Something that I always take into account when I thrift bed sheets for fabric, is that I'm a plus-size lady and so having fabric that is wider allows me to more easily fit things like circle skirts at the right length on them without having to do paneling, which I would have to do with most store-bought fabric if I wanted it to be longer than my knees.
This is very true! I couldn't make a half circle that go past the top of my knees on 60wide, and I'm not quite plus size. Just at the taller/curvier side of straight sizing 😵💫
I'm in my 80s. I've used sheets as backing for many years. I'm old enough to remember making clothes from seed sacks. I've used old curtains as well. My favorite garments was a burgundy velvet skirt and jacket I made from my aunts old parlor curtains. So I guess you could say I'm a Gone With the Wind kind of woman. Lol
I just inherited quilts made by my grandmother born in 1904, I don’t believe there was one piece of cotton in one of the quilts. One of the quilt top was pieced totally by hand and I don’t want to finish it because her work will be covered. I recall people would give her old household fabrics, have no memory of her going to a fabric store. I wonder where and when 100% cotton, wool and silk became the standards for quilting.
I made a skirt and blouse out of curtain panels recently, purchased at Goodwill. I still have enough to make a kitchen apron. No one knows that I made the items out of curtains unless I tell them. $4.00 for all of these items-not bad!
@@Jules-gm7vk Right. Here's her "answer" to the thread count "question". The higher the thread count, the tighter the weave. Bedsheets have a much wider range than basic bolted cotton fabrics and the higher the count, the more manufacturers can charge. And the harder our machines will need to work sewing through it.
Good to know, I use bed sheets for the quilt backing often. But mostly thrifted so they’ve been washed a LOT…seems like that would make difference but maybe not. My long armer has never had trouble with them…yet.
It's true; because higher threadcount = 'nicer' in the public mind, but there's a limit to how fine cotton fiber can grow and machinery can spin, companies have started counting plies within the threads to inflate the count. Traditionally, in order to have a higher threadcount, you have to spin finer threads, and that's easier to do with longer-staple cotton since it's structurally stronger when spun; this has the added benefit of being more resilient to wear-and-tear. Threadcount does also theoretically indicate how many threads are packed into a small space, and tighter-woven stuff is generally stronger. So without actually changing the threadcount, you can double or triple the number on the package it if you count the plies. Then, you can get away with using cheaper, shorter-staple cotton but coast on the reputation of the real thing. (One of the things that makes "Egyptian cotton" is that it has a longer staple length; the longer-staple stuff grown in the US is Pima cotton, and the most common variety with the shortest staple length is Upland cotton) One of the reason why linens were traditionally durable is that the staple length of linen is often measured in feet, not inches - it's incredibly long in comparison to cotton. I say traditionally, because a lot of our industrial fiber processing equipment is not built to handle linen, and we haven't been breeding flax for fineness in a while (though there's probably some handspinners working to change that). As a result, most linen is cut into shorter, more manageable pieces. It's more complicated than just "staple length" (linen is a bast fiber, and those are very durable), but if you think about a piece of yarn, it's fuzzy where the ends of the fibers pop out, and if you rub up and down the yarn, you're going to more easily loosen the short fibers, which are less anchored, and short fibers pulling loose = pilling.
I feel like this is a neurodivergent corner of the internet, but this is only the second video of hers I've seen, so I don't know if she has her diagnosis yet 😂
32 years ago I started doing this for my offsprings' bedrooms (as well as tiny button up shirts) because duvet covers were virtually the same price as flat sheets! Curtains were wayyyyy too costly too! So, for 1 full set of bed linen (single bed flat sheet, single bed duvet cover, one housewife pillowcase plus 1set of curtains took 3 duvet covers, with off cuts to decorate shirts, a lampshade, a dressed character doll and assorted scraps. MUCH cheaper. UK 1990s
If you're going to do this, you may consider lining it. I just found that with kidlets with sensitive skin, certain kinds of sheets can be too rough for day-to-day wear. Also, depending on how light the sheet is, I would line trousers or shirts for young ladies. Just be on the safe side. Anytime I make clothes for my younger siblings I have a 'does it turn see-through when wet?' policy for fabric. Anything I can see my hand through when wet requires a secondary layer to be clothes for kids. You just know someone's going to jump in a puddle eventually.
My standard pattern for dresses automatically is a lined bodice so using light weight sheets makes sense.... but for novelty patterns character themes sheets can't be beat. Eta cotton sheets rock but I avoid the micro fiber ones.... there just isn't enough there there
@@jamiecoull7081these days girls and young women are all wearing tights as if they were pants, yikes, so, I guess there is no more modesty left.....but I'm with you, would not want see-thru clothing NOR will you ever EVER catch me or my kids wearing tights instead of properly fitting slacks.
I feel like they might not be happy about sponsoring a video about cutting up sheets for cheap fabric. They are selling premium priced sheets and I don't think they would come out well in a price comparison.
King size pillow cases make lovely drawstring storage bags, if you give quilts as gifts. Just roll the quilt so it fits into the pillow case, take out a few stitches in the hemmed side of the pillow case, and insert a wide satin ribbon which can be tied into a bow. For extra flair, use the king sized pillow case that matches your king sized sheet quilt backing. People love them!
Can we take a moment to appreciate the massive amount of work and brain power that went into this video. This was amazing and yes, very fascinating! Haha thanks for such a fun watch
You say this wasn't a scientific endeavor, but I'd say otherwise. Yes, you weren't able to be very exact with the sheets, but you collected a solid data set, took into account brand, store, size, fiber, etc. You found a way to equate yardage to bed sheets via square feet to allow for a comparison at all. You did a lot of thoughtful work that I would call scientific and it answered your question on the level of detail that mattered to you and what you needed it for. It was an awesome video to watch and thank you for doing all this work.
This might be nitpicking 😅 but the scientific method is forming a hypothesis (bedsheets are cheaper than fabric) and testing it using observation and measurement. If a scientific study wants to be accepted in the field it must be replicable which means anyone would find the same conclusions using the same methodology. I haven't done a review but I think most sewists would agree that it is difficult to control for all the variables but bedsheets are often cheaper than fabric. So I would say this experiment was definitely scientific, if not very precise 😊
@@Avotts If you'd like me to go out and replicate this study I will do my best! I'm in a completely different part of the country, and I'm VERY curious whether geographic location matters re: cost per square foot of sheet sets.
@@Dawnzerlylight Oh, absolutely no. I get tickled at Charley. Her mind does NOT work the way mine does. BUT, I do chase too many rabbits too. I have NOT started mt new wardrobe. I might do some posting and still pics. I am NOT comfortable having my pic made and def. not a video. We shall see.I am very close to starting. I have not kept tract of the amounts of fabric I've bought. It is really a lot. Maybe I will show a picture of all my thrifted suitcases stuffed with fabric. I really have not sewed with any of the types of things I have bought excepr for cottons and crepe. My fabrics are were all washed in hot water, dried and folded. I have not ironed any of the apparel fabric. I did iron all the quilting fabric except for the backing. I am so anxious to get started, I literally feel ill. I have been bz with other things. It is blueberry season, that has taken most of my time, I am responsible for keeping acerage in good repair. My big mower is currently in the shop. Nothing serious. But I am trying to do some necessary maitenance on my home. Oh yeah, I am a country gal with a little farm. I am going to a Good will sale on the 4th. They are doing a red tag, blue tag and white tag sale. If I feel up to it, I might go to a couple of the stores. I've also been going to ALL the Walmarts, looking for their cheaper, bundled precuts. They all do not have them. They are eliminating a lot of the sewing stuff. I use a handicapped cart. I start pulling the ones I want to consider. And checking how organized or really trashed that section is. I end up totally reorganizing the,. I remove all the trash and groceries, etc. I buy any I really like. I call it, doing something kind for the next shopper. I can NOT shop in disorder and feel good about it. I really appreciate Charleys style. That she is so creative. That she is able to connect with people. I was just sharing my experiences.. I am almost 70. I will not be around much longer. I have already instructed my sister and son as to what I want them to do with certain things, mostly my sewing stuff. I have not mentioned that Charley has missed that thread count and weight appears online a lot. A 10 ounce is different from 20 ounces. Also D (denier). Also another advantage of using a sheet, you can use anything you dont wear in your quilts...lol. stay in touch.
I have a local thrift store that has a TON of sheets always on sale for $3 regardless of size of material. I have more garments made of sheets than of yardage. Yay cheap materials!
My local thrift store had a huge crate of bedding that they sell for $5/bag. I went to the counter to ask for a bag, expecting maybe a reusable shopping bag. Nope. Girl handed me a straight up extra large jiffy trash bag. I picked through for literally everything I wanted and it was still only half full.
All my local thrift stores sell sets of sheets for like $4. One sells them for $8 it pained me until I watched this and figured out just how many yards I was getting. 😂
So back in the mid 90's I made my daughter's whole girl scout troop (14 kids) dark green, Irish peasant -style dresses, caps(bonnets) with white Battenburg lace pinafores, white & green thread, elastic, and 1 pattern for all was around $11 a set. The girls were all different sizes but I was able to take paper bags and make custom/personalized patterns for each girl. These were for cultural world day. I used multiple king size sheets (80% cotton 20% polyester plus Battenburg lace pillowcases. I'd priced fabric & lace and even then with the least desirable material I wouldn't have been able to make the dresses, hats, and pinafores for close a remotely close price. Would have been closer to $30-ish with the green & white material plus the lace & extras. If I didn't use sheets they would have been unaffordable. They turned out so cute many moms said they were going to have the girls wear them after the scout day. Even at the price point we had 1 mom go off on us & complain. The scout leader of course pulled her aside and said the troop would cover the cost. Felt they should have been covered for all but the girls were trying to save to go to space camp so it made sense to just pay out of pocket. My mom also made matching curtains for all 4 of us girls rooms to match our bedroom set with sheets. We never could have afforded curtains in the 70's for all of us. They looked so cute and couldn't have matched any nicer. A neighbor girl had made a nasty comment once and said you have sheets instead of curtains. I said no they are sewn curtains and we use a curtain rod. I finally said" material is material and why do you care, lol".😊 They looked beautiful and my room looked nice. That was all that mattered to me at age 9. So I think sheets can be a fantastic idea if one is on a budget.😊💕
You were right, it’s not like you had a fitted sheet pinned over the window with thumbtacks. Effort was made to make proper curtains. They would look the same if bought off the bolt. Material is material. And for those that pin bedsheets up, or use flags, it doesn’t look great, but it does the job. Better than every nosy neighbour peeping in.
