Using cotton flour bags as backing?
03-22-2010, 04:11 AM
#1
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Location: New Zealand in the South Pacific
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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
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
03-22-2010, 07:59 AM
#2
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Location: Western Wisconsin
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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 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.
03-22-2010, 12:47 PM
#3
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Location: Home town: Rehoboth, MA Now living in OK
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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 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.
03-22-2010, 03:11 PM
#4
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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.
03-22-2010, 07:18 PM
#6
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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
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
03-23-2010, 06:14 AM
#7
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SW OK
Posts: 199
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.
03-23-2010, 11:38 AM
#8
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Location: currently central new jersey
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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
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
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