Thrift store find!
07-04-2010, 10:53 AM
#61
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1
WOW! The find of feed sacks motivated me to join this forum.
Growing up, my sister and I had many dresses home sewn by our Mother.Sometime after our first years of wearing feedsack clothing, Mom went to work at Bemis Brothers Bag factory in St. Louis.( We lived just across the Mississippi River in rural St. Clair/Monroe counties in Illinois.)As time evolved I married and made my own two daughters and son clothing from feedsacks.Through Moms employment at Bemis I had a good source of bag 'seconds' for turning into clothing for all of us.(Also called flour sacks,as it was not uncommon for flour to come in 100# sacks in the days of big families.We had a family of eight and lived in the country--it was not as convenient to get to town as it is today!I am a thrift store shopper and would love to find a treasure as you did.Not sure about the holes, that is a new on for me. Thanks for the memories!
Growing up, my sister and I had many dresses home sewn by our Mother.Sometime after our first years of wearing feedsack clothing, Mom went to work at Bemis Brothers Bag factory in St. Louis.( We lived just across the Mississippi River in rural St. Clair/Monroe counties in Illinois.)As time evolved I married and made my own two daughters and son clothing from feedsacks.Through Moms employment at Bemis I had a good source of bag 'seconds' for turning into clothing for all of us.(Also called flour sacks,as it was not uncommon for flour to come in 100# sacks in the days of big families.We had a family of eight and lived in the country--it was not as convenient to get to town as it is today!I am a thrift store shopper and would love to find a treasure as you did.Not sure about the holes, that is a new on for me. Thanks for the memories!
07-04-2010, 11:03 AM
#62
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: St Pauls, NC
Posts: 2,470
You could also buy hog feed and other items in printed sacks. Some even had border prints that folks used for pillow cases. My father had a country store after he retired from the army. The farmers' wives would come by and tell Dad the fabrics they wanted. Daddy would pick those feeds in the desired fabrics from the stock on the truck when it came by the store.
I actually made a pink/white stripe summer suit from feed sacks. People thought I had bought the suit at the store. Some of the quality was quite good.
You have a sensational find in all your fabrics. The feed sacks are selling at very good prices. My sister in law has an internet business and sells the sacks all over the world.
Regarding the holes, I have never seen them close up because the bags were sewn with large thread chain stitch. You could just cut the thread at the beginning of the line at the top of the sack and pull the chain stitch out of the fabric.
I actually made a pink/white stripe summer suit from feed sacks. People thought I had bought the suit at the store. Some of the quality was quite good.
You have a sensational find in all your fabrics. The feed sacks are selling at very good prices. My sister in law has an internet business and sells the sacks all over the world.
Regarding the holes, I have never seen them close up because the bags were sewn with large thread chain stitch. You could just cut the thread at the beginning of the line at the top of the sack and pull the chain stitch out of the fabric.
07-04-2010, 12:38 PM
#65
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Ojai, CA
Posts: 883
Originally Posted by Darli
WOW! The find of feed sacks motivated me to join this forum.
Growing up, my sister and I had many dresses home sewn by our Mother.Sometime after our first years of wearing feedsack clothing, Mom went to work at Bemis Brothers Bag factory in St. Louis.( We lived just across the Mississippi River in rural St. Clair/Monroe counties in Illinois.)As time evolved I married and made my own two daughters and son clothing from feedsacks.Through Moms employment at Bemis I had a good source of bag 'seconds' for turning into clothing for all of us.(Also called flour sacks,as it was not uncommon for flour to come in 100# sacks in the days of big families.We had a family of eight and lived in the country--it was not as convenient to get to town as it is today!I am a thrift store shopper and would love to find a treasure as you did.Not sure about the holes, that is a new on for me. Thanks for the memories!
Growing up, my sister and I had many dresses home sewn by our Mother.Sometime after our first years of wearing feedsack clothing, Mom went to work at Bemis Brothers Bag factory in St. Louis.( We lived just across the Mississippi River in rural St. Clair/Monroe counties in Illinois.)As time evolved I married and made my own two daughters and son clothing from feedsacks.Through Moms employment at Bemis I had a good source of bag 'seconds' for turning into clothing for all of us.(Also called flour sacks,as it was not uncommon for flour to come in 100# sacks in the days of big families.We had a family of eight and lived in the country--it was not as convenient to get to town as it is today!I am a thrift store shopper and would love to find a treasure as you did.Not sure about the holes, that is a new on for me. Thanks for the memories!
07-04-2010, 12:57 PM
#67
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Southeast Michigan
Posts: 825
Originally Posted by BellaBoo
The holes are from the thick string that held the sack closed. My grandmother use to save the string.
07-04-2010, 01:31 PM
#69
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 96
Originally Posted by Halo
I still get my flour in the flour sacks & when I have enough built up I plan on making a quilt out of nothing but the flour sacks. I make sure I get a different color pattern each time I buy my flour. I am getting close to having enough for a quilt.
You are very lucky to get a hold of the feeds sack fabric.
You are very lucky to get a hold of the feeds sack fabric.
07-04-2010, 01:57 PM
#70
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: England & North Carolina
Posts: 145
Way to go Girl. I have six feed sacks that have been washed and they do not have holes in them. I did not see them before washing as my little old neighbour gave them to me.Hope that helps.
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