How to Turn an Antique Grain Sack into a DIY Grain Sack Table Runner
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I found the most beautiful red and white antique grain sack at the Liberty Antique Festival a while back. And today, I’m going to show you how I turned it into a DIY grain sack table runner!
When I first bought this antique grain sack, I planned to cut the fabric into smaller pieces and sew them into vintage red striped pillow covers.
But I’m so glad I was patient / procrastinated that project! Take a look at how that same grain sack looks now…
I love how it turned out! What do you think?
Grain Sack Sizing & Table Runner Lengths
I want to jump right into the DIY… but first things first! Let’s talk about the measurements and sizing before we get started.
Measure Twice, Cut Once
It’s a good idea to measure twice, and cut once for any kind of sewing project / fabric project. Because once you make a cut, you can’t undo that.
This is especially important when we’re talking about an antique item like an antique grain sack!
It’s not like you can go back to the fabric store to get an extra yard of material. This is a one of a kind piece!
I’m not saying don’t do it. Just think it through before you grab those scissors.
Look at How the Grain Sack Was Sewn Together
Another thing to check is how the grain sack was constructed.
My grain sack was made of one very long rectangle shape of fabric. It was folded in half, so that the fold would become the bottom of the sack. Both sides were sewn up to create the sides of the sack.
Measurements that Matter
My antique grain sack was right at 52 inches in length before I took the side seams out. Doing that doubled the length because it allowed the fabric to lay stretched out long ways, instead of folded in half.
So instead of 52 inches, it is now 104 inches.
Our dining table is 86 inches long.
The length of the fabric (after picking apart the seams) extends the full length of the dining table, with about 9 inches of overhang on each side.
I think it’s the perfect length! But it could easily work on a slightly longer table, or even a smaller table.
Just be sure to measure your table and measure your grain sack to make sure you’ll be happy with the end result before you attempt this DIY.
How to Make a DIY Grain Sack Table Runner
Turning an antique grain sack into a table runner is actually a fairly easy and fairly straightforward project.
You’re essentially deconstructing it. Taking apart the seams to get one long piece of fabric that you can use as a table runner.
It takes a little time, and a lot of patience. But it’s something you can do while relaxing and watching a tv show in the evening. And the end result is so worth it!
What you need for this DIY:
- an antique grain sack
- small sewing scissors OR a seam ripper
- lots of patience!
Grain Sack Table Runner: Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Wash Your Grain sack!
Go ahead and wash your grain sack first!
I skipped this step, and then I panicked at the thought of my grain sack unraveling in the wash. So just save yourself the stress and wash it before you take the seams out.
You can also go ahead and pretreat any stains now too.
I washed my grain sack on “delicates”, and I also added a color catcher just to be on the safe side. But it turned out just fine, no unraveling and no color bleeding.
Step 2: Inspect the seam and find the best part to start cutting.
Look at the opening of the grain sack where the seams are joined together.
Now look closer at the side seams and determine the widest seam you can squeeze your scissors or your seam ripper under.
Step 3: Make your first cut into the seam.
I used a tiny pair of detail sewing / craft scissors for this project.
I prefer and recommend using a seam ripper if you have one! They’re smaller and easier to work with. But I couldn’t find mine so I made do and it worked out fine.
The first cut is the scariest, but just look closely and make sure you’re cutting into the seam and not the fabric.
Step 4: Pull both sides of the grain sack away from the seam, and cut the next thread.
Once you’ve made your first cut, you can pull the two pieces of material away from the seam to loosen the next seam threads a bit.
That will make it easier for you to see the threads.
Once you have loosened the seam a bit, make your next cut being careful to only cut the thread that is joining the two pieces of fabric together.
Step 5: Continue cutting and pulling until you have picked the entire seam apart.
Keep going, but go slowly. Cut and then pull on the fabric to loosen the seam. Then cut again and pull again.
Continue working this way until you have completely removed the seam from both sides of the grain sack.
Step 6: Remove the remaining loose threads.
You did it! All that’s left to do is remove the loose threads left behind.
First you can take your grain sack outside and give it a good shake.
Then you can remove the remaining loose pieces of thread out of the sides of your grain sack pulling them out by hand.
A little tedious, but the end result makes it all worth it! Look how pretty it turned out!!
Where to Find Antique Grain Sacks
I found my antique grain sack at the Liberty Antique Festival.
If you’re on the hunt, you could try looking for them at vintage markets, antique shops, or flea markets near you.
If you’re looking online, you can search for antique grain sacks on Ebay, Etsy, and even Facebook Marketplace!
I actually wrote a whole post about how to find the best stuff and how to negotiate prices on Facebook Marketplace. That post is full of helpful info and tips if you’re curious!
More DIY Ideas Using Antique Grain Sacks
If you love the look of antique grain sacks, there’s no need to stop at a table runner. There are so many ways you can re-purpose them as home decor or even Christmas decor!!
Here are a few ideas to get ya started:
6 More Ways to Re-purpose Antique Grain Sacks
- turn one into pretty pillow covers
- cut it up into vintage style place mats
- cut and sew them into Christmas stockings
- re-purpose one as Santa’s sack for presents
- re-upholster a chair or chair cushion with the material (they’re very durable fabrics)
- install one or even a couple as a vintage stair runner
The possibilities are endless!
I hope you enjoyed today’s post and found a little inspo here on the blog today! Subscribe to my email list below, and I’ll send you more DIY’s and decor inspo that I think you’ll love.
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Don’t forget to pin this for later!
I can’t wait to style my new DIY antique grain sack table runner for the holidays!
I’ll definitely be using this table runner for Christmas! But I’m also thinking it would be a fun piece to incorporate in a patriotic look for summer.
That’s one thing I love about decorating with antiques and vintage items.
You can use them to add a little seasonal color, in a way that complements your regular everyday decor.
And because it’s not strictly a “Christmas decoration”, like a Christmas tree or ornaments or a Santa figurine, you can use it anytime you like. Summer, Christmas, even Valentine’s day!
Thanks for stopping by the blog today! Until next time…