@@glynnL We currently just have a towel draped over the rod on one window that absolutely needs something because I have the fabric washed but have not yet started cutting and sewing. I prefer function over form almost everywhere. (I did say no to board and cinder block bookshelves).
“I hope you’re into this”, absolutely! Here I am watching this video about sheets vs fabric cost from the other side of the world, where we don’t even talk in the same measurements
I made a dress and the cloth bag was most of the bodice xD 2 of the 4 pillow cases were the skirt panels. I could still have a functional set and I got a more or less free dress out of it!
The topical nature of this video in my world is hilarious. Currently pre washing 12 king sized bed sheets to use as edwardian undergarments for a play im costuming. Here is my math. I bought a bundle of band new 12 cotton flat sheets for a total of $102 with tax. Each sheet will give me the equivalent of 6 yards of 51" wide fabric. So in total i have 72 yards×51". And it comes out to $1.42 per yard I cant think of a more cost effective way to make all these under things for a community theater. Also the fabric is so soft and wicks moisturizer really well, so i think will be very comfortable for the performers. AND its a white bed sheet, its meant to be washed regularly, so it will hold up well to nightly washes between shows. I love that you did this video!
I'd love to know where you buy the bulk sheets like this as well, if you'd care to share, please. For different costuming purposes, as well as first draft patterning/toile sets.
It is odd to find someone in the wild whose brain works like mine. This is literally something I was planning on doing a deep dive into. Freaking wild. Thank you for saving me a ton of time!
I was thinking the exact same thing a couple of weeks ago. My data would have been a lot more restricted though, due to lack or second-hand and thrift stores. This was put together so beautifully ❤
I mean, it's definitely easier to justify the time and effort when you know you're providing the info to at least 100 curious people.... *cough* Twenty Eight Thousand! People Wow. Ok... Even if 90% never wondered or cared and were just here to hang out with Charlie... that os still well worth the rabbit hole deep dive. I appreciate!
I'm in Japan and the width that fabric most commonly comes in here is 110-120cm(≈43"-47"). With 90-92cm (≈35"-36"), and 140-180cm (≈55"-70") also existing but being much rarer. Its a challenge when i want to make something like a big circle skirt, because hardly any fabric is wide enough to fit the pattern on, so i often have to piece together pannels instead of cutting it in one piece. I've recently got into remaking old kimonos/old kimono fabric deadstock, which is even more of a design challenge because kimono fabric is only 36-40cm wide!
My daughters are in love with anything and anyone from Japan. My youngest does cosplay and she recently got 2 kimonos and is always walking around the house in them. I love it! I want to make her some but I want to make sure it's made right. Do u have patterns to make them? Or do u know already how to make it by eye? I'd love to see your work. Do u have an Instagram or RUclips page?
RE: thread count Buying blind online, in the early 2000s, I learned that 130 thread count pillowcases will leave thread marks on my face. and I've seen discussion of thread count on linen blend fabrics. because there are rustic looking linen- look-linens, and there are finer linen blends. I have learned that higher thread count fabrics will not shred between my thighs, but low thread counts will. rubbing is like sandpaper grit, i guess.
Made the mistake of buying a super cheap fitted sheet once without checking why is was so cheap - laid out on my freshly made bed and that thread count could’ve sanded off my skin it was so bad 😂
I have some linen pants from forever 21 (bought when caught outside in a cold rain shower in shorts on holiday in Japan, was my first time seeing that shop) and they're kind of rough to the touch.. went up a size or so, so the pants didnt fit that loose anymore but still perfectly wearable.. wore them once and walked 1km home..hole through both thighs and massive bruising on the inside of my thighs from chafing
@@galli0 ouch! I'm currently converting a pair of loose linen pants I bought in 2014 to a skirt, as the lost their inner thigh in their years of service, but at least I got a decade out of them, with some babying and interfacing, and they will live on as a skirt.
@sallythekolcat yeah that was super painfull.. i really dont know how i didnt notice the giant hole and the soreness that set in.. i think i was just in generally a lot of pain from walking (chronic illness wohoo) so the added pain there didnt compare maybe? Idk😅 i did like them so much and am enough of a horder that i did save the pants (for probably 3 years now) thinking first I would finally hem them and use that cut of to patch them.. several sizes ago😅 but maybe just turn it into something else..oooh head scarves and pocket squares🥰
SAAAMMMEEEEEEE 😂 I recently got to share my post-holiday “things I learned for next time” spreadsheet with a friend, after we had been to Disney and she mentioned she was going and asked if I had any tips. The poor woman didn’t know what hit her 😅
For the mushroom fabric that you weren't sure is poly, it could just be coated in something to make it seem new/protect it during transport. If it still feels like that after washing, if you want to check, you can do a burn test to make sure it's 100% cotton. Just nip a strip off, hold it in tweezers set it on fire and then blow it out. Cotton will come off in soft ash, poly will melt into a hard plastic bead. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot of regulation in this, so sometimes companies will just lie about it
😅I said the same thing aloud when she talked about the mushroom fabric. I hope that it is only a coating that washes off and it really is cotton. 🤞 I have learned to despise polyester. I get so sticky wearing it. 😠 If I had the money, I would make most of my clothes out of 100% linen. The first pure linen shirt I ever bought was a revelation! I could tell a difference from just trying it on in the changing room. I usually get overheated trying on clothes in those tiny closet-sized changing rooms, but I felt cooler with the linen against my skin. I wore that shirt all summer! And every summer after until it wore out. 🥰
I also suspect that things might get sent to an overstock store if they had a manufacturing error resulting in an incorrect tag. I've found what seemed to be factory second a few times. I also once found a sweater that had "sample" written on the inside in black marker.
Most American brands using overseas manufacturing don't have transparency in their supply chains. The factory making the product says "oh yeah yeah, for sure this is the material you asked for" and the company here says "okay! If you say so!"
It could even be that the fabric contains some percentage of cotton and therefor could be labeled as cotton(blend). Like those “wool” coats that have 3% wool
When I lived in Northern Iraq I had a random sized (sort of full/queen) bed frame that was just made by someone out of boards. We went to the bazaar and gave the measurements of the frame to the foam man and he cut a piece of foam that size from a giant roll. It didn't really fit full sheets super well, but queen sheets were a little baggy. It was one of the most comfortable and inexpensive beds I've ever had.
@@ruthkirkparick3535 I haven't tried yet but I ended up with so many large linen napkins that I think they will make a wonderful handkerchief style skirt/dress.
The Closet Historian has a very interesting video “How to choose fabrics” where she breaks down what all the different names like sateen and percale mean. It was too much info to hold in my brain for long enough to actually shop for fabrics but it was really interesting!
@@SL-lz9jror a notes app! I have one that can do either text or checklist style, and you can colour code them, give them different colours, and titles. It's saved my behind many times.
In South Africa we have single, 3/4 (rare), double, queen, and king. You can find California king beds if you look hard enough. Bed sets are usually a duvet cover and standard pillowcases. You buy your sheets and continental pillowcases separately. Our fabric is usually sold by the metre and is 150cm or 115cm wide as standard. You do get wider fabrics for curtaining, sheeting, and upholstery, usually 280cm wide.
About the same in NZ but we also have King single (between single and double) and Super King (at the top) which means you need to be very careful if you are buying KS or SK because one is like a third the size of the other!
And that's not even taking into account the sub-type for each size of the 'extra depth' sheets for thicker mattresses. Sad that flat sheets aren't included, I feel like we're being cheated out of the additional fabric - and finding a flat sheet that matches the set you're buying can be hit or miss on a good day.
US sizes in the 1960s offered a 3/4 size bed, it's between a twin and a full. I haven't seen a 3/4 since. Also, a full size bed is also known as a double.
I quilt, so I appreciate your deep dive. One thing you might be interested in knowing - 90 inch, 108 inch, and 116 inch wide fabric is out there, and can be had on clearance for fairly cheap. Also, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, and similar stores aren't really "clearance and overstock" stores anymore. The demand to fill them is such that the owners contract with designers and manufacturers for goods to fill their stores, so they're more like "corporate brand stores" and "where to find genuine but lower-quality luxury brand goods" than anything else.
I used star wars blueprint sheets to make a skirt because i liked it better than the novelty fabrics. Also I made a gathered rectangle version of the split side skirt, so no hemming because it was already hemmed for me
Bonus for not needing to hem the skirts yessssss....I always teu and cut out my dresses with hem or side seams already finished saves on time just remember to sew the same direction on those vertical seams!
When my children were small and wanted the bedding with characters on them i used to always get an extra set of the quilt covers to make them matching curtains for their rooms, it was the most affordable way to redo their rooms every time they changed thier minds and wanted a new bedroom. The walls and furniture was plain and basic, i used the fabric to do the decorating, i would cover the bin, the light shades and if there was a small enough oart i would perhaps frame part of a spare pillowcase, make the curtains and change the bedding, all for 3 sets of quilt covers
that must've been so fun & exciting for them ☺️ what a beautiful expression of your love to be so creative & inventive! what a wonderful idea, i'll definitely keep that tucked away in my mind for recommendations in the future. the love you have grows outside of yourself into other's lives, what a wonderful gift. :^)
@MossTunic thank you. It's such a simple way to revamp a child's room, and they tend to change their minds often as they grow up. My children are all in their 30's now but my middle daughter still asks me to either make her made to measure curtains or alter some she has bought because she liked them so much but couldn't get the right size. My son also asked me to alter his curtains when he realised they didn't make ready-made ones the right size for his windows. Things children learn when they leave home and find there aren't curtain fairies along with gardening gnomes. 🫣🤣
The curtains that are currently hanging in my bedroom in my house, as a woman in my 30s, were made by my mum from a floral duvet cover when she made me a matching set (duvet and curtains) when I was in my mid teens. The duvet cover has long since been relegated to use as a "drop sheet" (for painting, etc) after over a decade of regular use, but the curtains are still perfect and I was delighted when she had been clearing out her "hot press" (linen cupboard) and found them and offered them to me.
percale is a type of weaving that has been used for sheets for hundreds of years that gives durability, strength, and a matte finish. Percale is a good material for sheets. Robert Morris was a famous designer of interiors, fabrics, wallpapers around the Art Nouveau period. His designs are still available. Rachel Ashwell, another British designer, is known for making shabby chic style popular. She started out with beautiful second hand linens from flea markets. Interesting video, thanks!
Percale sheets also tend to stay cooler and get progressively softer while staying strong. We've got sets of Percale sheets from my gma going on well over 50y with the only sign of wear in the elastic and fading, but the material itself still going strong
....undercover journalist investigating bed sheets......Badum tsssss I gotta say, you did a terrific job at this and I greatly appreciate not just the information, but the time and effort you put into it.
I use all of this for homeschooling... Math, science, geometry, statistics, home economics.. My son doesn't sew.. but my daughter and granddaughter do!
It’s actually very scientific of you to point out the difference between your samples and consider how that may affect your results, as well as to measure everything with the same units and record everything in a spreadsheet to objectively compare to each other. Good job embodying science in the everyday!
An actual engineer and measurement specialist (metrologist) chiming in to agree. Precision in measurement is at need. Need is determined by project parameters & goals, not by the availability of more precise options. You (Charley) measured in inches to compare feet/yards, which is acceptable precision for the stated goal of finding out whether it’s worth buying sheets for fabric over bolt fabric as a general guide for savings. Being off by even 3 or 4 inches for 60 to 80 inches is a 5% error, and somewhat equivalent to what one can lose with selvages, which you didn’t subtract. And I’d argue that a 5% price difference isn’t significant enough for small crafters to tip the scale between the 3 broad possibilities: 1) new sheets are enough cheaper than discount bolt fabric to make a difference 2) new sheets are about the same as discount bolt fabric so choose either 3) new sheets are enough more expensive than discount bolt fabric to make a difference that they’re only worth it when one needs the extra width. In that (not pillow) case, being an inch or 2 off isn’t likely to change your conclusion, so extra effort put into measuring down to mm or quarter inches is wasted effort that would impede the process more than the value it adds. as another commenter stated, you shared your hypothesis, selection criteria, method, & results. Anyone could replicate this and would likely come within an acceptable margin of error that it would replicate. That’s scientific! You made a sizing/pricing guide sufficient for general use. Huzzah! It merely needs the sheet price to get the value needed for a given project - with the understanding that they should allow margin of a few inches.
I'm currently turning an Egyptian cotton king size flat sheet into an Edwardian inspired house dress, I Goggled the brand and found that that one sheet would have been $400AUD, it makes me so happy to find things like that at op shops (thrift shops)! Treasure!
Thank you, SOOOO much for your time and effort in putting together this video!! All of us have wondered about this but didn’t want to do all of the research that YOU actually did!
I’m a plus size and this helps sooo much because I want to make the full tied skirt-the viral one 😂😂-to wear to events but I need 5-8 yds minimum and since we have a sheet outlet I will head there first!!! Need that king size 😂😂😂
I did this exact thing! It's one of my favorite skirts. I took the extra step of crocheting some lace to trim the edge but even without it, it'd still be my favorite
@@wendywarren5756Tied skirt here refers to one of this channel’s specialties- the split side skirt. Check this channel for details on split side garments & circle skirts. The split-side skirts have partially open sides (which overlap, and are good places for pockets!) so the back fastens separately from the front. This makes for a skirt that can be adjusted for size day by day without needing alterations.
@@CrankyOtter Oh, of course! I should have figured that out. A split-side skirt is on my mental list to make for myself. Probably even out of sheets! (I might even make a pocket to wear underneath.) Thanks!
My local Goodwill stores sell ALL individual sheets, pillowcases, and curtain panels for 99 cents each. I try to visit two different stores every couple of weeks. Even being both incredibly picky about fabric content and patterns, I tend to find a couple "fabric pieces" every visit for future projects. Today, in fact, I am making a summer-weight robe out of a 100% Egyptian cotton sheet that I bought just for this purpose. Sheets let me try out a pattern (wearable mockups) before I decide whether I like it enough to invest in more expensive fabric to make the same (or similar) design.
Yes, it's important to keep in mind that Goodwill stores have regional variance. I've been to stores in NC with that sort of pricing around the research triangle area (I got so many pairs of jeans there!) Meanwhile, I've yet to find a region of CA with a pricing structure anywhere near that low, and often they price by looking up many brands online and using that to guide final price. (Including various regions of the bay area, orange county, and san diego county) Treasure the regions where they still price like they're selling well-loved items ❤
Wait for the color tag sell 75% off of 6.99 king size sheet is $1.75 for just the 4 yards of a flat sheet that equals .44 CENTS per yard. Blows even clearance Joannes out of the water. She’s absolutely right about the lack of variety. Right now as I’m just learning I need cheap more than I need variety.
Here in Germany we don't have names for sizes, we just write them onto the package. The size of the duvets is usually the same as the mattresse's. Teenagers or single people usually have a 1,40m wide mattress, 2m long. As a student couple, you might share that. Then we have mattresses 90 cm and 1m wide, always 2 m long, which you use in single or double beds. There is an extra long size of blanket with 2,20m, that comes in 90, 100 and 2m width for either very tall humans or two people. We also buy sheets and cusion covers together but mattress covers seperately. Normal cusions are all 80 x 80 cm.
Regular pillows in germany are 80 x 80 cm, duvet covers are 135 x 200 cm. There are smaller pillows 40 x 80 cm. Then there are oversized duvet covers: 155 x 200 cm. Sometimes you get the really big ones: 200 x 220 cm. And then only ikea has the really big ones 220 x 240 cm. Fitted sheets for mattrasses cover sizes from 90 x 200 cm , 100 x 200 cm, 120 x 200 cm (unusual), 140 x 200 cm, 160 x 200 cm, 180 x 200 cm and 200 x 200 cm
Another body in Germany here. Having an American Queen-sized waterbed (160 x 210 cm), I always have problems to find fitting sheets and basically used "Hotel sheets". Meanwhile even those are hard to come by ... I recently discovered that the chain "Action" has a small collection of cotton sheets and hurray my size ! (for € 14,95 🥳) the sortiment has limited colors but I can work with that. The quality is good and comfy. I'm using the first bought one now for 4 years and still looking good.
Please don't think what your kids have is the German standard. My teenaged kids have mattresses 80 cm and 90 cm wide, both 2 m long. Bigger beds wouldn't fit in their rooms and why would they need more space for sleeping than their parents? Double beds can have two mattresses each 80 cm, 90 cm, 100 cm or 120 cm wide or one mattress of 120cm, 140cm, 160cm, 180cm or 200cm wide. They are usually 2m long, but for very large people you can buy 2,20m long beds.
I love the shark sheets haha x) In the Netherlands we have; -eenpersoons (one person sized) which includes 1 pillowcase and a sheetcover of 140x200 cm, matress size 80-100x200 cm -tweepersoons (two person sized) 2 pillowcases and typically a sheetcover of 200x200 cm, matress size 120-140x200 cm -Lits-Jumeaux (which is a French term for the bigger sized bed meaning "twinbeds", it's the size of 2 single beds next to each other) 2 pillowcases and a sheetcover of 240x200 or 260x220 cm, matress size 160-200x200 cm There are also extra long sets of all these width sizes with sheetcovers of 220 cm instead of 200 cm for the extra tall Dutch people :) Bedding sets don't include fitted sheets here, you buy those seperatly. Maybe that's because the matress size options don't really line up with the sizes for the sheets here?
It sounds like the lits-jumeaux would be the equivalent of what used to be known in the US as a "double bed" but is now called a "full bed" (full is larger than double by perhaps an inch, about 2.5cm).
This is the one and only time I ever actually took NOTES from a RUclips video! This is so helpful!! I've always wondered about this too and I'm totally going to use your numbers to better understand any future bedsheet-as-fabric purchases. I am not surprised that queen sheets cost more per square foot, because they are the most popular mattress size in the US ($$$). Thanks so much for making this, it was fascinating. 💡
Just a little tidbit in case no one else has shared: Marshall’s, Tjmaxx, and Home Goods are all part of the same parent company (along with Sierra Trading). Home Goods, as the name suggests, will focus on household goods while most Tjmaxx’s have a bit of everything. So if bedsheets are what your after, then you are correct to think that Home Goods is the best call of the three. Loved the video btw! I’ve been looking to make stuff out of bedsheets recently so I was excited to see you made a video about it!
