Thursday, January 20, 2022

Throwback Thursday: Flour-Sack Underwear

 

When I was a maiden,  fair

Mama made our underwear.

With five tots and Pa's poor pay,

How could she buy lingerie?


A maiden fair in all her flour sack flair.
Picture courtesy/General Mills.com


Monograms and fancy stitches

Were not on our flour sack britches.

Panty waists that stood the test,

With "Gold Medal" on the chest.

Little pants the best of all,

With a scene I still recall:

Harvesters were gleaning wheat,

Right across the little seat.


Tougher than a grizzly bear

Was our flour-sack underwear;

Plain or fancy, three feet wide,

Stronger than a hippo's hide.


In 1918 Gold Medal Flour sacks included patterns for
Goldie the Gold Medal Flour sack doll.
Picture courtesy/General Mills.com


Through the years each Jill and Jack,

Wore this sturdy garb of sack

Waste not, want not, we soon learned,

Penny saved, a penny earned.


Bedspreads, curtains, tea towels too,

Tablecloths to name a few.

But the best beyond compare,

Was our flour-sack underwear.


"Flour-Sack Underwear"
 A poem by  Ruth Gettle




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