Question:
I've never actually seen a feedsack in person so I'm not sure if that's what I found today or not. I'm sure someone here will know though ...
The fabric measures approx. 39 1/2" wide (selvage to selvage ... do feedsacks even have selvages?) by about 35" long (when I unfold the hem) and there are small holes where the stitching was. It is a bit faded and soiled in places but I basically bought it for "research purposes" to see if it is actually a feedsack.
Answer:
Dawna, the print is very much like a feedsack print but a close-up photo of the weave would be helpful.
Yes, feedsacks have selvages, unless of course you don't have one with the original width intact. Most of the feedsacks I've had have fallen into the 36"-37" width but that doesn't eliminate yours as a feedsack.
What do you mean "when I unfold the hem"? Has the fabric been sewn into another form with a hem? Feedsacks do not have hems but are just a length of fabric folded in half lengthwise and then sewn down one side and across the bottom to form the sack. It's when those stitches are removed that result in the tell-tale stitching holes.
Joan Kiplinger has an excellent column about feedsacks
Hmm, my explanation doesn't sound all that clear upon rereading...hope it helps some!
Answer:
Tanya, thank you for the link, I bookmarked it to read when I have a bit more time later.
You know, after I signed off the computer I picked up the fabric and I realized that it wouldn't have made a "bag" the way it was stitched. It is basically like a yard of fabric with the top and bottom "cut" ends folded over and hemmed and the selvages left as is. I'm thinking it was used as a small tablecloth maybe? Darn!
So, let's see if I understand correctly. A feedsack would have been stitched on one side and across the bottom ... like an "L" shape? And the other side would just be a fold then? If so, that will help me a lot!
Answer:
The only feedsacks I ever saw were made of burlap and had
the company logo on it.
If those are feedsacks they sure do make them different now days.
Answer:
A feedsack would have been stitched on one side and across the bottom ... like an "L" shape? Yep, and then turned right side out.
Yes, a closer shot of the weave would help..but it looks like it to me. I've been looking at so much feedsack my eyes are crossed.
I did have a couple that had been made into valances for windows. Maybe thats what yours was...?
Diann, read the link that Tanya posted. It'll give you a good history on them. They were made in all sorts of pretty colors & patterns.
Answer:
OK, here are my attempts at an ultra close-up ... it would probably help if I had some natural light right now!
Answer:
Around here lots of the farm wives hemmed the raw edges and used the full sack for a dish towel.
Even after many washings you can often still see the holes where the stitches were. Those bags held many pounds of chicken feed (or whatever) - 50 or 60 pounds or more -- and it really strained the fabric around the stitching. Also, the 'thread' that was used to sew around the edges was often fairly heavy (thick), so the holes were pretty big to begin with...
I've got an bag my MIL gave me Saturday that shows the holes. I'll take a photo tomorrow if you think it will help.
Elaine
Answer:
I always thought of feedsacks as rough bags for grain, with company
logos or art, too.

I googled images of "feedsack" (with safety filter on lol), and of the first
20 images, only 2 were what I recognized as a feedsack, LOL!

Ah HA!

A quick bit of research reveals that the merchants quickly realized their bags as described above were getting recycled by "thrifty housewives".

So they began "...offering sacks in various prints and solid colors as a marketing ploy to create loyalty.

It would take three identical sacks to make a dress, for example, and the farmer just might be induced to buy more that way."

Fascinating! I just love premiums and marketing ploys like this!

"Honey, pick up 3 of the 50 pound flour bags, make sure they are Highland's Best and NOT Highland's Finest... I don't like that pattern. Annie's getting married and I need a new dress..."

"Oh, and get about 10 of the 20 pound Sweet Bee Sugar bags. I have to make some placemats."

And they wonder why Americans learned to eat so many sweets... lol lol lol!

"
Answer:
Magazines and pattern companies began to take notice of feedsack popularity and published patterns to take advantage of the feedsack prints. Matching fabric and even matching wrapping paper was available, too. (Above) Directions were given for using the strings from feedsacks in knitting and crocheting. A 1942 estimate showed that three million women and children of all income levels were wearing print feedbag garments.



Feedsacks were used to make

• clothes
  
• toys
  
• underwear
  
• pillowcases
  
• diapers
  
• laundry bags
  
• curtains
  
• table cloths
  
• towels, dish cloths
  

Answer:
Actually my mother remembers going with her whole family to the feed store when they picked up the chicken feed. Mom and the girls picked which particular sacks were purchased.
The same brand of chicken feed would come in many different printed sacks. You couldn't just send someone to the feedstore to choose by brand; you had to actually BE there to find a print that you liked AND that had the multiples you needed!
But some brands of feed/seed did bag their products in higher quality fabrics than others. The sack I mentioned above is a tightly woven, high quality cotton bag. Some are very loosely woven and are 'rougher' cottons.
You're right. The whole subject is fascinating.
Elaine