Thread: A little history of flour sacks

Originally Posted by Sandra in Minnesota

I was born post-war. Reading these articles is very interesting. My husband lived on the farm, and he said they always had to wear feed sack shirts. I have a question------- A dress obviously takes more than one feed sack, so did the ladies hunt down the feed sacks they needed until they had enough for a dress??

Yes, indeed they did. My mom often went with my dad to buy feed so she could decide which prints she liked best and my father often complained that he had to move about a ton of feed to get matching sacks for her!

Originally Posted by Sandra in Minnesota

I was born post-war. Reading these articles is very interesting. My husband lived on the farm, and he said they always had to wear feed sack shirts. I have a question------- A dress obviously takes more than one feed sack, so did the ladies hunt down the feed sacks they needed until they had enough for a dress??

My DF owned a country general store. My DM would go to the warehouse with him when he stocked the store and chose all her household flour, sugar and chicken feed sacks for her sewing and quilting. She also helped him choose the ones for the store she thought other sewers and quilters would like.

I was born in 1945 so I have no recollection of that period. But the article was very interesting.

Thank you for the most interesting article.

I was born in 1936 so the feed sack era was in big time. My Dad always bought at least 2 sometimes 3 feed sacks, that contained animal feed, that matched so we could use different patterns to make a garment. I wore many feed sack dresses and skirts with purchased simple blouses. She also made bed sheets out of the white ones(after she bleached them). It took 4 feed sacks per sheet. My Mother also cut her patterns out of newspaper and fitted them to us. I don't remember flour sacks being printed. It was a way of life and we were grateful.

Great story!