. Paula – has been collecting for nine years and selling for one and a half years. Addiction started with hearing about a feedsack quilt during a charm exchange. Had no idea what this was or looked like, so inquired at an antique store and was lucky to get five feedsacks at $3 each. The asking and searching began and still goes on.

. Jane – began collecting in 1986. Actually, feedsacks found her while looking for old fabrics. Had no idea what they were but had to have them. Buys and sells on Ebay, by mail and at lectures where she exhibits.

. Sharon – has always been intrigued by huge variety available. Began selling antiques and some textiles about 15 years. Now sells feedsacks; notes that until three or four years ago average price of sack was $3.

. Judy -- Began collecting 12 years ago simply because they appealed to her. Husband is in the milling industry and brought her first sack from an Arkansas mill. Wasn’t a quilter then, wasn’t sure what to do with it so opened up bag, serged around edges and made two dishtowels. Still has towels but not to dry dishes any more. Hasn’t cut up any feedsacks since then. Has bought through Ebay which was a good learning experience.

. Sharon -- oldest homespun linen from 19^th century Pennsylvania; made of rough, dark linen called tow and hand sewn. Bags generally measure about 40"by 20" wide. Rarest example is WWII Gone with Wind which she has had several times. Favorites of scarce ones are Buck Rogers space design and nursery rhyme sack which sold for $175. Another is a miniature sample-size Quaker Sugar bag ; got four of those at a closed general store auction.

. Paula – possibly several sacks were used as table cloths as they were hemmed on the raw edges

. Jane – dresses, baby clothing, luncheon cloths and napkins, curtains, night wear, bonnets. Also bought an award-winning collection from one of the National Cotton Council’s contests for ingenuity in using feedsacks to make a variety of clothing.

. Paula – sacks are arranged by category such as novelties, plains, etc. They are in two fabric cases similar to bookcases turned on their sides. Has completed four feedsack quilts plus three tops to be quilted.

. Jane – mostly for exhibits and trunk show lectures presented to guilds, historical societies, various organizations. Even though a quilter, sharing history with others is prime hobby. Notes feedsacks are our heritage and an important part of our textile history. Displays some sacks in a frame of old barn wood made by son.

. Paula – has learned to be very selective; doesn’t buy linen-type feedsacks because they are too coarse and porous for quilts. Looks for visible stitching holes and holds them to light to see if there are any indications of stitching. Sets a limit on spending, exceeding it only if sack is rare.

Advises to read labels carefully. still makes sacks for special orders,. Learned this experience when purchasing several sacks advertised as having original label and from 1950s – early 60s. However, labels from Shawnee Milling Co. in Oklahoma contained zip and UPC codes. As zips were introduced around 1963 and UPC about1973, doubts were raised about authenticity and true age of sacks. Contacted Shawnee which assured her they were indeed genuine although made at a later date than advertised and that company still made bags for special orders.

. Jane – bags should be in pristine condition, no stains, holes, frays, tears. The more flaws, the less it’s worth. Inspect both sides; hold up to light to check for spots, dots and discoloration. Sometimes these conditions will originate in fiber itself which works its way to surface.

It is important if you are a seller to know that feedsack is genuine; you do an injustice to others by guessing. As an example, some persons have entered competitions only to learn their sacks are either fakes or don’t qualify as a sack.

. Sharon –look for holes from stitching; has handled so many sacks that can tell by touch if real thing. Feedsacks are popular in Japan! Seldom see this mentioned. There is a feedsack love web ring in that country and many dealers in feedsacks and vintage American fabrics are popular with Japanese who make quilts and other patchwork items such as rag dolls or anything kawaii * [Japanese for cute].

On homespun sacks: coarse linen sacks are probably precursor of the feedsack we know today. They are made from homespun linen often woven about 41" wide. Most desired by primitive collectors are the crudest, coarsest, uncleaned ones that have a sort of dirty brown color, often with little pieces of flax straw woven in. Definitely not for making towels! Linen was handstitched into sacks with ties of twill tape applied so those are not mass produced. Only ones seen printed were those where owner used stencil or wood block. Some have initials cross stitched in indigo or turkey red thread.

. Judy -- try to buy sacks that have actually held contents. If needle holes are at top of sack, it is fairly obvious it held something. Sometimes small bits of grain and feed will remain. Values a booklet published by National Cotton Council of America in the 1940s which tells how to care for and use feedsacks.

Some of the advice includes saving bag string to be used in sewing [Judy has two feedsack quilts where the string has been use in piecing] and for crochet projects.. Patterns and measurements are given for clothing and home goods; a child’s pinafore required three 30x34 bags. Patterns could be ordered from Famous Features Syndicate in New York.

Booklet provides instructions to remove printing; calls for soaking uncut bag overnight in heavy soap suds. Next day wash thoroughly in warm suds, gently rubbing parts covered by ink. To remove any last traces, boil in soap suds for 10 minutes.

Notes this still poses a problem for those who want to wash bags but retain printing and to keep ink from bleeding. [Judy has successfully washed white flour sacks with blue printing remaining intact.] Kerosene was also used as a remover on some of the older bags. Other booklet advice stated tinting could be done with a reliable dye but bag must be bleached in sun and wet thoroughly before tinting.

. Paula – buy only sacks that you like, not just how many you can find. Buy quilting magazines which have articles on feedsacks and good reference books.

. Jane – buy good reference books. If buying, ask seller or someone you know who can give you correct advice; bring samples when shopping around so you can compare textures.

. Sharon – have a focus; field too large to just collect anything and everything. Learn from your collection so you can recognize patterns popular at different times, color palettes, etc.

Two examples of specialty collecting: Patriostism ran high with WWII bags such as this 1940s V for Victory and Morse Code print from Sharon Stark's collection. Animals are another favorite topic, especially when they are as appealing as these Easter bunnies from the collection of Paul Hammer.

Lastly -- you can generally tell feedsack fabric by its somewhat loose weave, homespun look. Surprisingly the more bags are washed the softer fabric becomes. Last year I was given a 1940s - early 50s sack which was a border print for a pillowcase. I had absolutely no idea that it was a feedsack. After washing it to remove odor and dirt, I couldn’t believe how buttery soft it became. And to tell the truth, I’d prefer to have all my pillowcases of this fabric rather than all the ritzy 300- count percales.

Fibers would remain in wool after extensive washings and it was nearly impossible to detect foreign flecks at that manufacturing stage. It was after the weaving and dying process that defects showed up. Synthetic fibers did not take the dye. Whole runs of fabric were ruined. Downtime and fabric loss were very costly to mills. More tragically, digested fibers would saw through sheep intestines causing death. Although most farmers have reverted to natural fibers or other safe containers, poly bags are still marketed.

– Soft Covers for Hard Times by Merikay Waldvogel, 1990, Rutledge Hill Press
-- Fabulous Feedsack Quilts , 1999, published by editors of Traditional Quiltworks Magazine [Chitra]
– Textile Bags, Identification & Value Guide by Anna Lue Cook, 1990, Books Americana
-- Periodicals and magazines featuring feedsacks

Another shopping place vintage fabrics dealer Nan Jaeger of Gladstone OR finally has her web site up and running. A wonderful selection you don’t want to miss at Revival Fabrics, 1920s-70s. http://www.revivalfabrics.com