Barkcloth, feed sack, and other vintage fabrics
barkcloth on auction until June 12
I found some really great pieces of vintage fabric last week that I have listed on eBay. It took a little research to learn about these when I first started finding them but knowing the proper terms to list them under in eBay is very important, so I learned!
BARKCLOTH
The pieces you see above are usually called barkcloth. I have heard people pronounce it BARcloth but this is not correct. Actually, barkcloth is not technically correct either since real barkcloth was made from real bark in Asia, India, and the Pacific islands in the 1800-1900s. However, this fabric is now called barkcloth because of its dense cotton texture that has a rough surface like bark. It was popular in the 1950s and 60s for home furnishings such as curtains, drapery, and slipcovers. A nice large pair of curtains in this fabric could bring over 100$ on auction. Small pieces are nice for pillows and other projects. I love the feel and look of it—especially the tropical and dogwood patterns. Do a search for barkcloth on eBay and you will see the various designs and prices.
feed sack fabric on auction until June 12
FEED SACK FABRIC
I am just getting to know feed sack fabric a little better. If you only have a small piece of it, it is very hard to tell from just normal cotton fabric although it does have a little more texture to it than regular cotton. The best way to tell whether or not it is feed sack are the small stitch holes/lines that are usually on 2 or 3 sides of the fabric. This is where it was once sewn together to form the feed sack. Also it is usually about 36-37 inches wide rather than the 45 wide fabrics bought from a bolt today. You would buy the flour or whatever in the feed sack and then reuse the fabric for dresses or quilts. It was a great way to recycle!
Vintage fabric is great because of the many different styles and colors available. Use it in clothing or crafts or quilts, etc!
feed sack fabric on auction until June 13
Check out my auctions and eBay store at everythingvintagesteph.com. I usually have some type of vintage fabric there!
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June 19th, 2010 at 9:48 am
[...] Barkcloth, feed sack, and other vintage fabrics [...]
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