These Bow Tie Pasta Butterflies are cute and fun and don't take many materials! My grandmother always went to the feed store to match patterns on the sack This dress was crafted in the 1950s as part of a bag sewing contest in Kansas. ", "I LOVE that dress! After the war, women continued to make these dresses, encouraged even further by national sewing contests. [2][3][4] By the end of the decade Bemis Brothers in Tennessee, Fulton Bag & Cotton Mills in Georgia, and Percy Kent of Buffalo, New York were producing decorative sacks. Constitution Avenue, NW I have some of the quilts the were even seen together with tobacco twine to save on sewing thread. These plain cotton sacks would be used until 1922, but the impact and usefulness of them would continue long into the future. The sides would be stitched together with bottoms and tops hemmed and openings for their arms (which were turned under and stitched, of course). I personally do not recall the dresses being made from the sacks, rather the material that was attached, we lived in a remote and i do mean remote area of west Tennessee. My Greatgrandma Edna (b 1901) used in for "housecoats " if she was going to be at home all day she would wear one of these in the summer, in the winter she might wear it over her dress.My Grandma Leona (b 1910) used it for every pot holder, apron, basket lining and dishrag she had. We kids were all proud of our wonderful clothes and wore them with pride. [2][4] Most feed sack production ceased by the early 1960s. In 1927, three yards of dress print cotton percale (the typical amount of fabric needed for an average size adult dress) could cost sixty cents when purchased from the Sears and Roebuck catalog. For the first four-five years of my life, all my dresses were sewn by my paternal grandmother from feed sacks. She would layer the fabric two to three layers deep and cut the main dresses from the same pattern. ", "I lived with my maternal grandmother, paternal grandparents and for a while with my great-grandparents. He also worked for Pillsbury in Alton, IL. ", "I was born in 1936 and spent my growing up years in/around my parents' feed mill that produced its own brand of feeds for poultry/hogs/beef and dairy. Times were tough but my memory is love, faith, patriotism all thanks to God, Mom & Dad.Eleanor McAdams Preston", "My maternal grandfather also worked for Pillsbury, at the flour mill complex in Buffalo, NY. View More, This simple craft is so perfect for school or on weekends! She also used to joke, "Which dress shall I wear, my new dress, my blue dress, or the one I wore last?" These were only skirmishes, however. This page was last edited on 25 December 2020, at 06:21. "Dresses made for my sister and me were sometimes made out of cotton feed bags (I guess my brothers were lucky)." and "The Pieceable Kingdom! [8], By the 1930s companies regarded the sacks as a crucial part of marketing product. [2], During World War II, as textile shortages limited production of both commercially made garments and the retail yardage to make garments at home, feed sacks were still available. View More, Your favorite bread has taken a long journey to arrive at your kitchen table. [6], In 1925 the Textile Bag Manufacturers Association was created to increase industry sales. In the rural South, mothers and daughters drew the battle lines not between name brands, but between "homemade" and "ready made." Across the rear end was printed "100 lbs. I have worn feed sack shirt as my brothers (5) and (5) sisters had skirts and dresses made from feed sacks then it was the normal thing to do. He was mightily embarrassed by the homemade feedsack shirts he had to wear to school. America.https://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/Olive/APA/INA.Edu/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=OFINA%2F1955%2F11%2F05&id=Ar00308&sk=C664FA4E. The depression mentality stayed with many of the farmer families that we served in the 1950s. Our moms could also make matching panties, to cover our underpants, for when we wanted to twirl on the bars on the play ground.I dont think there were leggings or tights, then. My Grandmother was a beautiful seamstress her quilts were made out of the scraps from the dresses so they sometimes did not follow a pattern. In Reconstructing daily life through historic documents." This phenomenon was so key to people in the Depression and post-war era that the Smithsonianeven keeps a sack dress on display, as seen above. [2][4], During World War I, US and Canadian flour in sacks was sent to the neutral Netherlands for distribution in Europe. They weren't thought of as precious at all, so no one ever thought to keep them!". I regret to say neither feed sack quilt is in the books. The Early History of Decorative Feedsacks", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Feed_sack_dress&oldid=996218662, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. (Click to view.). Flour sack dresses were all the rage up until around the 1960s. [2][4][7], During World War II, dressmaking-quality fabrics became in short supply as textile manufacturers produced for war efforts, and cotton yard goods were rationed. Flickr Creative Commons photo, uploaded by gina pina. Lets go back to a time when everything was all about scrimping and saving on behalf of the war effort. I also have memories of feed sacks. During WWII we had to conserve everything, nothing was wasted. Thank you so much for sharing