feedsack quilt

American soft furnishing

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Last updated

July 16, 2026

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A feedsack quilt is a type of American soft furnishing that gained popularity during the Great Depression in the 1930s. These quilts were made from fabric sacks that previously held animal feed, flour, or other staples. These sacks often came in a variety of cheerful prints, making them ideal for quilters looking to create colorful and practical bedding or decorative pieces.1

The process of making a quilt involves sewing together layers of fabric with an insulating interior. Patchwork, a technique of joining smaller fabric pieces into blocks, is a primary construction method for quilt tops and is often combined with appliqué. During the 1930s, quilters frequently shared patterns from newspaper columns, such as those in the Kansas City Star, which featured numerous designs.12

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quilting
The golden age of American quilts
… of the 1930s popularized the feedsack quilt. Cloth sacks in which animal feed and flour and other staples were packaged were produced in a wide variety of cheerful prints. During this period quilters shared patterns from weekly newspaper columns like those from the Kansas City Star, which featured more than…
Read More
… of the 1930s popularized the feedsack quilt. Cloth sacks in which animal feed and flour and other staples were packaged were produced in a wide variety of cheerful prints. During this period quilters shared patterns from weekly newspaper columns like those from the Kansas City Star, which featured more than…
Read More