Flour sacks
08-22-2011, 04:13 PM
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,580
[ My husband says when he was a Boy Scout, his grandmother dipped his BS shirts in strong coffee to help keep the khaki color. Chris[/quote]
I can believe that! I agree coffee is great for dying. And its also great to drink, and for making Red Eye Gravy. ;o)
I can believe that! I agree coffee is great for dying. And its also great to drink, and for making Red Eye Gravy. ;o)
08-23-2011, 03:26 AM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Maryland
Posts: 349
Originally Posted by Quilt Mom
A little research into flour sacks will also show that the sacks originally used were printed. In the depression, companies sold goods (flour, sugar, animal feed, etc.) in fabric sacks. As added incentive to buy, the companies used fabrics that the housewife/mother would use for clothing, curtains, quilts. It is quite interesting to see the variety of items made from the old sacks. A friend of my mother's told of wearing underclothing that still had the brand name of the sugar company on it.
As to current flour sacks, there are still companies that use the fabric. We pay a premium for it here, to get flour in fabric. I have not used the flour sack (towels?) from Sam's. Let us know how it works.
As to current flour sacks, there are still companies that use the fabric. We pay a premium for it here, to get flour in fabric. I have not used the flour sack (towels?) from Sam's. Let us know how it works.
08-23-2011, 03:57 AM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: MA
Posts: 1,507
I use Pebeo Setacolor fabric paint with a little Tsukineko All Purpose Ink mixed with water in a spray bottle. Dry in the sun, put through the washer and dryer. Fast and easy.
I needed twelve grays for my Avatar and this is how I got them.
I needed twelve grays for my Avatar and this is how I got them.
08-23-2011, 04:20 AM
#24
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sulphur Springs, Tx.
Posts: 878
Most of my clothes were made from feed sacks when I was a kid. Mom would buy a bit of solid fabric to trim them. She would buy white flour sacks for my "bloomers". Ahhh, the good ol' days, right?
08-23-2011, 04:28 AM
#25
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Victorian Sweatshop
Posts: 863
The fabric was very close woven. I recall a little dust on the shelves but no real spillage. We brought the sacks home and put the flour in 5 gallon lard cans that were saved for that purpose. Same with sugar.
What amazes me is the 5 gallon lard can. I know we used that can over and over but how long did it take to use 5 gallons of lard?
What amazes me is the 5 gallon lard can. I know we used that can over and over but how long did it take to use 5 gallons of lard?
08-23-2011, 04:28 AM
#26
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Ashdown, AR
Posts: 9,238
I have been working on dresden plates made from old feedsacks. But, they are all printed ones from the 30's and 40's. I would love to buy more of these if anyone has any they want to sell. Mama told me that Grandma made her and her sisters a lot of clothes out of these old sacks. Most of them are very pretty!!
08-23-2011, 04:48 AM
#27
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Covington, Indiana
Posts: 1,659
When we went to the feed store, we knew exactly how many sacks it took to make a shirt or dress and dug through the pile until we had enough of one pattern for what our school wardrobe needed. Sometimes we had to work on it for several months but it was a big deal to pick out what we liked. It was always interesting on the first day of school to see which of your friends choose the same pattern! Mom made quilts and gave them as gifts from the scraps.
08-23-2011, 05:48 AM
#28
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 88
My LQS owner told me when I tea dye not to use decaf tea. She said it didn't do as well. And she liked tea leaves better than bags. Otherwise she said to do it just like with any dye, put fabric in the mix and leave it until it is a shade darker than the color you want (because rinsing will take some color away). Rinse in clear water, and set with heat. I did what she said and got a great color.
Oh, I got some of those towels from Sam's. They don't have the same weave as the old feed sacks. They don't take color as easily when you dye them, either. Be sure you dampen them before you start.
Oh, I got some of those towels from Sam's. They don't have the same weave as the old feed sacks. They don't take color as easily when you dye them, either. Be sure you dampen them before you start.
08-23-2011, 06:07 AM
#29
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 134
I am now 75. I had the most beautiful feed sack dresses when I was little made from them. Mom and neighbors would swap around so they could come up with enough material alike to make a garment. I am hanging on to one sack now that my Mother in Law gave me, also have one with a printed doll on the cloth. I need to get it made up one of these days.
08-23-2011, 06:14 AM
#30
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
Originally Posted by brookemarie19
So how do I tea dye things? just make some tea and put it in a plastic tub with the flour sacks? How long do you keep it in there?
for a yard of fabric you would need say 20 tea bags...place into a pot(not aluminum) with about 6 quarts of water..I use a stock pot with a steamer lining, makes it easy to keep the tea bags on the bottom and fabric on the top..
bring the water to a boil, place the fabric in and turn it off..allow to sit for about an hour... then remove and wring it out...I prefer line drying, but you can machine dry...when I line dry I then starch and iron before cutting!
just remember, that is only a staining..NOT a dying, in time it will wear off!
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