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-   -   What's the oldest fabric you have? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/whats-oldest-fabric-you-have-t109796.html)

waladopa 03-23-2011 08:33 AM

My first child was born in 1971. When she was 3 or 4 I made her a stuffed elephant out of 2 or 3 pink and white double knits. She carried that elephant everywhere, lost it once and was lucky enough to get it back but then the years went by and we don't know what it's fate was.
A couple of years ago I found some of the original scraps from "Pinky" and got another pattern for the same elephant. I made her another "Pinky" for her 38th birthday.
She told her kids, "hands off". she is taking care of this one.

Plain Jane 03-23-2011 08:59 AM

Okay, so compared to many of you, let me rephrase.

I have some very current fabric in my stash. Only thirty years old!

quilter1943 03-23-2011 09:01 AM

Oh my, I'd forgotten about Dacron! Those were the good ole days, weren't they. Such a miracle of no ironing - and now we're all so gung ho natural fabrics so out come the irons again!

Originally Posted by texpat45
kwendt - I remember Dacron!! My mom was a "beautician" & back in the 50's & 60's, by TX state law, hair dressers had to wear white uniforms and white shoes - they looked like nurses. In the late 50's Dacron was invented and my mom was thrilled that those white uniforms were being made of this new wonder fabric...it was drip dry, non-wrinkle, repelled stains! Wow! She finally didn't have to starch and iron those white uniforms.


sew_sew 03-23-2011 09:12 AM

Antique? Vintage? Sorry can't stop laughing, I have fabric, patterns and even lace older then that.

mrsreeves2 03-23-2011 09:29 AM

Since my mother's death on March 2 I have inherited her stash. So far I have found yardage that measures 36" wide and have not seen that since my high school days - 36 years ago. I also have some blocks that were sewn by my great grandmother and her daughter-my grandmother. These are of 1930's fabrics--not repros, the original stuff. I continue to unearth more treasures every day! I was told there is a box in the attic with scraps from the clothes mom made us when we were babies (us kids range from 57 yrs to 51 yrs old). Can't wait to find that box!

mrsreeves2 03-23-2011 09:33 AM

LOVE IT!! :lol: :lol: :lol: That describes my closet to a 'T'.

mrs. fitz 03-23-2011 09:43 AM

On a vacation to California in the late 1960's I purchased some cotton novelty fabric, cats at play. Still remember the very large fabric shop right near Los Angeles' Farmer's Market. I used to make my own clothes and never figured out what the rather large print would be good for and I still have it.

trolleystation 03-23-2011 09:45 AM

I have cotton fat quarters saved from dresses I made for my daughters in kindergarten. They are now 54 and 53 years old. The fabric is still in very good shape and I am going to make a wallhanging for each of them as so as I have time????

ga447 03-23-2011 09:48 AM

1 Attachment(s)
The fabric below was donated, I had to take a photo of the price.

Old Fabric?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]173825[/ATTACH]

FroggyinTexas 03-23-2011 09:54 AM


Originally Posted by Plain Jane
I'm new to quilting but have always done crafts and I just found a box of fabric. I've spent the afternoon playing with fire...burn testing for fiber content (learned that here!) and going through it. I found panels from 1981! Is that almost antique? Vintage? The amazing thing is that I have moved multiple times and evidently this box made it with me every time. Amazing.
So how long have you kept fabric?

Until I got on this board, I didn't know that fabric "goes out of style." It's a good thing, because I've got good fabric that is at least 40 years old and I intend to use it with some of my recently acquired fabric--any day now. I think the official definition of antique involves 50 or more years old, which puts me way past vintage. froggyintexas


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