Ann The Gran Community

What is a flour sack towel? I've never heard of it in Aust.

I believe the discount stores carry them.  They are usually white and are a little irregular in shape.  The hems are usually not aligned well.   But they are great for drying dishes, general cleaning and I personally sell something similiar and call it a "monogrammed dust cloth," even Paris Hilton doesn't have one!  It is a laugh! 

You might try Google for flour sack towel and you should get a zillion responses!

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer

Hello.

Flour sack Towels are 100% cotton; usually a rough texture.  Their current size ranges from 30 x 29 inches to 30 x 34 inches approximate.  As Pat stated, they are excellent for drying dishes.  Also, because of their size, I can usuaully cut them in half lengthwise and get two towels (plus I have to hem the cut edges).  It works best for me because I make a towel topper and this flour sack towel has to be gathered to fit the topper.

Flour sacks are originally from the old flour sacks and feed sacks.  Back in the 30s, women started utilizing the empty sacks and made clothing from them, dish towels, pillowcases, clothespin bags, etc.  Times were bad with the depression.  "Sack dresses" originated during this time period.  They came back in the 60s again too.  The women begged the manufacturers of chicken feed, horse feed, flour and sugar to please make the sacks softer to the touch and try to add some color to them.  Hence, the feedsack quilts of the 30s originated with beautiful colorful prints.  Win/win situation.  Chickens ate well and you had a purty new dress.

The sizing on these towels are irregular today because they are still holding true to what a grain sack was back when.  The grain sack was sewn on one side and bottom and then, the ladies removed the stitching and viola, 30 x 29 inches, etc.  In fact, if the stitching was left in place, it was a perfect, already made pillowcase.  Also, in the 30s, they saved the thread from the side seam and later used to hem any of the items.

Today, you can purchase these towels in a bundle of anywhere from 3 to 6 towels.  Martha Stewart sells them under the K-Mart name.  Others selling them would be Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, HSN with the Aunt Martha line, Amazon.com.  These towels are really nice with the vintage Redwork designs.   Downside is that when they get washed, they should be ironed.

Okay, that's probably more than you really wanted to know.  

1930s/40s Geek.

Joan/NJ

Thanks Joan !

Finally someone else that appreciates where and how the flour sack towels came to be and their uses today. Yes they are irregular in size, but as I stated before , It is part of their charm!! I have several nice vintage 30's and 40's designs that look absolutely amazing on them. I have also used them with a towel topper as well. They make a quick and easy gift for birthdays, and especially a wedding shower gift! I love them for the great size of them. I found that Sam's Club also carries them in packs of 12 and they are a lot nicer than any I have seen in the stores here. But then we don't have to many stores in the immediate vicinity to shop at here!! I do press them a bit after washing, but I don't go crazy over it, LOL. I think that also adds to their charm!!

I also sell them ,but Not as a dust rag, as a kitchen towel as they were meant to be used.

Judy

I get mine at Smart and Final stores.  I embroider holiday designs, cute sayings and red work embroidery designs on them.  They decorate my kitchen and are great for drying dishes.  I threw a Baby Shower and I embroidered a towel with a design and "Kathleen's" (their name) Kitchen on a towel for them.  I downloaded and digitized designs to personalize their towels. (ex: a friend who is a singer, I digitized her album cover on her towel and copied the font design from her album for the writing on the towel.

They are inexpensive and very special personalized gifts.

Kathleen

Hello down under.

Even though we  (US & AU) speak the same language those colloquialisms can sure sound foreign.

I think a little US history about the flour sack has already been given.  When I was a very small child (late 40's), feed mills bagged grain in floral printed cotton.  There always was a scramble to get the empty sack so dresses could be made from them.  I had one.

Some companies now offer "feed sack" fabric for making quilts.

Flour and meal was bagged in cotton with a printed label.

Flour and feed sacks are just plain old muslin.  Some were bleached and used as towels and such.

Best wishes.

Pattiann

PS:  Loved McLeod's Daughters until they changed the leading lady - don't get it here in the states any more.