Fitted Sheets

An online source gives the following information about the size of a Queen size mattress:

Queen beds are 60 inches wide by approximately 80 inches long ? 6 inches wider and 5 inches longer than a full size mattress.

So you will need fabric: 60"+10"+10"+5"+5"= 90" wide. And for the length 80+10+10+5+5=110" (or just over 3 yards). If you find fabric at least 110" wide, you can use the extra-wide dimension for the length, so you'll need 2.5 yards to fit the width.

Several fabric stores locally carry "extra wide" fabric and here is an online source:

'll have to make mitered box corners (and I would certainly make French seams for the corners), and apply elastic in a casing or sewn directly onto the edges. The reason I added the extra 10" for each dimension is to provide for the hems and/or casings, and because I like to have fitted sheets fit *under* the mattress at least a few inches.

You'll find pretty good instructions here:

HTH,

Beverly

My (UK king size) is also extra deep, but I have no problem finding sheets at a decent price. However, making them isn't difficult, though you will need to adjust the exact measurements to fit your matress:

I like the Alternative Windows site. All sorts of good info, and dead easy to print out and take to the cutting table and sewing room, should one need to.

I'm just glad that what I want for my bed is plain cream or ivory, in King size extra deep, and put local branch of Dunelm Mills has them as a standard line for about £15, which is less than I can get the same quality of fabric for by the yard. CBA with making sheets: Booooorrrrriiiinnnggg! ;)

It is a nice site, I found it by goggling.

£15 = $23.0385 They are somewhat more expensive over on this side of the pond, at least for high-thread-count sheets. I was hoping to replace just a white bottom sheet and mostly the stores here carry sets only. The only "open stock" bottom sheet I found for my double bed cost in excess of $49.00. I watch for them on sale and try to use coupons whenever I need a new sheets.

I agree that making sheets would not be at the top of my favorite-sewing-jobs list. I was less than thrilled with my venture into altering a too-small-to-tuck sheet for my new deep mattress. It was worth it because I could not have found a replacement bottom sheet for the set, but I probably won't make any fitted sheets from scratch any time soon.

Beverly

S/B "googling", I try to limit my goggling.

It's worth taking a look at such sites as Overstock.com and SmartBargains.com. Both have good deals on good sheets, and I'm sure I couldn't buy the yardage for what I pay for the sheets. Check MrRebates.com and other places for discount coupon numbers, too.

I mis-remembered:

range comes as separates, with three styles of pillowcases. Lots of colours, too. Great budget range for the impecunoius and students. Not the best quality in the world, but I can't afford that. I did have a chance to buy Egyptian cotton sheets for almost that price a while back, but the thoought of all that ironing... NOoooo! ;) Sets in the UK usually means a duvet cover and matching pollow cases (1 or 2 depending on bed size), with an additional range of fitted and flat sheets and plainer pillowcases for bottom pillows.

I did it it once: duvet covers, pillowcases, and matching sheets, with my own design of clown stencilled on custard yellow for James's room when he moved from cot to bed and I needed to match the stuff I'd made for the cot and room! I did a Roman blind and cot bedding and bumper first time round...

When we redecorated I found a great set on sale at the Co-Op, so bought everything for less than the fabric would have cost.

If you do decide to make your own fitted sheets, remember to wash and dry the fabric three times before you cut it, just in case it shrinks in the wash. I once bought 100% cotton muslin from a quilt shop to make a king size top sheet (long story) and the sales assistant warned me in advance that it shrinks three inches in every yard.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

Good idea, however overstock.com lists only compete sets at the moment. Am I the only one who likes to buy extra pillowcases and bottom sheets?

am hoping to find an open stock sheet at Linens & Things before they shut down completely. Beverly

Try:

make my extra pillow cases It's very easy with the serger and very inexpensive.Juno

Linens and Things had a white queen size deep pocket fitted sheet for $39.00 recently, I didn't have a coupon with me so I'm going back today. I'll just have to hope they are not gone yet.

Beverly

Just as easy without a serger.

And the softest pillowcases are made of worn-out sheets.

Joy Beeson

I've got a queen-sized Kingsdown mattress that is 17" thick. Between the mattress, the box springs and the frame, the top of the mattress is

38 inches above the floor.

It's pure heaven to sleep on. I'm always finding offspring or pets zonked out on it. But the cost of sheets to fit it is just absurd. I've been following this thread with great interest and mean to try my hand at making my own fitted bottom sheets when the post-holiday crush is past.

I've been looking for separate sheets, rather than sheet sets, and again, it is for an extra thick mattress. When I buy sets designed for a thicker mattress, the bottom fitted sheet will go on, but the top sheet won't tuck on the side. Now maybe this is because most of the world has switched to using duvets or comforters, but I love tucked in sheets with wool blankets and pieced quilts. If I can go up to a queen top sheet for a double size bed I can get what I want. But this does require buying sheets separately.

Also, I prefer crisp plain weave sheets such as a high quality cotton percale to the cotton sateen that is so popular these days. Sateen snags and does not endure as well as a plain weave.

Rosefolly

I've been looking for separate sheets, rather than sheet sets, and again, it is for an extra thick mattress. When I buy sets designed for a thicker mattress, the bottom fitted sheet will go on, but the top sheet won't tuck on the side. Now maybe this is because most of the world has switched to using duvets or comforters, but I love tucked in sheets with wool blankets and pieced quilts. If I can go up to a queen top sheet for a double size bed I can get what I want. But this does require buying sheets separately.

Also, I prefer crisp plain weave sheets such as a high quality cotton percale to the cotton sateen that is so popular these days. Sateen snags and does not endure as well as a plain weave.

Rosefolly

I turn my sheets 1/4 turn and find they fit better. If the thought of having the hems on the side of the bed instead of top to bottom bother you then it won't work. Juno

I remember on another discussion that a few places carry the wider sheet size material. I don't remember where, though. Barbara

Right here on alt.sewing in this thread:

HTH,

Beverly