posted on November 1, 2000 12:46:48 PM
First, before I explain my dilemma, let me say that I love all fabric and often buy stuff at garage sales, flea markets etc., but rarely actually do anything with it, except unfold and admire it and think of all the neat things I could sew with it. Then I fold it back up and put it away again.
So, this weekend I was doing a little shopping at a few antique shops and came across four feed sacks, two each of two different prints. They seemed very reasonable compared to ones I've seen in the past, so I bought them.
I know some feed sacks do OK on ebay, so I figured I would keep one of each print (since I apparently don't have enough fabric that I will never do anything with) and auction the other two.
Anyway, something about the feed sacks seemed familiar. Today I realized I have 15 feed sacks sitting in a brown paper bag in my basement. I bet I bought them 5 or 6 years ago and I remember now they were 2 for $1.00.
My first thought was to get busy listing them, but when I started looking at all the great prints (which is what made me buy them in the first place), I wondered if I shouldn't keep them. Just in case, you know?
posted on November 1, 2000 01:18:01 PM
That would be a toughie for me because I have a hard time even parting with scraps.
However, if the odds of me ever actually doing anything with them were slim to none and I needed some money, they'd be gone(The tom would probably have to pack them and actually ship them to make sure they got to the bidder, though).
Edited to correct a stupid mistake.
[ edited by Shadowcat on Nov 1, 2000 01:19 PM ]
posted on November 1, 2000 01:28:01 PM
I'm with Shadowcat on this one. If I come across something in the attic (fabric, widget, you name it) that I'd put there for years and had completely forgotten I owned, I realize that it probably wasn't essential to my continued happiness and I sell it, knowing that the cash in hand will enable me to buy a NEW toy I can put in storage and forget about for years
posted on November 1, 2000 01:30:20 PM
You will make a good return on your investment if you sell them. Some prints are much more valuable than others--if you have novelty prints, they can sell for as much as $50. each--I know what I am talking about because I have gotten that for a couple of mine. Other high price ones seem to be the solid colors which most people don't even recognize as feedsacks. I usually buy mine in lots of 30 or more and am now paying dearly at estate sales for them. I keep only my absolute favorites as I ran out of space a long time ago and will never really use them.
posted on November 1, 2000 02:12:37 PM
Well, as a fellow fabric lover, I suggest you sell them so I can buy them and they can sit at my house doing nothing!
posted on November 1, 2000 04:57:31 PMThanks everyone!
I am leaning towards selling them. It doesn't seem like that difficult of a decision until I look over and see their pretty flowers and bright colors. Sigh!
posted on November 1, 2000 09:53:19 PM
I would cut them into squares and stitch them together into a scrap quilt top. Then I would fold it and put it on a shelf where I could look at it now and again, or sometimes use it as a tablecloth.
You didn't forget that you had the bag of feed sacks, so there is no need to get rid of them. Find something in the basement that you don't remember about and sell that. : )
I am offering all this advice because I covert your feed sack collection. I have only two of them and hemmed them into dish towels.
[ edited by bobbin on Nov 1, 2000 09:55 PM ]
posted on November 2, 2000 02:44:59 AM
Where do all the pretty ones go? Certainly not in my direction! I have a bunch of faded out ones that have been made into napkins and dishtowels. You can barely read the so and so flour emblem on the off white background. Does anyone know if these are even worth putting up for auction?
posted on November 2, 2000 03:51:16 AMdeco,, if they're whole and have an interesting and at least moderately legible logo, then yes, sell them (folks use them for quilt backing and crafts, and some actually collect flour sacks). Otherwise, you're probably SOL.
mapledr, how 'bout selling just your duplicates? (They're going for about $10 apiece right now.) Or consider selling lots of half-sacks, if you can stand to cut them up.
posted on November 2, 2000 04:59:51 AM
Being a pack rat myself, I can understand your dilema. However, after moving around with the military for 20 years and finally settling down, we discovered we had several boxes we continuously moved without opening...
We have been "cleaning house" on eBay for the past year. There were a few things we did keep - We had a collection of 100 pepsi character glasses packed away from the 70's. We put one away for each of our children, but the rest are being listed. We also kept family items that had been passed down.
My suggestion - selectively pick what you want to keep and use - get rid of the rest! If you aren't going to use it there's no point in keeping it.
).
and I sell it, knowing that the cash in hand will enable me to buy a NEW toy I can put in storage and forget about for years 
