Several days ago I was in the process of getting Mom’s 50lb. chicken feed sacks ready to do some stitching on. I washed them and then let them soak in some strong bleach water. After several hours of soaking, I finished off the load and then re-washed them in plain water to make sure the bleach was indeed gone. They brightened up considerably and were reminiscent of what I remembered from times past . . . an off-white appearance. After pulling them out of the clothes drier, I couldn’t help but notice how immediately soft they felt and fairly clear of wrinkles. Smoothing them out with my hand as I folded them was all it took to get them stitching ready. This was in sharp contrast to the “feed sack towels” I had bought at Mill’s Fleet and Farm in Mankato. They were manufactured in a southern mill to represent and imitate the originals. When I washed them, they came out with wrinkles that needed to be ironed with steam before I could stitch on them.
Much can be imitated and soon there will not be that link available of what the original actually was. Times are changing and I know I need to stay instep to keep current of what is available while still looking for quality. I don’t want to be sold a bill of goods because I didn’t seek and search and then be disappointed on the outcome of resources and time. In today’s world, I can’t be a slacker.