Silk, sateen cotton, egyptian cotton sheets?

[door knob solitaire]

Ann,

Thanks for the great link...it has alot of great information. And much that corrected my peabrain post. Contained within I found this excerpt...

"the best fabric will be made with single ply yarns and have a single pick. The highest thread count you can get with this type of construction is 360. Above that, 2 ply yarns and/or multi-picks must be used"

Wow...great to learn! I did have sheets from Wamsutta that were butter. I mean rich creamy butter. I swore they were over 600tc...Just learned they were 260. I would give up my first male born for another set...they discontinued them!! Arrggh. They were Wamsutta Elite Sateen. Curio these were not thick sheets, but soft and pliable, creamy but not slippery. They had to be single ply. That may be the clue here.

Has anyone noticed these terms on any packaging?

"The singeing process is vital; it burns off the tiny fuzz that can later develop into pilling on your sheets. Mercerizing is a treatment conducted under tension, in order to increase strength, luster, and affinity for dye"

I wonder if this information is provided for the public. But Curio it may be something to look into. This singeing should thwart off the dreaded pilling. That is the number one complaint.

Oh...there are many who love the W collection (the hotel W collection). You can check into one and try out the sheets ...they won''t be brand new and may give you an idea of the feel after washing.

DKS

~don''t worry I am not a mother yet...wasn''t referring to any one particular male born...

 

[curiopotter]

Ann,

That''s so funny, I bought a huge angel for my mom''s mother''s day present at Divinely Designs last year I went back to pick it up after we went and bought some (even more heavy) wine accross the street.

Every May, after Mother''s day we have a group that rides up and spends a week up in the hill country. We''re all online buddies from all over Texas, and we meet up a few times a year to catch up and do some great riding. On average about 60 of us meet up. Anyway, there''s a few gals that ride their own bikes, so we end up going shopping and eating while the guys go on their 300 mile rides, lol. *suckers* Last year we spent 2 hours inside that little store that sells jams, jellies and fudge. I think we tasted every kind of jelly in that entire place! We spent a fortune up there! Then my FF found out where we had gone, so he made me go BACK, and then over to Opas Meat Market to get like $60 worth of jerkey before we hit the road back home!

This Sunday we''re doing a "Powder Puff" ride-- gals only-- and going up to Brenham to see the bluebonnets and wildflowers. We''re heading to the Antique Rose Emporium, and then headed to Martha''s Bloomers Teahouse.

LOL I can only imagine what those little old ladies at the rose emporium are gonna do when 9 or 10 of us come rolling up on our motorcycles... or to a Teahouse afterward! It''ll be a hoot. I''ll definitely have to post some pictures of my bike and the trip on Sunday in the Hangout forum.

Cind11,

I have an account with consumer reports, I should look into that! I read the same thing somewhere else.. they said going up to 1000 was overkill. I think I''m going to just go to as many stores as I can, and touch and feel as many sheets as I can, and just find the one''s that speak to me. I do agree though, that I always thought the ones we originally got from Overstock were Overkill.

 

[curiopotter]

Date: 4/14/2007 1:52:33 AM
Author: door knob solitaire
Ann,

Thanks for the great link...it has alot of great information. And much that corrected my peabrain post. Contained within I found this excerpt...

''the best fabric will be made with single ply yarns and have a single pick. The highest thread count you can get with this type of construction is 360. Above that, 2 ply yarns and/or multi-picks must be used''

Wow...great to learn! I did have sheets from Wamsutta that were butter. I mean rich creamy butter. I swore they were over 600tc...Just learned they were 260. I would give up my first male born for another set...they discontinued them!! Arrggh. They were Wamsutta Elite Sateen. Curio these were not thick sheets, but soft and pliable, creamy but not slippery. They had to be single ply. That may be the clue here.

Has anyone noticed these terms on any packaging?

''The singeing process is vital; it burns off the tiny fuzz that can later develop into pilling on your sheets. Mercerizing is a treatment conducted under tension, in order to increase strength, luster, and affinity for dye''

I wonder if this information is provided for the public. But Curio it may be something to look into. This singeing should thwart off the dreaded pilling. That is the number one complaint.