“rifling through the remnant bins….) if people had always taken photos of everything, there would be many photos of my bent-over backside floating around the world. i completely relate ♥️👍🏼✌🏼
If you google cooling sheets, you will see several brands. His second set are Sealy Cool Comfort. The set he really loves though, the company went out of business.
Love the cooling sheets I've used! And though they aren't (or at least weren't when I purchased them" advertised as such, the modal sheets are also really nice and cooling.
Oh I just heard of the cooling blanket and sheets. I have a cooling body pillow. I was honestly thinking of cutting it up n making shorts or pants ..lol
I’m a duvet/no top sheet person, so any time I buy a sheet set, the top gets zero use. I usually just buy a fitted sheet, so if I buy a set it’s because it’s on sale and cute. I’ll get around to making something out of them someday, I swear.
I was going to large SCA events years ago, and at a week long event in the summer, you're expected to be in period clothing the entire time. In order to make enough clothing on a budget, I wound up finding a ton of linen tablecloths, and cotton sheets from the thrift store and it was so much cheaper than buying fabric.
I used to do SCA Thrift stores are our favourite places and you never look at household linens the same way again. I had a beautiful overdress made from duvet cover of a fleur de lis print
Especially when they're in the bargain section! Got several sets of linen curtains (Full length) for £14 for the lot because there was slight marks at an edge
2:46 for the flapping pillowcases, fold the extra over to one side, then push the extra fabric between the pillow and pillowcase. You get a perfectly enclosed pillow! Some pillowcases have similar things built in - but they are usually too short in the part that goes inside.
I made a fabulous Mrs Frizzle costume one year with an IKEA duvet cover I found at Goodwill. And I had enough fabric left over to make a giant floor cushion which I tried to fill with chopped up fabric scraps, but eventually gave up and filled with furniture foam bits.
Once I saw a full shopping cart wrapped in plastic in their as is section full of fabric. Since it was wrapped I couldn't really tell if it was sheets or thicker curtains. I don't remember the price either but what ever it was would have been a STEAL
I’ve bought fabrics from their bin in the “As Is” section of IKEA. Several cotton or cotton/lyocell (Tencel) blend fabrics in different weights and textures. One cotton curtain had a paint splash on the lower hem, but has a lot of yardage, and I keep using parts of it. The fabric can be a good price, and I wasn’t the only person rummaging through the bin.
That was a lot of fun A circular table cloth came to mind when you were talking about the benefits of width. Anyway you did a lot of work and produced an entertaining and educational video Thank you so much.
Favorite thrift fabric is curtains. I use them to make totes, pretty bags for camping chairs, and even cross body purses. Spend 5 or 10 dollars for 6 yards.
I am exactly who this video is for. 😂 As someone who lives in an area without any sort of remnant fabric seller, sheets are SO much cheaper than Joann!
So much of joann fabric is 45"! At $12 yard, it's crazy expensive. I'll go and look and feel, then go look on line and find same or similar for half price or less. Learning about weaves, weights and counts with natural fibers helps when buying on line. Get swatches mailed when in doubt.
Walmart used to have a great selection of single solid sheets and print sheets! Single sheets were $4.97. I’ve been a seamstress for decades and when people ask about starting to sew - I would recommend Walmart single sheets at $5 you got 2 1/2 yards of 60” wide fabric !! Best deal around and start with some easy like cover a pillow! Quick results, something pretty and the desire to sew more! Around Pandemic time they changed manufacturers and the colors went to basic color solids only!!! AND doubled the price to $10!! Grrr
I don't know if this was already said, but as someone who has a Cali-King, the difference between that and a standard King, is that a Cali-King is narrower but longer., when you have a really tall hubby, Cali-King beds work great, because his 6 ft 3in body fits and his feet don't hang off the bottom.
This is exactly why my husband and I have a California King. The salesguy at one of the furniture stores we went to was rather snippy when we said we wanted a Cal king. "It's just a few inches longer than the regular king, and it's narrower." Yeah, well, my 6'5" hubby would really like a bed where his feet don't hang over the end of the bed. I understand it limits the options on which bed models are available, but it's worth it. For anyone thinking about a California king, turns out they are the size of two extra-long twin beds put together.
This has been a really interesting deep dive! 😊 Thank you! I'm in the UK. Our charity shops typically don't sell fabrics by the metre, sadly. The best value source of fabric from charity shops, therefore, is good quality - by which I mean 100% cotton (polyester? Yuk! 😝) - bed linen, particularly double or king size duvet sets which comprise a sheet, a duvet cover and two pillow cases. If they're cute prints (or a nice plain colour) and not stained or damaged, given that you can get SO MUCH fabric for something under £10, it's an absolute no brainer! The added bonus of a double or king size sheet is the fact that the width is enormous, which makes it super versatile. When a regular fabric is only 112cm wide (always disappointing), it limits what you can make without joining pieces together, e.g. a circle skirt or super wide culottes may not be possible without "piecing" the fabric. You talked about thread count. Paradoxically, if the thread count is very high, sheets will probably be less desirable for making into garments as they won't drape nicely - they'll be somewhat crisp or stiff. A slightly looser weave (lower thread count) is actually more comfortable to wear. But a high thread count is brilliant for sheets used for sleeping on, as they'll last longer and be less likely to rip. "Percale" used to indicate a higher quality cotton fabric, but nowadays I think it's just a marketing gimmick. Again, thank you! I very much enjoyed this video 😊
I have wondered about the term “percale” so often! Clearly never bothered to look in to it AT ALL after deciding that it meant “slightly cheap looking and shiny looking” all by myself 😅
Percale sheets depend on your source! I'm currently lying in bed on my percale cotton sheets, and let me tell you, it's a surprising difference from cotton jersey. Turns out that woven sheets don't retain heat as well, which isn't great for winter, but in the summer? When it gets up to the mid-20s Celsius in the dead of night? It's nice. Anyway, I think at this point percale is just a designation of plain-woven cotton, to distinguish it from cotton sateen. (Sateen is denser than percale/plain-weave fabric, so it's warmer. It's why high quality percale sheets range from 200 to 400 thread count, while sateen only starts at 300.)
Im actually having an exhibition entitled “Matching the Drapes” that opens on July 12 in chicago. this exhibition playfully explores bespoke garments made from repurposed curtains, bed linens, and other household fabrics imbued with memories of comfort and family life. lol. And, yes, fabric is redonk expensive and I love you more than any full-price linen bolts. 😊
@@dar4835”An Alaskan king bed measures 108 inches by 108 inches (9 feet by 9 feet) and is the largest mattress available. These beds offer multiple sleepers plenty of room to spread out and sleep comfortably” 😉
Yup, Alaskan King is gigantic!! They are made to sleep a family of 4. I guess it's easier to stay warm that way! 😂 There's also a Wyoming King that's slightly smaller than the Alaskan, then one step down is Texas, and finally the California King...
Bed sizes in the U.K., single, divan, small double, double, king size and super king, widths are 2’6”, 3’, 4’, 4’6”, 5’ & 6’. We generally buy our sheets separately from our duvet covers and pillow cases , which come as a set, There’s normally one pillow case with a single, two pillow cases with the other sizes. Duvets sets can be plain, patterned, jacquard or embroidered. You can also buy pillow cases separately in pairs, but these are normally plain, patterned sheets are rare and king size bed sets come with standard size pillow cases. Average fabric on the roll width in the U.K. is 147 cm or just under 58 inches. Thread count only applies to pure Cotton, linen and silk.
UK here too... our mattress is superking, but the base duvet that we use year-round (summerweight) is a king, with an absolutely huge microfibre blanket from Dunelm ontop of that (except on the very hottest of nights). In winter we add a heavier double duvet, and keep it on as long as possible - it's still on there now, although i suspect it might be coming off tonight - if only because we both love the weight of it (really should get around to buying a weighted blanket sometime). anyway. the double duvet is just a little bit short the width of our superking mattress. Also, fitted sheets for the superking drive me NUTS. no matter that they're sold at 200 by 200, i.e. superking, so many of them just don't really fit properly and the elastic end up squeezing the middle ofthe mattress height and pinging free in the middle of the night. ARGH.
UK sewist, used to work in a fabric shop: it's the same widths, marketed as 115cm or 150cm, but that includes the selvedges so the usually usable width is a couple of cm less.
@@lizvanwessem2055the solution to the sidewall height issue you are experiencing is to do an alteration to make it bigger, perhaps using some additional yardage from pillow cases. That's what I would do in your situation
@@lizvanwessem2055 and that’s why I always buy flat sheets! Of course I’m Scottish and by nature a bit frugal… come to think, my last KS duvet cover was made using a pair of plain flat sheets (I didn’t like the patterns on offer) And there was enough fabric left over for a pair of pillowslips.
Fun fact that might affect pricing of larger sheets. The wider the bolt of fabric is when it's woven in the factory, the more complicated it is. Because threads need to be stretched over the looms, and so when they're longer, they are more prone to snapping and other weaving issues. So to get larger fabric widths costs more because it's more complicated to do right. Also that comment about queen beds makes sense. More people have queen beds as kings are kind of a luxury. So because more people buy queens, they can make more profit off of them when the prizes are raised (is my guess at least)
I was a member of Job's Daughters, a Masonic youth group for girls ages 11-20. At our State conventions (Grand Bethel), all the members would wear "look alike dresses." Depending on the bethel (chapter), everyone would at least wear a floor length dress made of the same fabric and some bethels would require the girls to all use the same pattern. Every bethel was different, and it was fun to see the variety of fabrics chosen. The State Representatives (Grand Bethel Girls) wore look alike dresses as well, but as they were from throughout the State, you couldn't count on every city having the same fabric store with the same bolt of fabric, as this was long before the days of internet ordering. Many fabric stores would not special order fabrics unless the member committed to purchasing the entire bolt. So, the GBGs would get together and choose a patterned sheet because it was easier to go to a department store that carried XX brand and have them order XX pattern in the amount of flat sheets that they needed. Even though we were in California, their dresses were the huge Southern belle style that required hoops underneath. Even today, when I see a particularly pretty, flowered patterned sheet, I think fondly back to the Grand Bethel Girl dresses.
