TEXTILE HISTORY l fe e d sa c k s
There are also examples of simple utility quilts that
could be put together swiftly, perhaps for a hired
hand, such the enlarged nine-patch quilt shown on
the page opposite. The scrappy-style patchworks
many associate with feed-sack quilts are usually a
mixture of feed sack and other fabrics. “Whatever
was in the scrap bag would be used, so material
left over from dressmaking and other items –
which wouldn’t have been exclusively feed-sack
fabric – would all find their way into a quilt top,”
Linzee says.
To use every last piece of fabric, many quilts
feature lots of small patches, like the double
wedding-ring quilt shown on page 45 and the basic
pattern of 1-inch squares on page 44. But it has
been put forward by Carolyn Ducey (curator at the
International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska)
that the large number of tiny patches might also
have been due to quilters’ competitive streaks –
newspaper reports at the time frequently cited the
total number of pieces in a quilt top.
By the 1950s, and possibly even earlier, it was
recognised that paper sacks were cheaper, and
more sanitary, than cotton ones. So to keep people
buying goods in cotton bags and interested in
sewing with feed sacks, manufacturers started to
run their own competitions, sometimes o ering
fantastic prizes. “One of my favourites was jointly
organised by manufacturers of bags and chicken
feed for which entrants had to dress their fowl in
clothing made of feed sacks,” Linzee laughs, “The
winner won a car!”A lasting legacy
By the late 1950s, more women were working
outside the home, and ready-made clothing was
becoming a ordable. With feed sacks no longer
the useful ‘extra’ they once were, productionIn this fascinating and lavishly illustrated book, Linzee Kull
McCray takes an in-depth look at feed sacks, a glorious
utilitarian product of yesteryear. She explores their history,
from the humble plain cotton sacks of the mid-1800s to the
colourful printed bags of the early 20th century.
Along with images of manufacturers’ adverts and magazine
items on how to use the bags, and evocative photographs from
the feed-sack era, the book also includes imagery of more than
850 colourful feed-sack designs, many reproduced to scale.FEED SACKS: THE COLOURFUL
HISTORY OF A FRUGAL FABRIC
started winding down and bytheearly1960shad
ceased altogether. At a time whenweincreasingly
worry about sustainability anditemscastaside
after one use, it’s tempting tofeelnostalgicabout
these multi-purpose, multi-usebags,butLinzee
can’t imagine them making acomeback.“There
is huge interest in feed sacks,especiallyamong
younger sewers, but I don’t thinkthey’repractical
in a modern society,” Linzeesays.“Asidefrom
food regulations around packaging,togetdecent
quantities of fabric you needbigbagsandnot
many of us buy 100lb sacks offlourorsugar!”.
However, with thousandsof attractive
heritage patterns to influenceandinform,several
contemporary designers producefabricranges
inspired by these fabulous prints.Sotoday’s
sewers – including quilters –canstilladda touch
of feed-sack charm to their modernmakes.This bag is a
ready-made
apron: “Just
rip bag seam –
wash and
wear”. In 1948,
the Percy Kent
Bag Company
filed the patent
for this design,
which was
granted in
- (From
the collection
of Gloria Hall)
MEETTHEAUTHOR
You canfindoutmore
aboutLinzee’swriting,
peakingandteachingon
her website.Sheis alsoa
designerforModaFabric,
for whomshehascreated
hreelinesof feed-sack
nspiredfabrics.
Thissummer,Linzee
beg g t a d workshopsat thequilts
and quilting week that is partof theTextile
Festival in Leiden, the Netherlands.
The festival runs 11–16 May 2020 anddetails
can be found on the ‘Activities’dropdownmenu
at http://www.trc-lediden.nlhttp://www.linzeekullmccray.com @seamswritePhotography: Images fromFeed Sacksby Linzee Kull McCray
“At its heart, feed sacks tell an inspirational story
of women doing amazing things, finding time
around their never-ending household chores to make
practical and beautiful items for their home and
family.” – Linzee Kull McCrayFeed Sacks
Linzee Kull McCray, published by UPPERCASE
£22.50
http://www.shopmartingale.com