your memories here in this forum. Nothing like the good ol days! This Swiss Roll Trifle is the perfect large dessert for a crowd with layers of chocolate pudding, fluffy marshmallowy topping and tons of sliced Swiss rolls! [14], There was an element of shame experienced by those dressed in flour sack clothing, as it was seen as a mark of poverty, so efforts were often made to hide the fact the clothing was made from feed sacks, such as soaking off logos, dying the fabric, or adding trim. Long after the last thread is worn to pieces from those old feed sack heirlooms, the memories warms my heart as I think back on those childhood days of ah and wonder.God Bless America! Mama had 17 quilts when she passed in 1962. View More, To learn more and receive updates Contact Us, What you need to know about that viral photo on Facebook, Explore Other Existing Stories, Articles, & Recipes. The quilt top sacks are red, white and blue, small prints. Click to view. Flour sacks were made of cotton with pretty prints." When she would tell me that I would always think they were a rough burlap. Visit the IIIF page to learn more. "Mama always sewed on a Singer treadle sewing machine and made our dresses from flour sacks. This was to enourage the farmer husband to buy a specific brand. In the 1980s Wallace Homestead Book Company published my two quilt books, "Patchwork Plus!" Both are out of print today. During the tough economic times of the Great Depression, housewives needed new ways to produce what their families needed, including clothing. Using her treadle sewing machine, she fashioned adorable sunsuits for me, maybe even a dress. Flour mills were able to abandon wooden boxes in exchange for the less bulky cotton sacks, thus allowing them to move more product! That was what the pattern took to make the dresses right." She would then add different details to each dress. Newspapers and publishers also began printing patterns and ideas for getting the most out of the small yardage of a flour or feed sack. I was also born in 1951 and remember several of my favorite dresses were made by my paternal grandmother from feed sacks. Mr. Bales, Roscoe, Missouri, filed a patent in October 1924 for cotton sacks to have interesting patterns and to be of a decent size, so they could be used for clothing. It is amazing the different uses the women had for the sackcloth. My grandmother would often go with my grandfather and she chose the feed! I have pictures of Mom and family members in their flour sack dresses and thank God that she knew how to sew so we had nice clothes to wear to church and everyday play. "My mother made shirts out of feed sacks, which a lot of cow feed, came in. [2] Mary Derrick Chaney, writing in 1997 in the Christian Science Monitor, recalled that the feed sacks were coarser than the flour sacks, but it was difficult to get enough flour sacks in the same pattern to make a dress. The marketing worked. My Grandfather had several tobacco farms so he had the twine. "I was born in 1951. "[4], By the beginning of the 20th century, flour sacks were produced in a variety of fabrics of tighter weave such as percale and sheeting and often printed in various colors and designs, and recycled for clothing and other purposes. Judy, Thanks for stopping by our place today and sharing your story , COPYRIGHT LISA LOUISE COOKES GENEALOGY GEMS -, Feedsack Secrets: Fashion from Hard Times, Vintage Feed Sacks: Fabrics from the Farm, Fancy to Frugal: Authentic Quilt Patterns from the 30s, How to Archive Family Keepsakes: Learn How to Preserve Family Photos, Memorabilia and Genealogy Records, http://www.goodminds.com/flour-sack-flora-out-print. I wonder what generation would do if we were faced with the same kind of depression now, well I know what would happen we would not make it. By Nicholls Horace [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. [2] One feed store owner complained about purchase decisions moving from the farmer to the farmwife, saying "Years ago they used to ask for all sorts of feeds, special brands now they come over and ask me if I have an egg mash in a flowered percale. T. Bales.. 1914. There were even sewing competitions where women would go head-to-head and show off their sewing skills. she would deck it out with rickrack and ribbons to make her kitchen pretty.My Grandma Nila (b 1926), however was ashamed to let anyone see it. [12] The garments are held in the collection of the Louisiana State University Textile and Costume Museum. Symposium conducted at the Third Symposium of the Textile Society of America. This sparked families to get incredibly creative with how they handled meals, clothing, and rationed water and utilities. [2][3] A barrel held 196 pounds (89kg) of flour, and the first commercial feed sacks were sized to hold fractions of that amount. The line split off into different brands including Gingham Girl, Mother Gingham, Baby Gingham and Gingham Queen. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online. Many of them were quite beautiful! [2] The first commercially produced sacks were made in the late 1800s of osnaburg, a coarse white or brown cotton, and were stamped with a logo or label, and burlap. Around 1985 I found a printed fabric resembling a feedsack and made my son a shirt which was a big in our high school and other young men wanted one like it. Many households would cut the ugly, plain bags into chunks and would use them for dish towels. I am 69 years old.I remember my dresses and my brothers shirts were made out of colorful flour sacks.My mother saved either our clothes or some of the flour sack material.She had me a quilt made out of them.I love my quilt.Im reminded of the beautiful memories of my child hood every time I look at it. ", "I was born in 1942. [2] However, it is the activities of these farm wives, clothing their families in feed sacks, that offer a view of life that was unique to rural communities during this time period. I was born in 1951. This ad from 1948 shows how the trend evolved. Oh, do I remember the dresses made from the seed sacks! Many of my dresses were made from feed sacks. The second Feed sack quit is a nine patch design. I actually made hair bows, pants and dresses from the sacks." I was told. Feed sack dresses, flour sack dresses, or feedsack dresses were a common article of clothing in rural US and Canadian communities from the late 19th century through the mid 20th century. We apologize for the interruption. Theres a cute childrens book about these dresses. According to the Smithsonian, "With feed sacks and flour bags, farmwomen took thriftiness to new heights of creativity, transforming the humble bags into dresses, underwear, towels, curtains, quilts, and other household necessities. They werent thought of as precious at all, so no one ever thought to keep them!. She didn't like to sew but their dresses were always pressed and I can't recall anyone laughing at them. So frugal housewives of the 1930s turned feed and flour sacks into everyday clothing for themselves and their families. This 1940 photo of a family shows some of the flour sack clothes up close and in full color. If you require a personal response, please use ourContact page. I thought material was attached to a flour sack to be used as a kitchen towel? Wish I had them still. It meant you were poor and low class. "Back then, feed was sold in sacks. [12], The fabric and bags have variously been referred to as feed sacks, flour sacks, commodity bags, and chicken linen. There are two different patterns in green prints.. I cant find any today that comes close to the quality of those. I do have the ribbon I won. Since the sacks were created with clothing in mind, Bales patent noted that the markings on the package, such as brand name, would wash away. It made some wonderful memories for us after the war was over. Until I saw some photos of them as children wearing the feed sacks. She says: Click to view my Facebook post about my grandmas 1940s house dresses. I suggested he look up the feed sack history, and now, here am I . [2] She called the feed sack garments part of the "cultural heritage of rural America. Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links and Genealogy Gems will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on these links (at no additional cost to you). But, According to Feed Sack Secrets: Fashion from Hard Times, In just a few short years, however, both the city and rural housewife would see the old flour sack in a new light. The first use of fabric sacks can be traced to the early 19th century, when small farmers strapped a sack to the back of a horse to take their grain for milling. I had to smile while reading these wonderful comments. [2][4] but feed sacks were considered part of the "industrial" category of uses, so feed sacks were still available. Desperate for fabric for clothing, homemakers crafted clothes out of the cotton sacks. We had feedsack pajamas, even Dad, dresses, shorts, blouses, shirts, hairbands, eyeglass cases even sheets and pillowcases. [2] The bags of the time were hand-sewn at home from rough cloth made of hand-spun yarn, sometimes stamped with the name of the farmer. What weight sack would be enough for a dress for a petite 5 year old ? [2][4] A paragraph in a short story in an 1892 issue of Arthurs Home Magazine said, "So, that is the secret of how baby looked so lovely in her flour sack: just a little care, patience and ingenuity on the mother's part. My Mom said they did well turning the depression because they raised most of their food. Given how widespread this became, national publications began to print instructions for how to produce different items. From pastels to novelty prints, the competing mills would play the game of who can develop the most attractive pattern?. This Time LIFE photo shows a warehouse worker packing up some of the patterned bags for delivery. Now, oh how I long to have some of those wonderful little feed sack dresses! "[6] Bales assigned the patent to the George P. Plant Milling Company of St. Louis, Missouri, which by 1925 were manufacturing Gingham Girl sacks. Other mills caught on to the tactic and then started developing their own fashionable packaging. She would ask me for my favorite colors/patterns. Not only did distributers find these cotton bags useful, but it was only a matter of time before homemakers saw a use for these bags. Get Denise Levenicks popular bookHow to Archive Family Keepsakes: Learn How to Preserve Family Photos, Memorabilia and Genealogy Records. net wt." I think a lot of people have fondor at least vividmemories of old dresses like these. [12], During World War II it was estimated that 3million women and children in the United States were wearing feed sack clothing at any given point in time. All available cotton and wool was diverted to the war effort. It is a full bed size. [12], "Feed Sack Fashion in Rural America: A Reflection of Culture", "How Depression-Era Women Made Dresses Out of Chicken Feed", "From Feed Sack t eed Sack to Clothes Rack: The Use of Commodity T o Clothes Rack: The Use of Commodity Textile Bags in American Households from 1890 1960", "2. In comparison, three yards of dress quality gingham used in Gingham Girl Flour sacks from the George P. Plant Milling Company could be salvaged after the use of two or three one hundred pound bags of flour. Looks like that book is unavailable, but I would guess a copy might be available on ebay. My mother grew up during the Great Depression. These dresses were worn by women young and old. It ain't natural. My Aunt even made me Barbie clothes when the Barbie first came out from scraps my Grandmother had saved in her sewing machine, a Singer I still own today and it still works. We lived in rural north GA, but none-the-less I was teased by my parents friends about my feed-sack dresses. The potholders she made were several layers of this fabric which she would then knit a cover for. I do not have a picture because I wore it so much I wore it out. [2] Patterns were published in magazines and newspapers serving rural communities. We lived in rural north GA, but nonetheless I was teased by my parents friends about my feed-sack dresses. Three yards of gingham dress goods could cost forty cents. Between 12th and 14th Streets A woman named Denise posted a neat memory at the end of the Smithsonian article. [2] Families sometimes saved sacks and traded with neighbors to get sufficient sacks in a particular print. She was born in N. Florida in 1919 and was an accomplished, self-taught seamstress. His family were African-American farmers with no money to spare. [2], The use of the sacks in garments meant brand decisions were often being made by women rather than men. [2] Working with the Millers National Federation it encouraged home sewing projects using feed sacks. "[1] According to Brandes, feed sack fashion was a reflection of rural culture in the first half of the 20th century. This book will help you sort, identify, and preserve your own treasured family artifacts and memorabilia. 50? [3][5], Fashion historian Kendra Brandes found that "as an element of material culture, the clothing and clothing practices of rural populations reflect the life and times of the era to the same extent as that of the general population. "Mama made me pinafores out of flour sacks. Executives of Plant Milling saw this as a prime marketing opportunity, thinking people will see the Gingham pattern and will instantly know it is from their company. "When I was small, my mother made dresses for me out of these sacks.. "[2] As garments wore out, they were often recycled again into quilts, rugs, and cleaning rags. [5], During the Great Depression the popularity of the sacks increased, as they were seen as a source of free garment-making material for impoverished families. Mama made a lot of pretty things for us girls out of flour sacks. by Lisa Cooke | Nov 1, 2017 | 01 What's New, Heirloom, History, Memory Lane | 4 comments. [2] Mary Derrick Chaney, writing in the Christian Science Monitor, recalled:[10]. Fast forward a few years to the 1940s, and the United States was engaged in World War II. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. [1] According to the Textile Research Center's Willem Vogelsang, "A bag that contained 5lb (2.3kg) of sugar, for example, provided 1ft (30cm) of cloth, while a 100lb (45kg) bag provided slightly more than 1yd (91cm) of material, with four sacks providing enough for one adult womans dress. ". It won first place and was displayed in a store window in the county seat in SE PA for 3 months. Flour sack clothing was a staple for many from the 1920s-1960s. Oh how I longed for storebought dresses. I am sewing a feed sack quilt right now, but using fabric squares from Etsy instead of the old feed sack fabric my grandmother used. These dresses have an interesting past behind them, all dating back to when the world was at war and Americans were dedicated to recycling. In the 1800s, flour, and other bulk products began to be distributed in cotton sacks. But, lets take a quick look at the history behind those flowery flour sacks! Below are a few of the patterns that came from the bags: This fun pattern could have been used for all kinds of designs and garments. I always consider buying the cornmeal/beans/flour that it is used for just to get the fabric but since I don't bake much nor cook the volume of beans required to make it reasonable I have refrained. My grandmother made all of their clothes out of seed sacks. [2], As early as 1890 the first osnaburg sacks were recycled on farms to be used as toweling, rags, or other functional uses on farms. Some of my older cousins even have their photos taken wearing the feed sacks. Related industries developed, such as the printing of booklets with instructions on how to create garments and other household items from the sacks and specifying how many sacks of a certain size were needed for a particular item and patterns specifically designed to utilize feed sacks. [2], Brandes notes that fashion history has largely been written without including the fashion of rural communities. Check out these books: Take better care of your own family heirloom pieces, whether they are photos, vintage fabrics, documents or other objects.

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flour sacks with patterns