There is a Texas king. A lot of basketball players will have that if they don't have a custom setup. FYI the dimensions of mattresses areTexas king is 80x98, Cal King is 72x84 and a King is 76x80.
@@k80_ I guess back then, that was the reference..A guy I knew in college had an apartment, and one room was only slightly bigger than that bed. I don't think an ice chest fit between it and the wall on any side. It was the movie room for our group of friends.. his bedroom was a different room. Wrestling sheets onto that thing was no party.
YESSSSS this video is something I've wondered often when wandering various stores!! thanks for taking the time and making the epic and nerdy spreadsheet.
This was very interesting! You went really deep and that took a lot of work. You'll find with sheets that the percale are more crisp and cool, great in summer, and sateen are limp and drapey, better for winter, in my opinion. Good job on the research. It wore me out just watching!
Thank you for doing this work for me! I have been toying with this exact question for months and now I don't have to be overwhelmed by the thought process!
I made dresses/tops for my toddler to 6yr old from thrift ed standard pillow cases. I've made curtains, I made little house on the prairie style dresses for school play from flowered sheet sets. I could not afford fabric on the bolt in the 80s on minimum wages of the time. It worked!
Wow, listening to you talk about the different sizes... Man, it sounds way more complicated than what I'm used to here in Germany: mattresses are usually 90 or 100cm wide, a Doppelbett is one frame for two mattresses and therefore 180 or 200cm wide. Bedsheets come in sets of 1 pillowcase 80x80 and one duvet cover 135x200 standard or 155x220 comfort size. So you're set up with a mattress and a set of pillow&duvet per person whether you're sleeping in a double or single bed. Now that I have a partner who moves a lot during his sleep I really came to appreciate this! Yes, there are mattresses of 140 or 160 width, called "french" size but they are mostly used by students who want to fit some extra sleeping space into their rooms. (That's what I had in the past decades and ever since meeting the guy I'll never, ever get back to a shared mattress, especially not a bouncy one where I'm in constant fear of being wobbled out of bed 😅) Thanks for the work! Your split skirts&dresses inspired me to do my own, out of bed sheets actually!
As a sewist who almost always uses scrounged and thrifted sheets and curtains for my garment projects, there are a few extra details you may want to consider. First, a lot of the sheets (usually the fitted sheets) that I have found are quite worn in the center from use (usually in the "butt area" when one was lying down on it), and so that can limit the square footage if it is super noticeable (rough, pilling, or worn sheer) and needs to be cut out or avoided. The second thing is that most of the time it is difficult to find cheap or used sheets in anything that isn't synthetic materials (obviously it is possible, but I haven't found it common). In my experience, using polyester or poly-blend sheets to make garments I plan to wear not very comfortable as the fabric doesn't really breath (makes a bit of a sweaty mess, plus visible sweat staining depending on the fabric colour!) This means that the styles of garments I can make are further limited to things like loose-fitting things and sleeveless or strappy tops, dresses, or skirts. I will still continue to use sheets of course (because buying fabric by the yard is expensive where I live and not as great a decision for the environment), but I do have to keep these things in mind when designing a new outfit.
I'm really fascinated by this, can you tell me if for example you were to find a white cotton flat sheet with a a thread count of I dunno 350 - 500 sold by itself (because I know some places will sell them as separate?) would you say that would be useful in making into some items comparing to just buy the fabric like normal in a roll? I know nothing about sewing so I'm curious as to Wyatt I would be getting myself into, especially if I were to try and hand sew it since I don't have space for a machine set up.
I feel like this job would be so much easier in a metric-only country. You managed to make a data heavy video interesting. I’m glad you were fascinated by this. And while I knew canvas was a type of weave, I’ve now learned that satin and percale are also weave types. So now I wanna go down that rabbit hole.
Hey Charlie, I’m from Bangalore, India and we typically have 4 types of beds: (and bedsheets) single, double, queen size, and king size beds.. Pillow case sizes remain the same tho. Sizes of the bedsheets are single bed sheet 66x92 inch, double bed sheet 78x98 inch, queen size bed sheet 90x102 inch, and king size bed sheet size in inches 102x108. All sets have only 1 flat sheet and 2 pillow cases, other than the single size, which has only 1 pillow case. Hope this interests you 😁
This is so helpful to all of us sewist who shop fabrics second hand!! Very much appreciated the hard work AND Queen size more expensive side quest knowledge. Very interesting all around. Thank you!
You're awesome. I found this exploration fascinating. I love these kind of rabbit holes. My brain loves answering its own questions, in detail 🤩 This was excellent information for me. I happen to live in a small, remote town where we no longer have a fabric store, and our Walmart got rid of it's fabric cutting table about 10 years ago. Now they bring in random cuts of 2 yard, pre package fabrics of terrible quality. Rarely multiples of the same print 🤦♀So bedsheets are my primary source, although yardage does show up at the second hand stores at times. I haven't bought new sheets to make things with, but I will consider now. I recently made a lovely chemise and kirtle set out of some lovely tartan yardage and a king sized, high quality cotton sheet I got for $5.00. It felt like winning a lottery 🥳 I hadn't sewn in years until I needed a medieval outfit, and now I am re-smitten with sewing.
Excellent nerd out. Love how you broke down the data❤ I’ve always thought of new sheets as “good value” when large pieces are needed and thrifted sheets as worth having when the price is low enough because they are great for mock ups, linings, extra layers etc
While I have repeatedly heard people talk about using bedsheets to make clothing (and/or muslins), I have always assumed they were using thrifted/used sheets. Never occurred to me to buy a brand new set of sheets for the yardage! We have a store in the Twin Cities called SR Harris, which sells fabric at half the price listed on the bolt. One of the locations is quite large, and they'll help you find things, and cut your fabric. The other one is overwhelmingly large, and you are basically on your own in terms of finding things, and cutting your own the fabric. As I experiment with different types garments (and things like shirt collars), where there's a learning curve, it's been a great resource for making (potentially) wearable muslins, but if I screw up, I'm okay with the loss. I usually pay somewhere around $4-8/yd.
28:56 Satin/sateen are "floating" weaves, which makes for a soft/shiny/smooth-feeling fabric; the difference, I think, is that one is warp-faced (more of the vertical grain is visible on the right side) and the other is weft-faced (more of the horizontal cross-grain is visible on the right side). 1:01 Eta: if you ever forget/don't know how to spell "reconnaissance" you can shorten it to "recon" 22:30 adults who don't share their bed with a partner tend to have either a queen or a full mattress (I have a full), adults who share their bed with a partner tend to have either a queen or a king, and children and teenagers tend to have either a twin or a full. So, while 3-5 more cents per square foot doesn't seem like a lot to your average consumer, it means that the company is making the most profit on the most popular sheet size for adults. An extra 5 cents per square foot can really add up, especially when we're talking about the company's most sold product.
What I usually see is that sateen is used purely for cotton and other short-staple fibers, while satin is used for longer staple fibers like silk, polyester and sometimes rayon/viscose.
@@SpringStarFangirl here's what I found online: both are a 4/1 (over 4, under 1 twill/"floating") weave and the wrong sides are matte. Satin is warp-faced, glossy, and made with silk or synthetic thread. Sateen is weft-faced, sturdier, less shiny, and made with cotton yarn.
I'm in awe of anyone who can do this much research and actually follow through. Living in the UK and soon to be Japan, this video doesn't much apply to me- we use metres, and our beds are different sizes (IKEA sizes are also different!), flats sheets are rarer too, and bed sets have duvet covers- but I have really enjoyed going through this journey with you. I found a lovely 100% cotton bed set at TKMaxx for £20 and snapped it up in an instant with the hope of using for clothes making. Quality printed cottons in the UK are often more than £15 a metre!
•I love your research, it satisfies some muscle in my brain 😎💙. •I have an idea of why the silk bed sheets are 4x as much per yard as silk on the bolt by the yard. Silk tends to rip when it’s wet, more so the more load of its own weight it has. So bigger pieces rip more. •Somewhere in silk fabric manufacture, if there is a stage when it is wet or even damp (being dyed, steamed? or pressed?), larger pieces or even longer threads in the weaving process will be more likely to rip or break. So the extra care that requires, in human care during fabric manufacture, in machine care during fabric manufacture, and the loss of finished goods (either to seconds, or outright losses) is going to increase the price per yard on the biggest pieces. There will be more loss, because wet or damp silk rips more under its own weight. •You can see I love the deep dive too, even though I don’t have the data to back it up 😉. •Also, if Queen sheets sell at 2 shelves to the other sizes one shelf each, as you pointed out, a small extra profit margin there would reap the retailers a giant reward. •Thanks for this excellent video. 😎💃✅👏
I have no thrift stores or sort of around me in the countryside of western Germany. But I found out, that IKEA has a space where they sell furniture and stuff they used for display for way less money. So. In comparison of cheep fabric on roll or bedsheets. The sheets are much cheeper
Omg! "It's data time" is the best intro to a video I've heard in weeks. And I absolutely have a template for calculating $/yard that I've been using for years for precuts and other odd size/shape fabric purchases.
You have answered so many questions I’ve had regarding sewing: fabric, sourcing fabric, machine feet attachments etc. I really enjoy your content and your great attitude. ❤
WOW- the writing, editing, humor, and planning for this video are incredible. You are very talented. I watch all kinds of videos and this was really top-notch! The random thought and wonder is so me and the idea to find the answer is too...but the work you did, would never happen for me. ha. I am so inspired that you would go to such lengths to solve a mystery. Oh, and the content and thoroughness are impressive! This was inspiring as a content creator. Master class!
You remind me of myself. I can get very specific and inclusive when attempting a similar project. I have to fight my tendency to go down "rabbit trails" with sub searches. Good work!
In the 1970s, my mom made all her bedroom draperies and bedspread with flat bedsheets (back then you could usually buy the flat and fitted sheets and pillowcases separately, rather than in a set) at a fraction of the price of extra-wide yardage. Sheets nowadays are cut larger than 30 or more years ago to accommodate modern ultra thick mattresses. And yes, the pillowcases are ridiculously huge. I routinely have to take them apart to make fold-over envelope ends and to shorten and narrow them to fit my bed pillows.
I've used flat sheets for drapes & curtains for decades , starting when I could not find the exact color match to coordinate w/ a ltd. ed. print in my bathroom . Also for shower curtain ( + a waterproof liner used , of course ) & used the extra fabric left for a shower curtain valence on a separate tension rod . Using the same fabric / color for the window covering & shower curtain set gives the bathroom a nice " finished " look .
Hi. Thank you for asking. Here are the five most popular bed sizes in the UK: Single 3' x 6'3" , Small Double 4' x 6'3", Double 4'6" x 6'3", King Size 5' x 6'6" and the Great Bed of Ware 8'9" x 8'9" x 10'.
27:50 easy peasy test. Cut a SMALL square, 1 cm square. Set it afire. If it turns to ash it's a natural fiber. If small hard plastic droplets form it's polyester.
Nah. I only want a pillow when sleeping on my side - when I'm sleeping on my back, a pillow will only give me neck issues, it's better without. And if my partner is staying overnight, we use 2 ordinary pillows that have totally different thickness.
@@TheRustyTrike I have king sized pillows but only use them for the pillow shams that match the comforter; we don’t sleep on them. Hubs and I like regular-sized slightly flat pillows for sleeping.
Thank you for showing this video. The idea of using bed sheets for fabric has been something I have probably put way to much brain power into lately. This video has answered quite a few questions I keep thinking about.
In the UK a set is usually a duvet cover and one/two/four pillow cases and then you buy the bottom sheet seperate. Standard sizes are Single (what you would call a Twin), Double, King and Super King.
There's also the less well known Small Double, which is the size of bed I have which is the same length as a Double but narrower. The duvet cover is the same size but the fitted sheet is not
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Something that I always take into account when I thrift bed sheets for fabric, is that I'm a plus-size lady and so having fabric that is wider allows me to more easily fit things like circle skirts at the right length on them without having to do paneling, which I would have to do with most store-bought fabric if I wanted it to be longer than my knees.
I do the same! Recently got a queen size linen duvet cover for $10 Canadian. It's so soft and lovely and will be a gorgeous swirly skirted dress!
This is very true! I couldn't make a half circle that go past the top of my knees on 60wide, and I'm not quite plus size. Just at the taller/curvier side of straight sizing 😵💫
And plus size can be extremely large sizes if getting into 5x or 6x or actually barely larger than regular sizes with 16-35.
Very good point! It really depends on the application but having something that you don’t need to seam can make all the difference.
There is a conversion chart I found if you google it
I'm in my 80s. I've used sheets as backing for many years. I'm old enough to remember making clothes from seed sacks. I've used old curtains as well. My favorite garments was a burgundy velvet skirt and jacket I made from my aunts old parlor curtains. So I guess you could say I'm a Gone With the Wind kind of woman. Lol
Maria in the The Sound of Music movie did this, too, we can't forget her!
@@oregonsenior4204 Oh my gosh, I forgot about Maria's curtain play clothes. Lol
Love the Gone with the Wind reference!
I just inherited quilts made by my grandmother born in 1904, I don’t believe there was one piece of cotton in one of the quilts. One of the quilt top was pieced totally by hand and I don’t want to finish it because her work will be covered. I recall people would give her old household fabrics, have no memory of her going to a fabric store. I wonder where and when 100% cotton, wool and silk became the standards for quilting.
I made a skirt and blouse out of curtain panels recently, purchased at Goodwill. I still have enough to make a kitchen apron. No one knows that I made the items out of curtains unless I tell them. $4.00 for all of these items-not bad!
As a long time quilter, I've used king flat sheets for decades to back my quilts. It is usually more economical than fabric by the yard.
My mother used to do this, she would use a tapestry needle and polyester yarn to join a bed sheet with a blanket as a warm filling to the quilt top. 😊
Same! But be careful because bed sheets have a tighter weave than regular quilting cotton and some long arm quilters might not take it. I do though.
@@Jules-gm7vk Right. Here's her "answer" to the thread count "question". The higher the thread count, the tighter the weave. Bedsheets have a much wider range than basic bolted cotton fabrics and the higher the count, the more manufacturers can charge. And the harder our machines will need to work sewing through it.
Good to know, I use bed sheets for the quilt backing often. But mostly thrifted so they’ve been washed a LOT…seems like that would make difference but maybe not. My long armer has never had trouble with them…yet.
Me too!
Just an observation- 30 years ago, 200-threadcount sheets were better quality than many 300 or 400 today.
My dad always told me to check the thread count before buying bedsheets, I bought a 300 thread thinking I was set…… had to toss it after one year 😢
It's true; because higher threadcount = 'nicer' in the public mind, but there's a limit to how fine cotton fiber can grow and machinery can spin, companies have started counting plies within the threads to inflate the count. Traditionally, in order to have a higher threadcount, you have to spin finer threads, and that's easier to do with longer-staple cotton since it's structurally stronger when spun; this has the added benefit of being more resilient to wear-and-tear. Threadcount does also theoretically indicate how many threads are packed into a small space, and tighter-woven stuff is generally stronger.
So without actually changing the threadcount, you can double or triple the number on the package it if you count the plies. Then, you can get away with using cheaper, shorter-staple cotton but coast on the reputation of the real thing. (One of the things that makes "Egyptian cotton" is that it has a longer staple length; the longer-staple stuff grown in the US is Pima cotton, and the most common variety with the shortest staple length is Upland cotton)
One of the reason why linens were traditionally durable is that the staple length of linen is often measured in feet, not inches - it's incredibly long in comparison to cotton. I say traditionally, because a lot of our industrial fiber processing equipment is not built to handle linen, and we haven't been breeding flax for fineness in a while (though there's probably some handspinners working to change that). As a result, most linen is cut into shorter, more manageable pieces.
It's more complicated than just "staple length" (linen is a bast fiber, and those are very durable), but if you think about a piece of yarn, it's fuzzy where the ends of the fibers pop out, and if you rub up and down the yarn, you're going to more easily loosen the short fibers, which are less anchored, and short fibers pulling loose = pilling.
@@stellaluna6421 Good explanation. Thanks!
@@elizabethduarte1334you also have to look at weave and type Fabric. 100% cotton 300 ct percale weave are great
@@stellaluna6421some of this isn’t quite accurate
"Who wants a simple answer anyway when you can go on a highly unscientific deep dive and gather some data, right?" This. This is my love language. 😂
Literally how I ended up here. And sometimes -like now- don't remember what lead to the rabbit hole 😅
Videos that start as a random question and turn into a full dive down a rabbit hole to end at a spreadsheet with massive amounts of data are so fun!
I would watch a video like this on every sewist's channels.
I feel like this is a neurodivergent corner of the internet, but this is only the second video of hers I've seen, so I don't know if she has her diagnosis yet 😂
iKR?!! Totally going to screenshot the one where she shows us how many yards in each size sheet set!
I love data!
My daughter is a huge Pawpatrol fan. I havent found fabric... But I have found sheets... Someone might actually get a pawpatrol dress for a birthday
the hated Hobby Lobby has fabric, as does Walmart, Etsy and Joanns. now I don't know if it is in stock...
32 years ago I started doing this for my offsprings' bedrooms (as well as tiny button up shirts) because duvet covers were virtually the same price as flat sheets! Curtains were wayyyyy too costly too! So, for 1 full set of bed linen (single bed flat sheet, single bed duvet cover, one housewife pillowcase plus 1set of curtains took 3 duvet covers, with off cuts to decorate shirts, a lampshade, a dressed character doll and assorted scraps. MUCH cheaper. UK 1990s
If you're going to do this, you may consider lining it. I just found that with kidlets with sensitive skin, certain kinds of sheets can be too rough for day-to-day wear. Also, depending on how light the sheet is, I would line trousers or shirts for young ladies. Just be on the safe side. Anytime I make clothes for my younger siblings I have a 'does it turn see-through when wet?' policy for fabric. Anything I can see my hand through when wet requires a secondary layer to be clothes for kids. You just know someone's going to jump in a puddle eventually.
My standard pattern for dresses automatically is a lined bodice so using light weight sheets makes sense.... but for novelty patterns character themes sheets can't be beat. Eta cotton sheets rock but I avoid the micro fiber ones.... there just isn't enough there there
@@jamiecoull7081these days girls and young women are all wearing tights as if they were pants, yikes, so, I guess there is no more modesty left.....but I'm with you, would not want see-thru clothing NOR will you ever EVER catch me or my kids wearing tights instead of properly fitting slacks.
I love the inherent pun in "I made a spread-SHEET!"
And I'm only 45% surprised this video is not sponsored by Birch Linen LOL
I feel like they might not be happy about sponsoring a video about cutting up sheets for cheap fabric. They are selling premium priced sheets and I don't think they would come out well in a price comparison.
Right over my head. 😮
I was waiting for her to go there!
King size pillow cases make lovely drawstring storage bags, if you give quilts as gifts. Just roll the quilt so it fits into the pillow case, take out a few stitches in the hemmed side of the pillow case, and insert a wide satin ribbon which can be tied into a bow. For extra flair, use the king sized pillow case that matches your king sized sheet quilt backing. People love them!
Awesome idea!!!
I love that you can sew and apparently let your pillowcase ends flap around instead of shortening them. I identify with that energy. Lol.
You can fold your pillowcase ends inside itself, and your pillows will look beautiful.
? People actually shorten and sew their PILLOWCASES?! WHY?❤😂
Can we take a moment to appreciate the massive amount of work and brain power that went into this video. This was amazing and yes, very fascinating! Haha thanks for such a fun watch
You say this wasn't a scientific endeavor, but I'd say otherwise. Yes, you weren't able to be very exact with the sheets, but you collected a solid data set, took into account brand, store, size, fiber, etc. You found a way to equate yardage to bed sheets via square feet to allow for a comparison at all. You did a lot of thoughtful work that I would call scientific and it answered your question on the level of detail that mattered to you and what you needed it for. It was an awesome video to watch and thank you for doing all this work.
A scientific study must be able to be done by someone else and get the same results.
This might be nitpicking 😅 but the scientific method is forming a hypothesis (bedsheets are cheaper than fabric) and testing it using observation and measurement. If a scientific study wants to be accepted in the field it must be replicable which means anyone would find the same conclusions using the same methodology. I haven't done a review but I think most sewists would agree that it is difficult to control for all the variables but bedsheets are often cheaper than fabric.
So I would say this experiment was definitely scientific, if not very precise 😊
@@Avotts If you'd like me to go out and replicate this study I will do my best! I'm in a completely different part of the country, and I'm VERY curious whether geographic location matters re: cost per square foot of sheet sets.
@@Dawnzerlylight Oh, absolutely no. I get tickled at Charley. Her mind does NOT work the way mine does. BUT, I do chase too many rabbits too. I have NOT started mt new wardrobe. I might do some posting and still pics. I am NOT comfortable having my pic made and def. not a video. We shall see.I am very close to starting. I have not kept tract of the amounts of fabric I've bought. It is really a lot. Maybe I will show a picture of all my thrifted suitcases stuffed with fabric. I really have not sewed with any of the types of things I have bought excepr for cottons and crepe. My fabrics are were all washed in hot water, dried and folded. I have not ironed any of the apparel fabric. I did iron all the quilting fabric except for the backing. I am so anxious to get started, I literally feel ill. I have been bz with other things. It is blueberry season, that has taken most of my time, I am responsible for keeping acerage in good repair. My big mower is currently in the shop. Nothing serious. But I am trying to do some necessary maitenance on my home. Oh yeah, I am a country gal with a little farm. I am going to a Good will sale on the 4th. They are doing a red tag, blue tag and white tag sale. If I feel up to it, I might go to a couple of the stores. I've also been going to ALL the Walmarts, looking for their cheaper, bundled precuts. They all do not have them. They are eliminating a lot of the sewing stuff. I use a handicapped cart. I start pulling the ones I want to consider. And checking how organized or really trashed that section is. I end up totally reorganizing the,. I remove all the trash and groceries, etc. I buy any I really like. I call it, doing something kind for the next shopper. I can NOT shop in disorder and feel good about it. I really appreciate Charleys style. That she is so creative. That she is able to connect with people. I was just sharing my experiences.. I am almost 70. I will not be around much longer. I have already instructed my sister and son as to what I want them to do with certain things, mostly my sewing stuff. I have not mentioned that Charley has missed that thread count and weight appears online a lot. A 10 ounce is different from 20 ounces. Also D (denier). Also another advantage of using a sheet, you can use anything you dont wear in your quilts...lol. stay in touch.
I think it was just very thorough, good info.
I have a local thrift store that has a TON of sheets always on sale for $3 regardless of size of material. I have more garments made of sheets than of yardage. Yay cheap materials!
Me Too! And the quality of the fabric is awesome.
My local thrift store had a huge crate of bedding that they sell for $5/bag. I went to the counter to ask for a bag, expecting maybe a reusable shopping bag. Nope. Girl handed me a straight up extra large jiffy trash bag. I picked through for literally everything I wanted and it was still only half full.
@@Rebecca-zj4wq Score!!!!
I wish I had that store on the southern Oregon coast!
All my local thrift stores sell sets of sheets for like $4. One sells them for $8 it pained me until I watched this and figured out just how many yards I was getting. 😂
So back in the mid 90's I made my daughter's whole girl scout troop (14 kids) dark green, Irish peasant -style dresses, caps(bonnets) with white Battenburg lace pinafores, white & green thread, elastic, and 1 pattern for all was around $11 a set. The girls were all different sizes but I was able to take paper bags and make custom/personalized patterns for each girl. These were for cultural world day. I used multiple king size sheets (80% cotton 20% polyester plus Battenburg lace pillowcases. I'd priced fabric & lace and even then with the least desirable material I wouldn't have been able to make the dresses, hats, and pinafores for close a remotely close price. Would have been closer to $30-ish with the green & white material plus the lace & extras.
If I didn't use sheets they would have been unaffordable. They turned out so cute many moms said they were going to have the girls wear them after the scout day. Even at the price point we had 1 mom go off on us & complain. The scout leader of course pulled her aside and said the troop would cover the cost. Felt they should have been covered for all but the girls were trying to save to go to space camp so it made sense to just pay out of pocket. My mom also made matching curtains for all 4 of us girls rooms to match our bedroom set with sheets. We never could have afforded curtains in the 70's for all of us. They looked so cute and couldn't have matched any nicer. A neighbor girl had made a nasty comment once and said you have sheets instead of curtains. I said no they are sewn curtains and we use a curtain rod. I finally said" material is material and why do you care, lol".😊 They looked beautiful and my room looked nice. That was all that mattered to me at age 9. So I think sheets can be a fantastic idea if one is on a budget.😊💕
You were right, it’s not like you had a fitted sheet pinned over the window with thumbtacks. Effort was made to make proper curtains. They would look the same if bought off the bolt.
Material is material. And for those that pin bedsheets up, or use flags, it doesn’t look great, but it does the job. Better than every nosy neighbour peeping in.
@@glynnL We currently just have a towel draped over the rod on one window that absolutely needs something because I have the fabric washed but have not yet started cutting and sewing. I prefer function over form almost everywhere. (I did say no to board and cinder block bookshelves).
@@wartgin haha I have curtain rods yet to even go up because I want to paint first. Thumbtacks and a too small curtain work in the meantime.
You are amazing!
I’ve cut up sheets for curtains many times…Less seams because you start with such big pieces of fabric.
“I hope you’re into this”, absolutely! Here I am watching this video about sheets vs fabric cost from the other side of the world, where we don’t even talk in the same measurements
Same😂😂
Let's not forget the cloth bags that sheets come in! I've made small decorative pillows from those or added them into bigger quilts or tote bags
Yes! I use them for extra pillow covers for very small throw pillows. They are excellent!
I've toyed with the idea of making little girls purses and adding a strap
They are handy shoe bags for travelling.
I made a dress and the cloth bag was most of the bodice xD 2 of the 4 pillow cases were the skirt panels. I could still have a functional set and I got a more or less free dress out of it!
I use them to store my self-drafted patterns
The topical nature of this video in my world is hilarious. Currently pre washing 12 king sized bed sheets to use as edwardian undergarments for a play im costuming.
Here is my math.
I bought a bundle of band new 12 cotton flat sheets for a total of $102 with tax. Each sheet will give me the equivalent of 6 yards of 51" wide fabric. So in total i have 72 yards×51". And it comes out to $1.42 per yard
I cant think of a more cost effective way to make all these under things for a community theater. Also the fabric is so soft and wicks moisturizer really well, so i think will be very comfortable for the performers. AND its a white bed sheet, its meant to be washed regularly, so it will hold up well to nightly washes between shows.
I love that you did this video!
This would be a better idea for me than buying muslin to toile things with. Where did you buy them in bulk like that?
Smart work!!
I'd love to know where you buy the bulk sheets like this as well, if you'd care to share, please. For different costuming purposes, as well as first draft patterning/toile sets.
Yes, please do share!
Popping in to join the chorus of people asking for your source! I just started costuming for community theatre, and my budget is TIIIIINY 😅
It is odd to find someone in the wild whose brain works like mine. This is literally something I was planning on doing a deep dive into. Freaking wild. Thank you for saving me a ton of time!
I was thinking the exact same thing a couple of weeks ago. My data would have been a lot more restricted though, due to lack or second-hand and thrift stores. This was put together so beautifully ❤
Same! Though I don't think...scratch that...I know... I wouldn't have been as thorough as she was!😅
I mean, it's definitely easier to justify the time and effort when you know you're providing the info to at least 100 curious people....
*cough*
Twenty Eight Thousand! People
Wow. Ok...
Even if 90% never wondered or cared and were just here to hang out with Charlie... that os still well worth the rabbit hole deep dive.
I appreciate!
I'm in Japan and the width that fabric most commonly comes in here is 110-120cm(≈43"-47"). With 90-92cm (≈35"-36"), and 140-180cm (≈55"-70") also existing but being much rarer.
