Vintage cotton feedsack fabric -- a frugal fabric
Ranked #2,622 in Arts & Design, #36,570 overall
What is feedsack fabric?
A feedsack is just that, a fabric sack used to store and transport a quantity of livestock feed.
What we think of today as a feedsack is a coarse canvas bag, but from the 1920s through the 1950s, feedsacks were colourful cotton bags printed with striking and beautiful designs. These bags had paper labels so that the label could be removed and the entire bag could be opened for reuse. Once the feed was gone, thrifty housewives would reuse these bags to create clothing, towels, quilts -- anything the household needed which was made of fabric!
Table of Contents
Vintage feedsack photos
How to identify feedsack fabric
Well ... it's difficult. The fabric is typically a slightly looser weave than cotton fabric of the period, but that's no guarantee. If you're lucky, you'll see the wide holes along one edge where the bag was stitched together. The best way to tell, of course, is if the original sack shape is still intact -- that is, it's not be cut open to be flat -- and the original paper label is still attached. If it still looks like a feedsack, you know it's an authentic feedsack, Otherwise, it might not be.
Vintage feedsacks
Feed sack reference books
About reproduction feedsack fabric
The original feedsacks are long out of production, but vintage feedsacks are a highly sought-after collectible. For those without access to vintage fabrics, reproduction cotton feedsack fabric is also being produced for use in quilting projects.
Reproduction feedsacks
Feedsack quilts
Feedsack quilt project books
More feedsack sewing ideas
Vintage flour sack towels
Feedsack links
- Flickr: Feedsacks
- Feedsack fabric pool
Thanks for visiting!
Did you enjoy reading this lens? Would you like to leave some feedback, or just make a suggestion? I'm always glad to hear what more you'd like to see here!
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minaliyengar
May 3, 2012 @ 7:26 am | delete
- very unique lens
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RohanParekh
Apr 30, 2012 @ 3:37 am | delete
- This lens is just giving out information about some real unknown things! Great!
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kns1988
Apr 27, 2012 @ 5:55 am | delete
- Never knew a coarse cotton cloth could be used so creatively and colorfully. Great lens!! Thanks for sharing!
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:06 am | delete
- My mom really wants the quilt with a great design to shine in the room during occasions ! This lens is an answer to it! :)
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TheTravelGal
Apr 24, 2012 @ 11:14 am | delete
- Love fabric, have come across feed sack before, and it is lovely. Found your lens very informative.
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:07 am | delete
- So have I come across man but this proved a quite useful one! :)
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kns1988
Apr 27, 2012 @ 6:05 am | delete
- I am just amazed how a piece of cloth can turn into something so creative!
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kns1988
Apr 27, 2012 @ 6:18 am | delete
- Feedsacks if used creatively can help in making a lot of stuff! and thanks to this lens we have an extensive list of places where we can get it
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ayushag
Apr 8, 2012 @ 1:57 am | delete
- I got to learn more about fabrics today. Interesting things.
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:08 am | delete
- Fabrics is what even i did not now much about! Nice information! :)
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kns1988
Apr 27, 2012 @ 6:05 am | delete
- From fabrics to soaps to even chocolate! Ajeet always has something great to write about!
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mini100
Apr 6, 2012 @ 5:18 pm | delete
- I had no idea that feedsack material was still around, much less popular! I remember that my grandma used to have dish towels made out of it. LOL, as a kid I thought it was old fashioned, stiff, and coarse.
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:09 am | delete
- Feedsack material is still rotated in many areas among various countries! :)
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kns1988
Apr 27, 2012 @ 6:12 am | delete
- Though old fashioned, we can add a dash of creativity to it and becomes real good stuff!
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lollyj
Apr 5, 2012 @ 7:55 pm | delete
- My mom and grandma made all their clothes and aprons out of feedsacks back when I was a kid. Interesting topic.
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:10 am | delete
- My aunt still wears a feedsack apron! :)
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kns1988
Apr 27, 2012 @ 6:13 am | delete
- Yea! many people used cotton feedsacks for a variety of purposes. Some even made bags out of them for office and other uses
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worldrevival
Sep 20, 2011 @ 12:29 am | delete
- quite the list!
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:10 am | delete
- The list is rally long! Quite a lot of choice here! :)
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vallain Sep 13, 2011 @ 8:53 am | delete
- I love vintage fabric. I'll feature this on my lens Feedsack Dresses which has my mom's memories on it.
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:11 am | delete
- I will always keep the lens in my mind when ill have something about the feedsack material to buy! :)
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kns1988
Apr 27, 2012 @ 6:16 am | delete
- Feedsack is something that can seldom be totally out. You will find them somewhere or the other.
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karmicchristian
Sep 8, 2011 @ 11:55 pm | delete
- Another lovely lens and an impressive list of collectibles! :)
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:12 am | delete
- There is no end to the collectibles in the lenses which he makes! :)
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darciefrench
May 7, 2011 @ 1:19 am | delete
- I love all things vintage, lensrolled to I love vintage green -:)
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:12 am | delete
- I love vintage as you do! :)
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kns1988
Apr 27, 2012 @ 6:17 am | delete
- Vintage Green feedsacks with yellow floral designs! Perfect!
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victorianpassage
May 2, 2011 @ 7:59 pm | delete
- My grandmother told me how her mother would make dresses from the feedsacks. She said even her underclothes were made from it. Thanks for this lens!
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RohanParekh
Apr 26, 2012 @ 4:14 am | delete
- My mom read this lens by my side and just started telling about all the things grandma would make! :)
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aesta1
Apr 5, 2011 @ 8:03 pm | delete
- These are very pretty.
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kns1988
Apr 27, 2012 @ 6:21 am | delete
- Beautiful as well as trendy!
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by Ajeet
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