Yes, I agree with about 1975 or before. Before the Penneys moved out to the new mall built in 1976, it was in the Downtown area. Loved that store, fabric was upstairs with an overlooking balcony. That is when I was in high school. :)

My mother always sewed my school clothes and JC Penney was where we got the patterns and fabrics. That was over 40 years ago!

I definately think it was before the 70's.. I was learning to sew in the late 60's and never got anything that cheap. I'm leaning more to the early 60's.. also with that pattern they seem like earlier.. in the mid to late 60's the paisleys and more "mod" fabrics became more popular. also I think the fabric width changed from 36" to 45" in the mid 60's.. so I'm saying this fabric must be early 60's or before.

I remember us going to Penney's and my mother buying fabric there. That was in the 1950s, probably about 1958 or 59.

Thank you for all the ideas. I appreciate the help and reading the stories. I'm leaning towards the later 50's early 60's just because of the price. I've seen prints similar in the LQS now. I'm thinking about making doll quilts for the museum with it. The vintage look should work. Again, thanks!

--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=nannya54]Here is a picture ( I hope ) of the fabric. The middle one, purple, is the one with the price tag of 28 cents but the three of them have all the same texture. No smell, even while ironing them but they feel kind of stiff and grainy - not like cotton's today. Perhaps they starched them prior to bolting and selling?[/quote

Those are GREAT. Lucky You!

Those machines were soooo cooool! Probably more acurate than the way it's done now.

Oh my gosh! I do remember those. My word, haven't thought of those since last seen used. Probably was more accurate. It's nice when some stores automatically give you a couple of inches more just to be "safe". The way some clerks cut, you have no idea if you're getting your full yardage. I hover over the clerk and help straighten out the fabric and get dirty looks. lol Oh well, thanks for the memory.

We used that machine at the T.G.&Y. I worked at back in H.S. Wow that takes me back. Yep, fabric was a whole lot cheaper back then and lasted forever.
We sold so much polyester it wasn't even funny. I remember the ladies coming in and saying they were also making quilts with the polyester. Yuk! or so I thought then. Now I see a quilt of polyester and laugh because they are still holding up really well and quite warm. :roll: