Archive for November, 2008
Should You Wash Your Brand New Sheets?
I was recently working at our Fine Linen store in Cincinnati and had a customer buying a Tencel Lyocell sheet set for her daughter. She had asked me while looking at the sheets how to wash them when she got home? I am always suprised by how many people want to wash new sheet sets. I myself always wash any new plates/cups/utensils - but have never, ever washed new textiles. This applies to both bedding and to towels, etc.
I’m probably biased because I work for a company that makes bedding - so to me the thought of washing a sheet set with an amazing finish seems backwards. I love, love the feeling of new sheets - so washing them right off the bat and having any of the finish lost seems too risky. Of course the sheets will be perfectly fine when washed, dried and folded.
I’ve had that same question come up maybe a dozen times in the 8 years I’ve been in textiles - so it always throws me for a loop. It’s an odd question to me because the facilities are flawless when they are made - they have to be - they are usually white fabric.
To each their own - but I still tell folks not to wash them at home - enjoy them for the week - then you can wash them. For more bedding care tips go to www.BeddingCare.com.
Posted in Load Of Sheets on Wed, November 26th, 2008 at 3:50 am. No comments.
Can A Comforter Be Embroidered?
I just had a customer send us an email asking if a comforter can be embroidered as a gift? Well the quick answer is not really. I wrote the customer and gave two examples of alternate solutions.
Solution #1: Embroider a ‘Corner’ Silk and attach to the lower corner of the comforter. You can have a local seamstress take a piece of satin and embroider it and then attach it to the comforter.
Solution #2: Buy a Duvet and embroider the duvet instead.
Because filled bedding - whether it is down or polyester or whatever are finished - it is nearly impossible to embroider a filled item. There are a couple reasons for this. First - the filling can leak out of or near the embroidery. Secondly - the process of opening up the item embroidering and then stuffing the filling back in - is very messy.
So - when buying or making a gift - the cheaper solution is to buy a duvet and embroider that instead. Actually an even cheaper and maybe more visible option is to embroider the matching duvet shams. Finally - you can also just buy ala carte shams and embroider them and simply toss on the bed - a far cheaper solution. Embroidering shams at a local gift or embroidery shop should run you about $12 or so.
Posted in Down Talk on Fri, November 21st, 2008 at 4:14 am. No comments.
Why Do My 1000 TC Sheets Make Me Sweat?
So we got a call a few days ago from someone asking why her high thread count sheets were making her sweat? Afterall doesn’t high thread count equal amazing? (Well not really!)
For starters - most high thread count sheets that you see in the stores and online use double, triple or quadrouple twisted yarns to make the yarns or they use double, triple or quandrouple inserted yarns - kind the same thing - sort of. Regardless of how they get the yarn count to be so high - the main problem is that to get to such a high yarn count is that they use lots of material - which makes the sheets feel heavy - which block more air, which make you sweat more.
DOWNLITE likes high thread count sheets like anyone else - but our highest thread count we carry is 500 - only because the weave is so complex for our Tencel Lyocell sheet sets. I have personally been in love with our 310 Thread Count Botanical Sheet Set which also uses Tencel Lyocell.
We would use this basic rule of thumb: Above 500 TC the sheet manufacturer is playing games with twisted or inserted yarns - and the item will feel dense and heavy.
So good luck on your sheet set quest and remember that if you get night sweats or slep warm - upgrade to Lyocell sheets and you will never try another style yarn again.
Posted in Load Of Sheets on Sun, November 2nd, 2008 at 8:49 pm. No comments.