Over 500 color photographs present colorfully-printed cloth feed and food sacks. Treasured for their fabulous patterns, and for the memories of a simpler time which they evoke, printed cloth sacks have become a hot collectible. Especially appealing to quilters and crafters. Includes price guide.
Feed sacks are the perfect example of a utilitarian product turned into something beautiful. Author Linzee Kull McCray explores the history of the humble feed sack, from a plain cotton sack to exuberantly patterned and colorful bags that were repurposed into frocks, aprons, and quilts by thrifty housewives in the first half of the twentieth century. Extensive imagery and at-scale reproductions of these fabrics create an inspiring sourcebook of pattern and color--and offer a welcome visit to the days of yesteryear. No patterns included
Printed cotton sacks are currently fashionable aspects for material culture research, particularly in the costume and quilt history communities. In the second quarter of the twentieth century, these mass-produced sacks were relied upon by rural America as a valuable source of free fabric for clothing, quilts, and home d cor. This book is the catalog for the Museum of Texas Tech University's "Cotton and Thrift" exhibition, which showcases the Pat L. Nickols Cotton Sack Research Collection. The Nickols Collection includes white sacks, printed partial and whole cotton sacks, swatches of printed sacks, instructional booklets, garments, quilts, quilt tops and decorated white sacks. Combined with earlier and subsequent individual donations, the almost 6000 feed sack pieces held by the Museum of TTU make this the largest collection of feed sack materials to be assembled by an American university, and likely the largest such collection in public hands.
A quilt historian chronicles the fascinating yet untold story of feedsack quilts made in America during the Great Depression and WWII. Feedsacks weren’t meant for anything more than their name implies until hard times changed the way people looked at available resources. In the 1930s and 40s, quilters facing poverty and fabric shortages found that these cotton bags could be repurposed into something beautiful. Manufacturers capitalized on the trend by designing their bags with stylish patterns, like the iconic gingham. In Feedsack Secrets, quilt historian Gloria Nixon shares the story of the patterned feedsack with research culled from old farm periodicals, magazines and newspapers. Along the way, she reveals how women met for sack-and-snack-club fabric swaps; there were restrictions on jacket lengths, hem depths and the sweep of a skirt; and feedsack prints and bags played a part in political contests, even accurately predicting that Truman would win the 1948 presidential election.
"Although fabric bags have been used to store dry goods and gain stuff for a very long time, printed feed sacks were a unique slice of American history for the 1920's through the 1960's when they were a lifeline for rural and farm families. The contents of the printed sacks were food for animals and for people. The leftover printed fabric bag could be opened and used in household sewing, clothing, bedding, toys, quilts, and more."--Page [4] of cover.
During the Great Depression, a time of widespread poverty, women managed to produce some of America's most beautiful quilts. Soft Covers for Hard Times explores matters rural and city quiltmakers had in common. 70 lavish full-color illustrations.
The owner of the historic Barron Flour Mill completely reinvents the concept of healthier-for-you, naturally fermented sourdough. Until now, sourdough was perceived as too much work and sour-tasting, artisan-style-only loaves. In Wild Bread, MaryJane Butters’ quick and easy 1-minute 2x/day technique demonstrates the use of eight different types of flours for each bread featured—everything from gluten-free brown-rice flour to quinoa to common white to heirloom whole wheat—for a whopping 295 recipes and 475 photographs. Using her step-by-step method, every style of bread imaginable, including gluten-free, will loft with wild abandon without the purchase of a single packet of not-so-healthy, store-bought yeast. In nutritionally superior wild-yeast bread, fermentation triggers the release of vital nutrients and breaks down carbohydrates. In MaryJane’s world, there’s no such thing as too much bread because once you convert to slow-rise wild-bread making, that bagel you’ve been thinking about is more like a vitamin pill than a source of “carb-loaded” guilt. Lessons gleaned from MaryJane Butters’ diverse pioneering background, from carpenter to dairy owner to former wilderness ranger turned organic farmer, led her eventually to stewardship of the 4-story, historic Barron Flour Mill. It was only natural that her years spent living on remote Forest Service fire-watch towers with only a living, breathing sourdough “mother” for companionship would lead her to write a pioneering wild-yeast bread book. “One of my favorite resources for beginners.”—A Home Made from Scratch
The use of various types of consumer packages for marketing farm products has shown that cotton bags are one of the most satisfactory containers. Cotton bags make attractive packages; they supply a suitable surface for brand names and make possible effective advertising; they are durable and little affected by moisture; the represent minimum tare weight; and they have a high salvage value.
Get a fresh take on vintage! Dress up your home with five great quilts and a bounty of unique projects ranging from adorable veggie pink cushions and pretty aprons to seat pillows and a Parisian-style journal cover. Adding distinctive charm is Fig Tree Quilts? signature palette of warm, inviting tones. See how easy it is to personalize each project with the creative use of embellisments such as beads, ribbons and bows. For wedding showers, birthdays, or special sewing buddies, you will have the perfect gift every time!