You know when you suddenly discover something new or surprising that really gets the ol' creative juices flowing? I have made a fab discovery - feedsacks! Yes you read it right FEEDSACKS - bags that were used for shipping foodstuff!!!
Now I always thought a sack was a sack! Rough and hairy smelly hessian.
How wrong was I? Feedsacks came in the most beautiful designs mainly during the thirties and forties. Although they are called feedsacks they were in fact used mostly by flour mills rather than food for animals which is how I imagined them being used.
Manufacturers saw an advertising opportunity with them and hey presto they became a key marketing tool . They were used to make beautiful garments during times of austerity and the pattern making market thrived. Have a look below at some images.
Originals one can be pretty pricey to buy these days but there are some beautiful reproduction versions of the fabrics around. I laid my grubby mitts on some recently. It's so gorj I can't stop stroking it! Oo er missus! A couple of the pieces I got are photographed below.
I am going to use it for a whack ' n' stylee quilt. Can't wait to get going on it.
Have you made any surprising crafty discoveries lately? Let me know .....
'til next week it's feedsacks a go go !
Janie xxxx
