Old is ok as long as it is in good shape. I consider it to be "too old" to use when it is no longer pleasing to my eyes. My tastes in fabric have definately changed over the years. If you no longer like it, sell it, give it away, donete it or make it into a scrap quilt. I had a bunch of fabric in my stash that I no longer liked. I called it my ugly fabric. It bothered me staring at me from my stash but I no longer enjoyed using it. My Guild held an auction where you brought quilting things you no longer wanted and auctioned them off. Several ladies were bidding like crazy over my "ugly" fabric and were thrilled to get it. All proceeeds were used to pay for one of our charity projects. We raised a lot of money.

If fabric has been put away unwashed and left for a period of years the sizing in the fabric may have rotted the fibres. I remember sheets were bought at work and left unwashed in storage. When the sheets were brought out to use, they fell apart in the wash.

Another reason to wash fabric?

Some of my fabric goes back 30 years and is still in good condition. It has all been prewashed.

To me old is any fabric that I already have

New is what I tell my husband is that package UPS just delivered.

Is there a word for fabric in between old and new?

I have quite a bit of "old" fabrics that have never been washed and when I do use, they come out of the wash just fine. I do not pre-wash before I use the fabric.

I have fabrics from my grandmother, mother, and me (I'm nearly 80). I consider all of it usable unless it is damaged in some way. Mine has been carted around for so many years, yet I dip into it often, rummaging for that particular fabric I need. Maniac, I love your reasoning! And, guess what, calicoes are coming around again, so all things old are new again. Happy quilting, all.

"OLD" fabric, is fabric that is unusable for some reason. "GOOD" fabric, is usable fabric even if you don't like the color or print. It can always be used in something.

Old? Fabric never is old. It just turns into Vintage fabric and the cycle starts again.

I'm with the "unless it is damaged, it is never old" group. I recently used a bunch of "old" calicoes to make a quilt--the recipient loved it. She said it looked like a quilt Laura Ingalls might have used. Andover is coming out with a Little House line--I bet it includes a lot of "old" looking fabrics.

I'd say wash it up and if it comes out well then you are good to go. Too damp or too dry are the enemies of textiles of any kind - so as long as they have been stored well they should be fine.....and...since your fabric is decades younger than me - it can't possibly be old !! :D