Oh...there are many who love the W collection (the hotel W collection). You can check into one and try out the sheets ...they won''t be brand new and may give you an idea of the feel after washing.

DKS

~don''t worry I am not a mother yet...wasn''t referring to any one particular male born...

That is a good tip. I have noticed the double-ply sheets, and they''re just sooo hard and thick! I haven''t had any pilling issues because they''re so tighly woven, but I''m afraid it''ll happen with the new sheets we buy. I think I could always go to the store, feel what I like, write down the brand names and ones I liked, and then research reviews online. Amazon seems to have in-depth reviews from customer feedback on sheet sets.

I''ve felt the W collection at BBB. I may buy some pillowcases online (BBB has insane prices compared to what I find on the internet) so I can see how I like the feel.

I also need to look into getting a new duvet. I''ve read about satin-filled being nice, as opposed to down.

 

[ladykemma]

Date: 4/13/2007 12:07:23 PM
Author: door knob solitaire
Ladykemma...that is an excellent tip. I bet your idea would make your linens last longer as you are constantly rotating the bottom sheet.

DKS

I have a weird ethan allen 4 poster bed, so high you need to pole vault, that combined with two feather beds makes it deep and impossible to make up.

after many trials, so I have perfected my sheet buying process: a european superking 120x125 inch heavy bottom flat sheet from fergeson's irish linen on the bottom. and the lighter italian linen from cuddledown 116x100 on the top. otherwise the superking hangs on the foor.

peter reed makes an emperor size 140x140. i would like to check that out next time i am in harrods or somewhere in UK. I adore peter reed plain cotton white sheets. I would also like to try the peter reed union linen cotton blend.

besides saving for a toyota truck next year need to spend for a new pair of fergeson's. 1000 bucks ouch.

 

[ladykemma]

Date: 4/13/2007 10:28:47 PM
Author: curiopotter
Ann,

I love Fredericksburg! My BF and I live in Houston and we''ve been riding up there on our motorcycles every May for the last few years. It''s so beautiful with all the twisty roads and clean air!

Anyway, I know where Linens N More is, and I''ll have to check them out. Homestead is also on main, and they had fabulous antique furniture. They sold bed and bath linens in another section of the store, and they were all GORGEOUS. They also had the BEST smelling soap I''ve ever encountered, so I was really sad when I looked them up last year to hear they were closing! I''ll definitely have to make a plan to take the girls in my riding group into town to look at both stores!

try also Tuesday Morning - "rich people" sheets end up there when they have not sold. it would be a good place to experiment and find out what you like.

 

[ladykemma]

I like to read this from back in the days where one linen (not cotton) sheet was purchased by a chatelaine or lady of the house once per year. when sheets were, in todays dollars, 500 bucks each, it really became an issue to care for them well. Ladies came to their marriage with a trousseau of marked household linens as part of a dowry or hope chest. This was a big deal.

Godey's Lady's on the Linen Closet and Care of Linens

Excerpts from: Godey's Lady's Book, the January and February 1872 issues.
These ideas from 19th Century experts will bring a smile to your face, with gratitude in your heart, that these are days gone by. Not all advice from the past is inapplicable to today. You will find some useful methods for dealing with the ravages of moths and mildew on your textiles.

Household Linens
Well-mended linen is always creditable, and may last a long time for general purposes; but, as a certain stock must be kept up, it is as well to have a choice of new. Some ladies, who pride themselves on their good management of household linen, add every year a certain number of each article to their store. Thus, for an ordinary family, two tablecloths, four table napkins, six towels, one or two pairs of sheets, six pillow-cases, six dusters, the same number of glass cloths, and other things in proportion, are a regular addition to their stock. By so doing the expense of replacement is rendered comparatively easy, and plenty of sound linen can be relied upon at times of pressure. The additions thus made should be used in their turn, by being placed in the closet in the order alluded to above. It is hardly possible to set too much value on the use of old linen for an infinity of purposes to which new would not be equally well suited. Still, pains should be taken to prevent linen falling into rags until the utmost wear has been exacted. This brings us to consider the all-important matter of making repairs.


Re-using Household Linens
Beginning with sheets. Directly the middle of a sheet begins to feel at all thinner than the other parts, it is time to "turn" it. This is done by simply cutting the sheet in half and sewing together the outside selvages. The newly-made seam will then be the middle of the sheet. The sheet, if not much worn, will require no further alteration for a long time. If, however, the wear has been considerable, side pieces should be let in to the extent, and several inches beyond, the worn places. The sides must then be hemmed or sewn in the ordinary way. When, after a time, the "turned" sheet wears thin in the centre, instead of patching it, as some people are apt to do, it is better to sew the ends together, making the ends of the sheets now the middle. Or, if there be any children's beds to furnish with sheets, the sound ends and corners of a good-sized pair of sheets make capital cot sheets, and are more serviceable for nursery purposes than any other kinds. Old linen sheets are generally soft in wear, and admit of being washed more easily from stains than new. The same method of turning pillow-cases may be observed. To be profitable, they should be turned before the threads break into holes.

When table-linen requires constant darning, it is time to change its use from the table to the sideboard. For all general purposes, old tablecloths are good enough for the above use. The corners and ends make useful tray-cloths, and small, sound pieces may be picked out of almost all old table-linen for dishing-cloths, that is, cloths folded in small squares to place beneath pastry and pie-dishes, or to wrap round a Stilton cheese or pudding-basin, and numberless other purposes where old damask may be used instead of new. When quite reduced to rags, old damask should be washed and mangled with the same care as new, and set aside in the linen-closet for use in the sick-room. If any sound selvages be left, pieces of from three to four inches broad should be cut off, and smoothly herring-boned together in lengths of from one to three yards, and afterwards rolled up neatly for surgical bandages. It may not be often that such accidents occur as to require similar appliances, but the head of a household should be prepared to meet demands of the kind, and by so doing her readiness may save life or limb.

The remains of coarse huckaback toweling are excellent for use as plate-rags. Torn muslin curtains are not so generally convertible; at the same time, if old muslin be cleaned from starch, it is useful for poultices, and some should, therefore, be at hand in the linen-closet. Pieces of muslin, also, are often required by the cook for tying up herbs and spices, when making soups, gravies, etc., and as these are generally thrown away when removed from the stewpan, old muslin answers as well as new. In repairing muslin, it is necessary to have all the starch previously washed out.

Quilts are generally darned when needing repair. Large old quilts may be advantageously cut up for small beds. Light marcella quilts are to be recommended in preference to other kinds. In converting old quilts , the hems should be herring-boned with coarse darning cotton.

Marking Household Linens
All household linen should be marked with the name or joint initials of the owners. The date of the year in which linen was added to the stock should be marked above the name, and the number of the articles constituting the set underneath. If a set consist of six articles, the figure 6 should be inscribed in preference to running numbers. All articles making the set should be of the same size and pattern. Sets of linen reserved for certain uses should be described accordingly.


Arranging the Linen Closet
The first requisite is a closet, or press, in which to store linen. With a little management, most houses, even the least considerately planned, may be made to afford the desired space. If it should happen that any choice in the matter exists, a linen-closet should be contrived against a wall in goes here. connection with a chimney where a fire is daily burning. Any apartment of which the wall is built against the flues of a kitchen fire is the best for the desired purpose. The gentle warmth which the bricks retain is the best means of preserving linen from mildew, so troublesome to prevent in damp situations. The worst place for a linen-closet is, for the same reason, against an outside wall, especially if the wall be exposed to a south-westerly aspect, or shaded by trees . . . At the end of summer, a good manager puts away her best white quilts, muslin curtains, thick blankets, and the light cotton and linen garments of her children . . . No linen or muslin articles should be placed in the linen-closet, if they be likely to remain there any length of time, without the starch having been previously removed, and the things "rough dried." The airing of sheets and counterpanes especially should be thorough, and, if possible, they should be put away straight from the fire. It is owing to the imperfect manner in which such work is usually performed that mildew so constantly affects linen.

When articles are put away from the wash, those of the past week's washing should be placed at the bottom of the pile to which they belong, and not laid on the top. By this means the same articles are kept in wear in turn, and thereby even a limited stock may be made to last longer without extensive renewal, than when only two or three things are in constant use. Articles that are reserved for use on special occasions should be kept apart from the rest. Inside the door of the linen-closet, or press, should be pasted a list of all the linen kept in the closet. If the family be large, and the beds numerous, the order in which the sheets should be changed should be noted in a separate list. It is hardly possible for the head of a family to bear all these details in mind without such assistance, and the comfort of her household depends largely on the amount of regularity that is observed in such matters.

Mildew Removal
It is very difficult to remove mildew when it has taken firm hold of linen. The following compound is sometimes found successful: Take equal parts of soft soap and powdered starch, and half the quantity of table-salt, add as much lemon-juice as will convert the ingredients into a thick paste, cover the spots with the mixture, and leave the linen exposed in the open air till the mildew is removed. As a preventive of mildew after damp weather, the linen-closet should be occasionally opened, and free air suffered to circulate in it through an open window. The contents of the closet should also be aired before a good fire, or in the sun.


Natural Moth Repellents
Next to mildew, moth is the most troublesome matter to deal with connected with the preservation of woollen stores. Numberless remedies are recommended for the prevention of moth in woollens and furs. Spices of all kinds pepper, camphor, turpentine, and of late, paraffine have been amongst the most often-tried remedies. Each and all may occasionally have proved successful, inasmuch as moths particularly dislike strong odors of any kind, and rarely attack scented materials in preference to those which are devoid of smell. The only true preventative of moth, however, lies in the use of alum. The keeper of some large and valuable woollen and fur stores lately informed the writer that no means are equally efficacious in preventing the attack of moth as the application of finely-powdered alum to all articles which do not admit of being saturated, and by soaking those articles which do not suffer by immersion in a solution of alum and water. With regard to the treatment of furs, it is not sufficient to dust the powdered alum on the surface; it should be well worked in at the roots of the hair, the portion nearest the skin being the parwhich moths begin first to devour. Colored woollen materials require the same kind of treatment. There is one exception in favor of red cloth. It is not within the experience of the gentleman mentioned that moths destroy red-dyed woollens. This probably arises from the circumstance that alum is used in the process of dyeing red. All shades of gray, on the contrary, are particularly enticing to moths, and require especial care to preserve. White woollens and blankets may be safely left, even in exposed places, if, after having been washed, they are dipped in a solution of alum and water.

 

[crown1]

hi curio! it is nice to hear a little about brenham. i have some relatives who used to live there and never hear anything about it these days. also good to hear about the blue bonnets and wild flowers being in bloom. have a good ride. i heard there was some pretty wild weather in the dallas/fort worth area last night did you see any of that?

 

[Ann]

Curio - Oh man, riding into Martha''s might turn a few heads! I''d love to see that! I do interiors for a builder in College Station and a lot of my clients love Martha''s. I pass by there every week or so and for years I''ve been dying to go in. I love the antique rose place. I have a few of their roses, but their not doing so hot for me. You will have to post some pics of your bike. A few years ago DH was a partner in a custom bike business, but gave it up because it interferred with his primary business. We have had bikes (I don''t ride) for as long as we have been married (30 yrs) but recently sold both. (BMW & Gold Wing) Hubby doesn''t like Harley''s, but recently rented one for a trip to Colorado. Still doesn''t! Ha!

Lady Kemma - what a hoot, loved reading your post.

I just washed the new sheets. Well, as I suspected, now they don''t feel quite as soft as they did in the package. I had read where sizing is used to soften the surface and it''s washed off in the 1st wash. I wonder if this is the case with the sheets I just purchased. I''ll report back on how they "sleep" !!

 

[curiopotter]

Ladykemma, thanks for posting that issue!

Ann,

I''ll have to let you know how Martha''s is! It looks like a really neat place.. I''m the youngest one going (24) out of a group of women in their 30''s - 60''s but I love gardening and we recently moved into a new house so I need something to keep myself busy with. I found myself really entertained by plucking all the dead flowers off the azalea''s the other day while my FF mowed the grass. Anyawy, I''m going to post a picture of my bike in the Hangout, check it out! Tomorrow I''ll get some updated photos of our trip through Brenham. That''s funny your hubby doesn''t like Harley''s. Our group mostly rides Hondas and there''s a lot of joshing around about the few who traded in their Hondas for Harleys...