Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Nostalgia at its best...Feed Sacks




My first post from The Green Awning Gallery features printed cloth feed sacks.  I remember going with my Dad to the hatchery to buy feed and seeing the colorful feed sacks stacked in rows. And I can almost smell the chickens and feed and  feel the dust up my nose!  

These sacks were used by thrifty farm wives during the depression and the war years. If they needed more material to finish a project, they would give their husband a scrap with instructions to get another bag of feed with the same print. The owner of the hatchery was used to a farmer sheepishly pulling a scrap from his pocket and asking for feed in a bag with that print.

Some prints had borders and were ideal for making curtains, tablecloths and dish towels. Other prints made lovely dresses and mens shirts. The not so pretty prints sometimes ended up as boxer shorts for the husband since he chose a print his wife did not like!

I have about 100 feed sacks with 28-30 different prints. All are approximately 36" x 22" or 27" inches so when the stitches are removed they would be a yard long and 44" to 54" wide. If you remember these as a child, you will enjoy the childhood memories they invoke. If you are too young to remember, you will be amazed at the resourcefulness of our parents and grandparents.

Of course this is just one category of the hundreds of items at The Green Awning Gallery. I plan to feature items periodically that inspire nostalgia, but you will want to come in frequently to see the "new" estate items that we continue to purchase and display in our store. 

8 comments:

  1. Oh I would love to see your collection it has always fascinated me the resourcefulness of our ancestors. Love the prints. I have a bed sheet made out of feed bags from an elderly (not gone) friend I treasure. Welcome to blogging. B

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  2. You have crossed over to my world.....Love the blog! I will be in to check out he feed sacks. They would make a gorgeous background for food pictures.

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  3. Love your post! Great job! Can't wait to read more...

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  4. One of my favorite memories of my Grandmother was going to the feedmill, where she would let me pick out the feedsack for a new dress, which she sewed with love. How I cherish the memory. Several years ago one of our church members died and they auctioned some of her linens off at the church auction. Among them to my pleasure were feed sacks! I promptly bought them (for a lot more than Grandma pain) just to remember. Thanks Kathy for rekindling that special time.

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  5. Hi Kathy....Love the post and looking forward to what's next!

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  6. Hi Kathy,
    Welcome to the blogging world!!! You will love it ...I know I do! Will be over next week to see your feedsacks and other goodies!!
    Blessings~

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  7. I knew you'd be good at this! Your feed sack post is charming and filled with nostalgia. I wish you much success in the blogging world!

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