It's impossible to tell what the fabric is without seeing and feeling it. With that pattern it may be cotton. Does it feel like cotton. It could be vintage or it could be something that was printed today. If you think it's cotton, bunch some in your hand and squeeze it, if it doesn't wrinkle it probably has polyester in it and is not older than the 60's

I think it might be cotton. I did bunch and squeeze it and it remained very wrinkled. This means cotton? Sorry, I'm a real novice. :)

That means it has no polyester in it and is probably 100% cotton.

Polyester is what makes cotton wrinkle free. Of course lately they have discovered some other way to make 100% cotton wrinkle resistant--what I don't know but probably some chemical.

As to the age it could be pre 1960's. That is when they first discovered polyester and it was added to many fabrics, especially cotton. Any closer in age I couldn't tell you. The only way you would know for sure is to go through antique textile books and look for the pattern. It would help if you had a makers name. Is there anything stamped on the selvidge. Sometimes the name of the maker and the fabric's title is stamped there.

Other than this--I'm clueless

Take a snippet and burn it.

100% cotton or linen (maybe rayon) smells like burning paper and leaves ashes

With polyester added, it stinks and leaves a gooey residue.

Wool and silk smell like burning hair.

My first impression was pillowcase fabric? Or maybe for kitchen curtains? I can't tell what those figures are doing. Looks like it could be 50's or 60's novelty fabric.

Teresa

Thanks for tips. The match test resulted in ashes. (no sticky residue or bad smell, just a burning paper smell) The fabric is 39 inches wide and the design is only on this one side. It is rather sheer and thin, feels kind of "crisp" to me. There is really no selvege area. The design runs all the way to the ends. The cardboard holder has a company name printed on it: Acme Cloth Reel Co, Greenville SC. I don't know if they originally came together but it seems likely.

The design is of little girls wearing aprons and chef hats and they are cooking. One is holding a menu and there is a big black kettle. The small print that runs across the rest of the fabric is of little pastel veggies like yellow carrots and maybe pink...onions?

Still clueless!
~Terri