The complete guide to grain sack fabric and grain sack pillows. Includes where to buy, how to launder safely, and how to use grain sacks in your decor.
When I first began my love affair with antique grain sack fabric, it was as someone who thought it was out of reach…surely it was too expensive, and hard to find. I would see random pictures of grain sacks, or a grain sack upholstered chair, and just sigh. It took me a while to figure out why I was so drawn to them. Grain sacks had a purpose and consequently, they had a history all their own.
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The History of Grain Sack Fabric
If I close my eyes, I can see a woman with rough and worn hands, sitting in her farmhouse. She is stitching her family’s grain sacks by hand, and her only light is from the fireplace. These sacks were instrumental in getting her family’s grain to the mill. The grain sack fabric she sewed is called hemp, and it comes in rolls that are around twenty inches wide. Some families personalized their grain sacks by using a custom stripe design woven into the hemp. These stripes were predominately blue or red. Many families embroidered their initials on the grain sack fabric so their sacks were easily identified.
Grain Sacks + Home Decor
Antique grain sacks are a popular design trend, often repurposed for home decor in a variety of ways, including upholstery, pillows, table runners, and other textile furnishings. Their versatile fabric complements many decorating styles, from Farmhouse and Cottage to French Country, Shabby Chic, and even Boho. You don’t need to sew to incorporate antique grain sacks into your decor. They can be used as table runners, draped over blanket ladders or accent chairs, or even repurposed as upholstery fabric. Their width is often perfect for covering the seat or back of a dining chair. As your collection grows, stacked grain sacks make a charming display on shelves, blanket chests, or small stools.
How To Prepare Grain Sacks For Sewing
Before sewing, I wash each grain sack with detergent, add fabric softener to the rinse cycle, and dry it completely to soften the fabric and prevent shrinkage. If needed, I pick out the side seams to maximize the material, sometimes finding bits of grain tucked in the corners—a small reminder of the past. I never feel sad cutting vintage fabric; instead, I see it as giving it a second life. No longer used for their original purpose, these sacks are revived with love and care, transformed into something beautiful instead of sitting forgotten in an attic or barn.
Sewing Pillows
When sewing with grain sacks, take your time and plan carefully before cutting to make the most of each piece. I measure multiple times and determine the best way to use the fabric, aiming to have both sides of a pillow made from grain sack whenever possible. If there’s not enough, I opt for vintage fabric on the back, never new material and only as a last resort. I also prefer making pillows in pairs, and using a different fabric on the back can help achieve that while creating reversible pillows…an easy way to get two looks in one.
Hunting For Grain Sacks
Ten years ago, I began to sew textile furnishings for my Etsy shop, and I knew I had to include items made from grain sacks. My goal was to obtain grain sacks easily, and at a decent price. I knew this would be a challenge, but I was determined. The easiest place to find them is on sites like eBay and Etsy. (I’ll link to my sources at the end.) I have never found any grain sack fabric or actual sacks at the antique malls in my area. If you are really lucky, and enjoy the hunt, you might find them at large antique shows or antique shops in larger cities.
If you are a traveler, grain sack fabric can be found in the flea markets of France and other European countries like Poland, Sweden, and Austria. I promise, grain sack fabric is out there…you just have to look. All it takes is Google and time spent online searching.
Where To Buy Antique Grain Sacks
As with many vintage treasures, the price of grain sacks has risen over time, with larger sizes, embroidered initials, and rare colors like yellow or green commanding a premium. Occasionally, rolls of unused hemp surface, offering a rare opportunity to work with pristine material. I’ve only ever purchased one roll, but the excitement of unwrapping it, knowing it had been preserved for decades, was truly unforgettable. Whether repurposed for pillows, upholstery, or simple decorative accents, grain sacks bring history and character into the home, making them a worthwhile investment for those who appreciate their timeless charm.
If you love the character of antique grain sacks, you might also enjoy a few other simple, timeworn touches around the home. My collection of dough bowl ideas shows easy ways to style these rustic pieces for everyday use, and these simple ways to use mason jars offer even more inspiration for adding charm with items you may already have. You can also explore my full collection of farmhouse style ideas for understated, lived-in spaces that feel warm, personal, and timeless.
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I did not realize you had a shop on Etsy. Can you send me the information?
Ann, thank you for the info about grain sacks. I have two vintage ones. I bought the first one 10 years ago at Roundtop and the second a couple of years later at Scott’s Antique Show in Atlanta. I paid $100 for each one. They are large, about the size of a body pillow. I don’t use them because they are so big. I’ve thought about cutting them into pillows or making a runner. I’ve hesitated, not wanting to devalue them, but you’ve convinced me to go ahead and make use of them.
Hi Carol! The less invasive route would be to make a table runner. It will take several hours to pick out the side seams of the grain sack, but it’s easy to do. Just time consuming. Definitely do something to make them functional. Good luck!
I was just looking on Amazon into finding some grain sacks, I wanted to use it to make a wreath, but the price is a bit more than I wanted to spend, so I went with a paint cloth.
@tisonlyme143
Thank you for this post. Now I want to make slipcovers for my dining chairs. I hope I can resist spending the rest of the day searching your sources for grain sacks when I have a lot of garden chores waiting for me.
I love your posts!
I LOVE all things using Grain Sacks. I’ve been in love with it ever since I can remember. Dark blue/Navy and black stripes are my favorite but I use red regularly for different holidays.
When I’m making something that doesn’t necessarily need the real stuff, I will make my own. I use drop cloth from Lowe’s or anywhere else, fabric paint & grain sack stripe stencils from WallCutz and FunkyJunk. It’s quite easy with a small roller brush to paint a large piece of the drop cloth. And like I said, if I don’t have to use the real deal, this works really well plus it’s a lot cheaper!
Thanks for all of your great posts. I so enjoy your site. My only problem is when I’m searching for something in particular, I always get lost reading everything else! LOL
Thanks Again!
Hi Ann,
Great information! I have an antique grain sack that was never in use, so it is pristine and a bit stiff (which I see as a positive). I am planning to make pillows from it, but I am wondering if I should wash it first?
Hi Emily…yes, my advice would be to launder it first. They are so much easier to work with once they have been washed and dried. Enjoy your new pillows!
Hi, would you tell me if “Washed Grainsack” is stain resistant? There’s a set of chairs that I would like to order and that information would be helpful.. Thanks.
Hi Veronica! Without knowing all the fabric information, here’s my opinion. Although grain sack fabric is washable and stands up to wear, I wouldn’t refer to it as stain resistant. Can you ask the retail site what the fabric content is? That might help. Good luck!
Like all the others, I really appreciate knowing more of the history of grain or seed sacks. I have several that I plan to use to recover my dining room chairs. I was wondering if you used any kind of interfacing on the fabric itself? Thank you.
Hi Kathryn…no, I have never used any interfacing. If you are using the sacks as upholstery fabric, just make sure to pull it tight. In my opinion, you don’t need interfacing. Good luck!
My son worked on a horse farm and brought me 2 of those grain sacks home and I have no idea what to do with them. Could you help me? I was just going to throw them out.