During the Great Depression when poverty was widespread "Repair, reuse, make do, and don't throw anything away" was a motto people lived by because they were forced to be frugal. Flour sacks were not thrown away but were used to make clothes for children. The flour mills began making their sacks using patterned fabrics that would appeal to those using them for a variety of home uses, not only clothing but dish towels, diapers, curtains, quilts and more.
Here are some of the patterns that were offered:
Flour sack sewing projects remained popular until the 1950s when the companies introduced paper sacks.
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There's a large format color photograph floating around the web, I think might have been taken by one of the WPA photographers, showing a large family at a Vermont County/State fair. All the girls, from teens down to young, were wearing matching dresses, Mom made from the same pattern sack material. I suppose it's handy for keeping track of a large brood, but had to be careful of not snatching someone else's kid wearing the same sack.
ReplyDeleteMy mother wore flour sack clothes as a child.
ReplyDelete