I am thinking of using some cotton flour bags (which I was lucky enough to buy at a very reasonable price) as backing for a scrap quilt I have in mind. The bags are of good quality 100% cotton fabric with some great logos printed on them approx 40x55cm before unpicking and opening out.
My question is regarding the joining of these, would a regular seam be ok or should I use a French seam for strength being that there would be about a dozen needed for the project. Has anyone done this before or have any other suggestions / bright ideas on how these could come together to make an interesting quilt back? Gal |
Are these old flour sacks? If so, there are quilters who buy these to piece specialty quilt tops. Flour sacks wouldn't normally be used for a quilt backing because they are so highly prized and are becoming more rare as time goes by.
If these are new flour sacks, I'd like to find out who makes them! No special seaming is required when piecing flour sacks, but you probably want to quilt rather than tie. One of the benefits of quilting is that it relieves stress on seams. |
Originally Posted by Prism99
Are these old flour sacks? If so, there are quilters who buy these to piece specialty quilt tops. Flour sacks wouldn't normally be used for a quilt backing because they are so highly prized and are becoming more rare as time goes by.
If these are new flour sacks, I'd like to find out who makes them! No special seaming is required when piecing flour sacks, but you probably want to quilt rather than tie. One of the benefits of quilting is that it relieves stress on seams. |
If they acted like they fray more than quilting cotton I would probably increase the seam allowance or finsh the seam edges. If they are a heavier fabric, I might also consider pressing the seams open to lessen the bulk for quilting.
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They are wonderful for making a quilt with a 20's or 30's flavor. Would be a shame to use them on back as they are so sought after.
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Thankyou for your wonderful advise, I had no idea they were so highly prized, I am not sure what you would consider 'old' these are from the late 9o's as I bought them from a small bakery in Western Australia, they still had some flour in them which took many washes to remove!
On the bag is printed; 25kg Net West Australian FLOUR First Grade West Coast Milling Canning Vale West Australia H/624 The quality of the cotton is not unlike Cotton Duck but a little softer as I have washed them several times now. Gal |
When I saw where you were from I wondered about if your country did still use fabric for flour sacks. Here in America, to my knowledge, fabric has not been used for flour for many many years. If someone is in the bakery business and knows different, please feel free to correct me.
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Originally Posted by Gal
Thankyou for your wonderful advise, I had no idea they were so highly prized, I am not sure what you would consider 'old' these are from the late 9o's as I bought them from a small bakery in Western Australia, they still had some flour in them which took many washes to remove!
On the bag is printed; 25kg Net West Australian FLOUR First Grade West Coast Milling Canning Vale West Australia H/624 The quality of the cotton is not unlike Cotton Duck but a little softer as I have washed them several times now. Gal |
I'm in southwester CO, and there is a mill here that sells their flour in sacks still - quite large ones. I'll check on whether we could buy the sacks alone. The sacks are white basically, with a logo. I'll get more info and post.
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also find out what they're made of.
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I have bought a bunch of really old salt, sugar and flour sacks of cotton on the internet. I am saving them to do lightly stuffed and quilted wall hangings for gifts. You can find them on eBay pretty regularly.
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I am not sure if the Australian ones are still made, as I am now living in New Zealand but I am sure it would be not too difficult to find out. Also I noticed that in the Indian shop I went into in the city the other day there was a beautiful selection of cotton rice bags with all the different types of rice in them, ........ I was supposed to be buying rice not looking at the lovely bags it is sold in!!!!!
Gal |
Gal-
It's confirmed! You are officially a fabricolic! And can think outside the box like any really good artist. |
Hi mom6, it takes one to know one ha ha..LOL!
Gal |
Lucky you...I would love to have some flour sacks...wonder if you can get them in the states.
Margie |
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