Old Fashioned Flour Feed Sacks

When I was a little girl about 1960 or so my school had a school program where we all were suppose to wear white skirts, shirts and socks.  I don't remember too much about the program but I remember that little white skirt.  It was made by my Grandma Reaves and I loved it!  I thought she could do anything because she had a treadle sewing machine and could sew!  It was like magic!  You took something like an old feed sack that contained animal feed and when it was empty it became a new dress or skirt or whatever your imagination could make it.  I lived in a small town in rural America and I'm guessing I wasn't the only one wearing a skirt made from an old feed sack that day in that program.  

Now as an adult I dig through bins and shelves at flea markets trying to find those coveted feed sacks.  My Grandma Hicks embroidered days of the week on tea towels and gave me a set for a wedding present. My Aunt Alean gave me a set of those tea towels before she died that my Grandma Hicks had made.  Aunt Alean was still using them!  They are a real treasure to me now! To be passed on to my daughter and grand-daughter someday.

 My skirt was plain white because it was probably made from flour feed sacks  but those old feed sacks came in printed material also.   Times were hard back in those days and nothing was thrown away.  Today feed sacks come in a plastic material and meant to be thrown away.  What kind of treasures will this generation save back to pass on to their kids?  Certainly won't be feed sacks that's for sure!  So hit those flea markets and find those items made from feed sacks and save them for the next generation!  That's my plan!