About Vintage Fabric

Antique and vintage fabric runs the gamut from Middle Eastern silk to 1950s atomic prints to 1970s classics by (for example) Finland's Marimekko. Vintage fabric is popular among fashion and sewing enthusiasts, as there’s nothing quite like making a traditional-styled garment out of traditional fabric!

Vintage fabric can be used for multiple purposes, from crafts (such as fashion, home décor, and quilting) to education, teaching about the periods in which the material was made and used...

Some 19th century (and earlier) fabrics that are popular to collect and still available to find include calico, gingham, muslin, and linen, as well as home-spun materials. From the first half of the 20th century, collectors seek cotton, plisse, and cloques, among others. Metallic, novelty, floral, and themed prints are also popular, and during the mid-1900s, bark cloth and rayon blends were common.

Collecting vintage fabric can be a fun and affordable hobby, but beware: it can be dangerous when combined with vintage patterns!

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Antique Sewing Machine Collector Harry Berzack

I work for a sewing machine distribution company that was started by my late father. We mainly distribute industria… [more]

An Interview With Antique Sewing Thimble Collector Sue Gowan

My husband, Mike, used to buy me pieces of china. One day he bought me a Jasperware blue Wedgwood thimble and I put… [more]

An Interview on Vintage Fashion, Sewing, and Aprons with Author Amy Karol

I think I started collecting vintage aprons seriously probably in 1991, my first year of college. I was an absolute… [more]

Guest Column: Collecting Vintage Sewing Patterns

Paper sewing patterns were first manufactured in the middle of the 1800s. These first paper patterns were designed … [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

The NeedleBar

The NeedleBar

A rich site showcasing the passion of a group of antique sewing machine collectors from around the globe. Features … [read review or visit site]

Sewing Machine Collector

Sewing Machine Collector

Geoff and Norma Dickens' reference site on vintage toy sewing machines from the late 1800s. Browse the images alpha… [read review or visit site]

Vintage Patterns

Vintage Patterns

Looking for some vintage patterns or style ideas? This Flickr photo pool, a group effort, showcases a huge collecti… [read review or visit site]

Thimbleselect of Australia

Thimbleselect of Australia

Sue Gowan's impressive thimbles reference database. Using the left-side navigation, choose 'Learn More About' and s… [read review or visit site]

Sensibility Vintage Images

Sensibility Vintage Images

An extensive collection of photos and ephemera illustrating changing fashion styles from 1795 to 1959. Includes por… [read review or visit site]


