newbee3

years ago Sears Montgomery wards JCPenney all sold fabric and knitting stuff in fact I went to free classes at sears for knitting if you bought the yarn there.

tranum

Yes they did, it was in the basement of our Penney’s. I heard a guy say he “grew up” sitting on JC Penney’s basement stairs waiting for his Mother shopping for fabric. LOL

MarbleCreek

Hello friends. I say friends because I've read you for three or four years but this is my first post. I feel I know so many of you because you have been my silent mentors. Thank you for all the many things I have learned from each one. In many ways I'm still a beginner quilter. My stack of UFO's can measure up to any of yours. My husband is almost jealous of Jack the Ripper but at the same time he thinks I'm the best ripper he has ever seen.

I remember when department stores sold fabric and since I live in a very rural area an exclusive fabric store was not to be in central Texas. In the early sixties the closest place to buy fabric was 60 miles away at J.C. Penny's. A few friends went there shopping once and being a young mother I had to take my four under school age boys along. In order to keep them happy while we shopped, we first went to Woolsworth where they selected a toy. One of them wanted a pair of child's scissors. While trying to shop the fabric area in Penny's I turned around only to find the one with the scissors was snipping off the price tags of the fabric bolts! Remember how the price tags were pinned to the the fabric bolts with small gold pins? I was so embarrassed and quickly took the tags to the sales lady and left without a purchase!

Thank you for this board and all you great quilters who have graciously taken the time to give your much needed advice. I will try to join in from time to time if this went to the right place. Happy New Year to all.

themachinelady

Yes, JCPenny sold fabric until their store closed in our area and I have one of the old measuring devices where they ran the fabric thru the machine to measure it, pushed a button which made a cut and then they ripped the material. I can remember as a young girl going down stairs in the store and just gazing at the bolts of material, so fascinating.

Gerbie

Not only did Penny's, Sears and Montgomery Ward sell fabrics, but Wackers , Winns and other five and dime stores did also. Most places sold fabric that sold clothing and other household items. When we had a Wackers and Winns here before WalMart moved in and they had to close, I bought most of my fabric in these stores and didn't have to travel to purchase sewing supplies like I do today. I wasn't quilting then but just doing regular sewing for myself and my kids.

luvstoquilt

I loved the little machine they ran the fabric throug to measure the yardage. I used to go with my grandmother when she shopped for fabric at Penney’s.

MaryR

JCPenny sold fabric when I was in Junior High.

QuiltnNan

I loved watching that machine too

Three Dog Night

I remember buying fabric at JC Penny's in the 60's when I was in JR/SR high, we were living in Kennewick WA and fabric department was on the 2nd floor. Loved going there with my mom and buying fabric and watching the clerk measure through the fabric measure (don't remember name) and hit the button to make snip and then rip fabric instead of cutting.

cherrybsixty

I feel as thou Murphy is most accurate. I am a child of the sixties and seventies and I remember fabric department in all three of the big moguls of that area. Along with Ben Franklin and Kresge's, and in my hometown (small town USA) there was a couple more department stores that handle the fabrics via the bolt. As was mention prior our clothing was made by our mom's until we took Home Economic in high school. In reference to the original question, I recall the department vanished from the sale floor prior to the catalog being fazed out. I have a evening dress that I made myself till this day in my closet and I do believe the fabric was purchased from Penney's in 72.

cherryb