How to Turn a Feed Sack into a Grocery or Shopping Bag

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The internet is full of great ideas for upcycling feed bags - in fact, I posted links to my favorite ideas last year. But recently, when I posted a photo on Facebook and Instagram of an upcycled feed sack grocery bag I'd made, a lot of people had questions. So perhaps I have something to offer on the subject that hadn't been covered by others. Here are the questions I received and the easy sewing method I use for these upcycled bags.

What type of needle do you use?

I use a standard sewing machine needle, size 90/14. (Here's the exact size and brand I use.) A heavy-duty needle is not required, though some people I've talked to like using a needle designed for sewing denim (size 100/16).

Do be sure to give your machine a fresh needle when you are done with this project, because it will quickly dull sewing feed sack material.

What type of thread do you use? 

I use standard, all-purpose sewing thread. (Coats and Clark.) Heavy-duty thread is not needed.
Feed sacks make durable shopping bags.
Do you use a heavy-duty machine? 

No, although admittedly my Juki has more power than an inexpensive Brother or Singer. That said, lots of people are using standard sewing machines to make similar bags, so I think it's safe to say a heavy-duty or commercial sewing machine is not necessary. Yes, the material is unusual and very strong, but it's not super-thick.

Do you use anything else special? 

After some trial and error, I discovered a walking foot made a big difference in the quality of the stitches. Without it, particularly on certain feed bags, my machine tended to have loopy-looking stitches and it wasn't always easy to get the material to run smoothly through the machine. That said, it's completely possible to use a standard sewing foot and come up with a sturdy and practical finished bag. It just won't look as tidy.

Does any feed bag work? 

I think so, but I choose to only use bags that are rip-stop. Our dog and cat food bags do not qualify, but our rabbit and chicken feed bags definitely do. (You can test your bags to see if they are rip-stop trying to rip them.