liking quilting

yes; I remember too. If I remember correctly, the machine "notched" the material at the point it would be cut from the bolt. In those days the clerk then tore the material. (I'm feeling old now!

cowgirlquilter

I remember! In our little town, the local JC Penney used them!

GailG

My grandfather and some of his children owned a General Merchandise store (everything from feed for animals, coal, kerosine, to groceries, to "work clothes [khaki's and denims]", shoes, linens, dishes, lingerie, fabrics and notions, costume jewelry, hats, and on and on. Well, my aunt bought one of those little machines to measure fabrics.They sold fabric until the store was demolished and rebuilt in 1968. Have no idea what happened to the gizmo, but I'm sure it's in someone's "stash" from the old store.

IraJane

I remember the machine and Pennys and Sears selling fabric. Did any of you ever order a box of scraps from Sears for $5.00? I loved to make doll clothes and even made some to sell when I was in high school. My Mom let me order a box. There was one piece big enough to make the stylist A-line skirt.

RosemaryW

For the younger quilters, a quick way to measure is to place the fabric to the tip of your nose, extending the length to your fingertips with out stretched arm is very near 1 yard.

stnele

If you go to Joanns and want to buy home dec fabric on large rolls they have
the same kind of machine at the end of the counter to measure out the fabric

Rumbols

I remember them. There were no JoAnn's in our area at the time. But we used to have a Hancock store with large table bins (large wooden tables with sides) of fabric marked .25 cents a yard on up to $1.00 a yard as the max for most cottons; some special dress fabrics were up to $1.25 a yard. The store clerks would measure and the machine would notch the fabric: then the clerk would tear the fabric. Always got up to two to four inches free fabric for straightening after you washed the fabric. Now I really feel old as I haven't seen fabric for less that 2.99 a yard in the past 10 years.

SandyQuilter

They are used in some stores that sell drapery and upholstery fabrics.
SandyQuilter

Quilter7x

We used to have Sew-Fro fabrics here also. Does anyone remember the chain called Caldor in the north east? I worked there as a teenager and the fabric dept. used those machines to cut fabric. I remember them measuring, then putting the little cut in the fabric when they pushed the handle down, then they would rip it. That goes back to the 70's for me!

LindaJR

Just about all fabric stores had them. Every so often I have come across a store that uses them, like every 5 years or more and usually small towns.