Feed sack dresses

A feed sack dress

For years, I've had a gift subscription (from my mother-in-law) to Reminisce magazine. The magazine publishes user-submitted stories and photographs from the "old days" - some of it WWII vintage, a lot in the 50's and 60's as well. I love this magazine!

The most recent issue of Reminisce features a story about a feed sack dress that won first prize at a county fair.

Particularly during the depression, rural women used soft cotton feed sacks to construct clothing and other items. Manufacturers responded to this trend by producing feed sacks in an array of colors and prints. A trip to the feed store was like a trip to a fabric store!

Growing up Drake spent a lot of time with his grandmother, who had very hard times during the depression. From her he learned now nearly lost crafts such as turning collars and darning socks. His grandmother also continued to use feeds sacks for sewing, particularly for pillows.

I am fascinated by feed sack dresses because I think they show such grass-roots ingenuity. Some of the fabrics had the manufacturer's logo hidden in the pattern!