36 inch/90cm fabric - OK I'm showing my age here

[Addiscomber]

I have been looking through my stash catalogue and have several short pieces of fabric that are the old narrow width (36 inch/90cm). They feel like cotton, and I am wondering if anyone can remember whether the change to 45 inch/115cm was before or as polycotton became common?  If necessary I shall have to do a series of burn tests, but am hoping not to have to as getting into the garden is difficult for me these days.

I also have over 4 yards of what I think is Liberty Tana Lawn (I haven't fished it out of the cupboard yet). Looking at fabric sites I think it is Betsy design in pink shades. I can't see me wearing a top made of it now, and there is far too much to make dresses for my baby granddaughter. She would be sick of it before it ran out. I am wondering whether it might be best to sell it, and use the proceeds to buy other fabric? If I decide to that how would I know how much to ask for it? I probably bought it before 1983.

[Efemera]

Think the change came about in the 60s... if you want to sell put it in the For Sale thread here in the forum...someone will snap it up

[UttaRetch]

I can't help with your width queries, but if this is the Betsy design, it would make a lovely shirt.  If not for you, someone will love it.

[b15erk]

AC, I use a lot of small pieces of fabric to cut bias binding from.  The Liberty fabric will definitely sell, people love vintage Liberty.  If the Betsy print is what UR put up, it's a lovely print.

These days Old = Vintage! 

Jessie

[wrenkins]

That's me. Vintage!
You've just give me a brilliant idea Jessie. I was stuck for how to finish my sleevies!!!
AC that fabric would sell in a heartbeat but if you decide to keep it you could use it for PJs and nighties for you and/or the little one.
Sundresses with sun hats and matching knickers...you could get through it rightly!! 

[BrendaP]

According to the "new" Singer Sewing (1969) book I bought yesterday:
"linens, velveteens and corduroys are 36" wide; cottons 36-39 inches; silks and synthetics usually 39-42 inches; wools 54-60 inches; and felts 36-70 inches.  Jersey is usually circular and about 56 inches all around; double knit is a flat knit about 54 inches wide.  Imported silks are often only 27 inches wide."

[Addiscomber]

Thanks everyone, especially Brenda for the quotation from Singer Sewing (1969), a copy of which is almost certainly on my shelves, but I didn't think to look in there.

I'm pretty sure my small bits are cotton, they certainly don't feel like modern polycotton, which I suspect has a smaller proportion of cotton than when it first came about.

I am rather larger now than when I bought the Liberty print, and 5ft 10. There might just be enough to make me a shirt, but certainly not Pjs or even a nightie. Somewhere I have got a chart that converts yardage between widths. I must look for it (or Google for one) and see.  Perhaps wrenkins is right that sundresses with matching hat and knickers would eat into it.  My notes say that it cost £19.96, it seems crazy that you can't get a metre for that now.

[DementedFairy]

Surely 4yds will be fine for a shirt, whatever the width?

There are easy ways to sell unwanted fabric, I'm on a destash group on FB.  Most fabrics go for £4 or£5/m, but some go for a lot more, eg Alexander Henry cottons.  I don't think you'd charge under a tenner/m for Liberty

[BrendaP]

When my eldest daughter was a toddler I could make her a dress from two half yard remnants.  One for the yoke and sleeves, the other for the skirt, but if it was only 36" wide then I pinned skirt front and back pattern pieces together to eliminate the side seams.
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I think this was one of the patterns I used so many times that it disintegrated.

[Gernella]

When my eldest daughter was a toddler I could make her a dress from two half yard remnants.  One for the yoke and sleeves, the other for the skirt, but if it was only 36" wide then I pinned skirt front and back pattern pieces together to eliminate the side seams.
 

That takes me back although it was my younger  sister I was making them for, then around 3 years old.  My mum could knit but other than repairs couldn't sew.  I think I got more excited than my sister when they turned out okay although she was not keen on the pinning on bit and I did a fair amount of buttonholes.  She's coming to lunch today after a night of helping a calf being born and the mother now turning into Godzilla and having to be crated.

[Kwaaked]

Here's a chart: https://butterick.mccall.com/size-fit-charts/fabric-width-conversion-chart

According to that, it should be around 2 3/8 of a yard or about 2 1/5 meters, assuming the slightly more is 1/4 yard for an equalivent 60" wide fabric.  (The chart is only in yards, though.)