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Designer Travers Beautiful Abercrombie Crewel 9 Yards$225.00 Ends in 27 mins 1 bid 3 watchers
2 Panels Vintage Glen Court Pink Barkcloth Fabric Roses$202.50 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 25 watchers
Uzbek Silk-cotton Handcrafted Woven Ikat Adras Fabric $202.50 Ends Monday 4 bids 11 watchers
Circa 1830 French Toile Cherubs And Flowers$180.19 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 2 watchers
Beautiful 19th C. French Aubusson Woven (3453)$179.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 1 watcher
Lovely Large Fortuny Curtain Gold/silver$153.51 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 12 watchers
Zimmer & Rohde Fabric Isabella Damask Embroidery 6 Mts$150.08 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 10 watchers
Designers Guild Fabric Capucheen Peony Silk 3m Last$148.66 Ends Monday 3 bids 6 watchers
Scalamandre Fabric China Rose Chinoiserie Hand Prnt 6m$120.05 Ends Friday 1 bid 14 watchers
34y Beige Comfy Chenille Sectional Upholstery Fabric$110.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 10 watchers
Designers Guild Fabric Kesari Clover Bold Stripe 3.6m$100.61 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 11 watchers
Lovely Antique Ottoman Red Silk Velvet Chatma Fragment$100.00 Ends in 2 hours 5 bids 16 watchers
17y Kravet Dramatic Wht Floral Damask Upholstery Fabric$91.00 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 5 watchers
11.75.mts. Luxury Woven Velvet Stripe By Prestigeous.$90.02 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 7 watchers
17+y Kravet Terragon Linen Weave Upholstery Fabric$90.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 17 watchers
Donghia Suzani Fabric$86.42 Ends Friday 10 bids 41 watchers
Vintage Fortuny Carnavalet Border Fabric Trim - T6$86.00 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 9 watchers
18+y Kravet Lined Sand Faux Suede Upholstery Fabric$81.00 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 13 watchers
Piano Shawl Scarf Wrap Antique Chinese Silk,-w/pagodas$81.00 Ends Thursday 3 bids 11 watchers
4y Kravet Gold Flora Knot Silk Velvet Upholstery Fabric$80.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid 15 watchers
Designers Guild Fabric Capucheen Zinnia Silk 3.6m$75.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 3 watchers
11y Pewter Blue Gold Pinstripe Silk Upholstery Fabric$70.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 3 watchers
Designers Guild Fabric Marienlyst Amalienborg Fuchsia$67.50 Ends Friday 3 bids 11 watchers
Designers Guild Fabric Florimund Birch Florimund 3.6m$67.50 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 6 watchers
Designers Guild Fabric Rajasthani Stripe Cranberry 3.5m$67.50 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 6 watchers
Colefax And Fowler Fabric Imogen - Gorgeous Design$54.06 Ends Saturday 3 bids 11 watchers
Designers Guild Fabric Ravello Linen Copper Lst Length$52.48 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 4 watchers
~vintage Fabric~fly Fishing~hunting Scenes~trees~$51.00 Ends in 2 hours 9 bids 1 watcher
1970s Vintage Tulip Yellows Blues Fabric Broadcloth$51.00 Ends in 5 hours 3 bids 9 watchers
3y Silk Lampas Asian Abstract Art Deco Kimono Fabric$51.00 Ends Thursday 5 bids 26 watchers
Southwest Cowboy Barkcloth Fabric Yardage Vintage$51.00 Ends in 5 hours 6 bids 11 watchers
Kravet Barbara Barry "old World Scarlet" Silk Fabric$50.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid 8 watchers
Awesome Vintage Jofa Burgundy And Cream Toile Fabric$49.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 3 watchers
18+y Exquisite Designer Floral Burst Upholstery Fabric$49.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 10 watchers
13+y Mocha Lattice Diamond Chenille Upholstery Fabric$48.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 5 watchers
Fine Uzbek Hand Silk Embroidered Surkhandarya Suzani$46.00 Ends Saturday 1 bid 3 watchers
Super Stylish..fab Vintage 30s-40s Dressmaking Fabric$46.00 Ends Tuesday 6 bids 6 watchers
16.5 Yd 1960s Schumacher Linen Drapery Fabric-pa Dutch$45.00 Ends in 3 hours 1 bid 5 watchers
3 Yds. New Rose Cumming Black And White Toile Fabric$45.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 5 watchers
Marimekko Finland Erja Hirvi Keisarinna Fabric -07 Pink$44.00 Ends in 21 hours 1 bid 5 watchers
~4y Scalamandre Pink Silk Velvet Fabric Silvery Sheen$42.97 Ends Thursday 5 bids 32 watchers
"super Paradise Print" Trina Turk/schumacher Fabric$41.00 Ends Tuesday 9 bids 35 watchers
6y Kravet Magnificent Linen Floral Upholstery Fabric$40.00 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 7 watchers
Marimekko Fabric Ginkgo, 98 ", New$39.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 1 watcher
Designers Guild Fabric Whitewell Silk Pearl Col 2m$39.04 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 6 watchers
Antique Vintage French Figured Cut Velvet Silk Border $39.04 Ends Friday 4 bids 4 watchers
Trapper 3.5 Point Tan All Wool Blanket, Made In England$38.00 Ends Monday 6 bids 15 watchers
Colefax & Fowler Chinese Toile - Stunning Silk$37.46 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 25 watchers
Designers Guild Fabric Peaweed Lime On White 2.3m$37.46 Ends Thursday 2 bids 1 watcher
36 Civil War Reproduction Quilt Fabric Fat Quarters Lot$37.21 Ends in 1 hour 5 bids 5 watchers
Vintage 1940's Fabric Tiny Purple Violet Floral 2+yd$36.20 Ends in 1 hour 9 bids 10 watchers
Gorgeous Antique French Toile Bedcover - Boudoir Pinks$36.04 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 30 watchers
Designers Guild Fabric Bergamasque Gold Florimund 1.6m$35.96 Ends Friday 2 bids 4 watchers

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Recent News: Fabric

Source: Google News

Move to Guild keeps focus on fashion
Sacramento Bee, March 21st

Her sequined black pants, made from a vintage fabric, were stunning. She showed them in both a legging and a harem style. "A lot of people were like,...Read more

Day tripping
Wire, March 18th

Locals fell in love with Elsa Mora's papercuts at Three Graces in Portsmouth, where, by the way, Abby Glassenberg's vintage fabric bird sculptures provide...Read more

Next stop: My living room
Mother Nature Network (blog), March 18th

British Route Sign Designs upholsters home furnishings and accessories with resurrected rolls of vintage fabric printed with UK bus stop names...Read more

Shinystyle vote: Is Sandra Bullock a style icon?
Shiny Style, March 18th

We're sure you'll agree the actress shone at this year's Oscars in a vintage fabric silver frock, which we think was more than enough to earn her a fashion...Read more

Bus Route Signs Roll on as Vintage Fabric
New York Times, March 17th

By ELAINE LOUIE Bus drivers used to turn a crank to show the stops on the top of the bus, said DeWayne Lumpkin, whose Home Economics shop in Grants Pass,...Read more

Going with the grain: Dust off those feed sacks
Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 16th

According to Kelsey, vintage fabric sacks vary in their suitability for home furnishings. That's because grain sacks were made with dye that would wash out...Read more

Sandra Bullock glows in vintage fabric dress at the 2010 Oscars
Shiny Style, March 7th

However, this year she quite literally blew us away with her vintage fabric Paquin beaded frock. We think it's also a perfect way to ensure no-one else...Read more

Suzanne Tucker starts line of tactile fabrics
San Francisco Chronicle, March 1st

Suzanne Tucker sits on her alpaca velvet chair by a cushion made from her vintage fabric stock. She designed the sofa, too. Suzanne Tucker's keen eye for...Read more

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