabric instead of cutting it? Really quick way of measuring yardage![/quote

That does bring back memories. Those were so cool!

Does anyone remember buying fabric from So-fro Fabrics?

Pzazz

The middle fabric looks very similar pattern to the fabric I made my first shell blouse with....about 1960-ish.

Patti

Gerbie

I have no idea how old this fab. is, but I love the lavender print. I am almost 66 now and made my first outfit in 4-H at 9 yrs. old, thus developing my love for sewing. Back in the 50's almost all fabric was 36 wide, once in a while you would find some 45 and that was a treat. I remember patterns were 10 & 15 cents each, then went up to 25 cents. But then we only paid 12 cents to go to the movies, and could have a coke, and popcorn, all for less than 50 cents. Am I dating myself or what. I do remember fabric being less that 50 cents a yard. When double knit came into being it was more expensive and 60 inches wide and we all thought we were in heaven, because we didn't have to buy as much fabric to make anything. We bought fabric from most dept. stores, Woolsworths, Pennys, Sears and Wards when we went out of town, plus from a local dept. store in town. But then most ladies sewed for their families. I definitely remember the old dials, and tearing the fabric and they were always accurate. You never had to worry about having enough fabric from someone who can't cut straight or doesn't know how to even cut fabric. The last time I saw one of those dials was in the 70's when I was really sewing for my two kids, and that was at an area store C.R. Anthony's. My Home Ec. teacher taught us how to correctly tear fabric, but she was more of the new school and thought we also needed to know how to cut it, that was in '58 & '59. I would guess and say the fabric is definitely from the 50's and possibly from the late 40's at that price. But I am not an authority by any means, just going by the price and print. What a treasure. I would be careful about washing it, might do so by hand, as washing it in a machine might cause it to come apart, because at that price and with the tag label it is "old". I do remember fabric really fading at times, so watch what you wash with it if anything. Great find, I would make something that I didn't have to wash often if I had it, to preserve it. I loved TG&Y, and all of the stores like that. There aren't around anymore and that is another lost treasure.