If a fabric says for personal use only not for commercial use...
 

does it mean it can't be used in any quilt/art project that will then be sold?

This is the second fabric piece I've bought like this. The first was in my LQS and I just didn't look. The second one I bought from an online shop.

Thanks in advance for info!

I've used some of the Eric Carle fabric, and it's marked like that I think. Anyway, I assumed that it meant I could use the product or make it a gift -- but no selling.

Never heard of that before.

That is nuts. We are not reinventing the wheel here. I would not call the fabric design my own, but I would not worry about it, seriously.

personal use only-not to make a profit

Yes, I just got a two panel scenes with the hungry catapillar; one with the rising sun, one with the moon. They are darling. These I bought online and didn't know it said this on it. The other is a cute humpty dumpty design which I bought in the store and never thought to look for this sort of thing

Funny, I just bought a fabric with 6" squares of cardinals, four season variations. In the selvedge it said "For individual use only." Does that mean the same thing? I was planning on using some of it for items to sell at church craft sale. Crazy.

This is another scenario where they can say it but can't enforce. Nor do they really have a right to say it, but they try anyways. If they don't want a copyrighted image used in that way their only true recourse is to not sell it in the first place. Once the item belongs to you then it's yours to do with what you want, short of copying it and selling reproductions.

Basically it doesn't mean a thing. See; http://www.tabberone.com/Trademarks/.../Selvage.shtml

Any use you have is personal... any attempts to restrict your use can not be enforced. You bought it and paid what the seller asked ... what you do with it after purchase is your business.