Its a challenge when i want to make something like a big circle skirt, because hardly any fabric is wide enough to fit the pattern on, so i often have to piece together pannels instead of cutting it in one piece.
I've recently got into remaking old kimonos/old kimono fabric deadstock, which is even more of a design challenge because kimono fabric is only 36-40cm wide!
I would absolutely love to see what you do with kimono fabric.
Me too!
And me.
My daughters are in love with anything and anyone from Japan. My youngest does cosplay and she recently got 2 kimonos and is always walking around the house in them. I love it! I want to make her some but I want to make sure it's made right. Do u have patterns to make them? Or do u know already how to make it by eye? I'd love to see your work. Do u have an Instagram or RUclips page?
i love the outlandish crashing sounds when you toss items, I half expected a cat yowl or a scream or an explosion 😂
RE: thread count Buying blind online, in the early 2000s, I learned that 130 thread count pillowcases will leave thread marks on my face. and I've seen discussion of thread count on linen blend fabrics. because there are rustic looking linen- look-linens, and there are finer linen blends. I have learned that higher thread count fabrics will not shred between my thighs, but low thread counts will. rubbing is like sandpaper grit, i guess.
Made the mistake of buying a super cheap fitted sheet once without checking why is was so cheap - laid out on my freshly made bed and that thread count could’ve sanded off my skin it was so bad 😂
@@TheNewCoverGirlcheap exfoliator in case you don't want to go get sand blasted I guess? 😂
I have some linen pants from forever 21 (bought when caught outside in a cold rain shower in shorts on holiday in Japan, was my first time seeing that shop) and they're kind of rough to the touch.. went up a size or so, so the pants didnt fit that loose anymore but still perfectly wearable.. wore them once and walked 1km home..hole through both thighs and massive bruising on the inside of my thighs from chafing
@@galli0 ouch! I'm currently converting a pair of loose linen pants I bought in 2014 to a skirt, as the lost their inner thigh in their years of service, but at least I got a decade out of them, with some babying and interfacing, and they will live on as a skirt.
@sallythekolcat yeah that was super painfull.. i really dont know how i didnt notice the giant hole and the soreness that set in.. i think i was just in generally a lot of pain from walking (chronic illness wohoo) so the added pain there didnt compare maybe? Idk😅 i did like them so much and am enough of a horder that i did save the pants (for probably 3 years now) thinking first I would finally hem them and use that cut of to patch them.. several sizes ago😅 but maybe just turn it into something else..oooh head scarves and pocket squares🥰
"I made a spreadsheet!" One of my favorite sentences ❤
Spreadsheets are the best ❤ ❤
A friend actually got me a sticker that says 'Data, or it didn't happen' 😂
@@curiousfirelyOh I love that! I have a sticker that says "If at first you dont succeed, try 2 more times so your failure is significant" 😂
SAAAMMMEEEEEEE 😂
I recently got to share my post-holiday “things I learned for next time” spreadsheet with a friend, after we had been to Disney and she mentioned she was going and asked if I had any tips. The poor woman didn’t know what hit her 😅
Same, but for me it’s second to “I made a list“
@@ThePovertyPear Oh my - I found my tribe 😆😆😆
For the mushroom fabric that you weren't sure is poly, it could just be coated in something to make it seem new/protect it during transport. If it still feels like that after washing, if you want to check, you can do a burn test to make sure it's 100% cotton. Just nip a strip off, hold it in tweezers set it on fire and then blow it out. Cotton will come off in soft ash, poly will melt into a hard plastic bead. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot of regulation in this, so sometimes companies will just lie about it
😅I said the same thing aloud when she talked about the mushroom fabric. I hope that it is only a coating that washes off and it really is cotton. 🤞 I have learned to despise polyester. I get so sticky wearing it. 😠 If I had the money, I would make most of my clothes out of 100% linen. The first pure linen shirt I ever bought was a revelation! I could tell a difference from just trying it on in the changing room. I usually get overheated trying on clothes in those tiny closet-sized changing rooms, but I felt cooler with the linen against my skin. I wore that shirt all summer! And every summer after until it wore out. 🥰
I also suspect that things might get sent to an overstock store if they had a manufacturing error resulting in an incorrect tag. I've found what seemed to be factory second a few times. I also once found a sweater that had "sample" written on the inside in black marker.
Most American brands using overseas manufacturing don't have transparency in their supply chains. The factory making the product says "oh yeah yeah, for sure this is the material you asked for" and the company here says "okay! If you say so!"
It could even be that the fabric contains some percentage of cotton and therefor could be labeled as cotton(blend). Like those “wool” coats that have 3% wool
maybe i'm a nerd, but honestly, the best hook to any video has gotta be "i made a spreadsheet"
Especially when the video is about actual sheets and the measurements of their spreads 😂
The nerd in me delighted when I saw there were Excel Championships.
This is the only safe space for me to admit this in polite company 😂
i made a spreadsheet for my bedsheets ! 😅
When I lived in Northern Iraq I had a random sized (sort of full/queen) bed frame that was just made by someone out of boards. We went to the bazaar and gave the measurements of the frame to the foam man and he cut a piece of foam that size from a giant roll. It didn't really fit full sheets super well, but queen sheets were a little baggy. It was one of the most comfortable and inexpensive beds I've ever had.
Someone please make a "foam man at the bazaar" song ASAP. Bonus points if it's animated
I wish we all had a “foam man” from whom to buy custom sizes of foam!😊
I bought some king sized linen sheets at Home Goods. The only linen that I could find locally. Nice quality for summer clothing.
That's an awesome find!
recently?
Look for linen table clothes in thrift stores. I already used my Mom's "dinner party" one to make a sundress.
@@down2this754 A couple of months ago. It was there for months before I bought it.
@@ruthkirkparick3535 I haven't tried yet but I ended up with so many large linen napkins that I think they will make a wonderful handkerchief style skirt/dress.
The Closet Historian has a very interesting video “How to choose fabrics” where she breaks down what all the different names like sateen and percale mean. It was too much info to hold in my brain for long enough to actually shop for fabrics but it was really interesting!
Write down bullet points onto an index card and shove it into your purse!
@@SL-lz9jror a notes app! I have one that can do either text or checklist style, and you can colour code them, give them different colours, and titles. It's saved my behind many times.
Alicia I love love your logical excuse😊
In South Africa we have single, 3/4 (rare), double, queen, and king. You can find California king beds if you look hard enough. Bed sets are usually a duvet cover and standard pillowcases. You buy your sheets and continental pillowcases separately. Our fabric is usually sold by the metre and is 150cm or 115cm wide as standard. You do get wider fabrics for curtaining, sheeting, and upholstery, usually 280cm wide.
Same in the UK.
About the same in NZ but we also have King single (between single and double) and Super King (at the top) which means you need to be very careful if you are buying KS or SK because one is like a third the size of the other!
@@Wombletronand out SK is different measurement to Australia so very confusing if shopping at KMart.
And that's not even taking into account the sub-type for each size of the 'extra depth' sheets for thicker mattresses. Sad that flat sheets aren't included, I feel like we're being cheated out of the additional fabric - and finding a flat sheet that matches the set you're buying can be hit or miss on a good day.
US sizes in the 1960s offered a 3/4 size bed, it's between a twin and a full. I haven't seen a 3/4 since. Also, a full size bed is also known as a double.
Imagine getting 17 minutes into a video like this and not being “into it”. We’re into it 😂😂😂
I read this comment at 25 minutes in. 😆
I quilt, so I appreciate your deep dive. One thing you might be interested in knowing - 90 inch, 108 inch, and 116 inch wide fabric is out there, and can be had on clearance for fairly cheap. Also, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, and similar stores aren't really "clearance and overstock" stores anymore. The demand to fill them is such that the owners contract with designers and manufacturers for goods to fill their stores, so they're more like "corporate brand stores" and "where to find genuine but lower-quality luxury brand goods" than anything else.
I used star wars blueprint sheets to make a skirt because i liked it better than the novelty fabrics. Also I made a gathered rectangle version of the split side skirt, so no hemming because it was already hemmed for me
I used the same fabric/bedsheets for a shirt for my brother, because no one at the time was making his size in any of the fun fabric.
Bonus for not needing to hem the skirts yessssss....I always teu and cut out my dresses with hem or side seams already finished saves on time just remember to sew the same direction on those vertical seams!
When my children were small and wanted the bedding with characters on them i used to always get an extra set of the quilt covers to make them matching curtains for their rooms, it was the most affordable way to redo their rooms every time they changed thier minds and wanted a new bedroom. The walls and furniture was plain and basic, i used the fabric to do the decorating, i would cover the bin, the light shades and if there was a small enough oart i would perhaps frame part of a spare pillowcase, make the curtains and change the bedding, all for 3 sets of quilt covers
that must've been so fun & exciting for them ☺️ what a beautiful expression of your love to be so creative & inventive! what a wonderful idea, i'll definitely keep that tucked away in my mind for recommendations in the future. the love you have grows outside of yourself into other's lives, what a wonderful gift. :^)
@MossTunic thank you.
It's such a simple way to revamp a child's room, and they tend to change their minds often as they grow up.
My children are all in their 30's now but my middle daughter still asks me to either make her made to measure curtains or alter some she has bought because she liked them so much but couldn't get the right size. My son also asked me to alter his curtains when he realised they didn't make ready-made ones the right size for his windows.
Things children learn when they leave home and find there aren't curtain fairies along with gardening gnomes. 🫣🤣
The curtains that are currently hanging in my bedroom in my house, as a woman in my 30s, were made by my mum from a floral duvet cover when she made me a matching set (duvet and curtains) when I was in my mid teens. The duvet cover has long since been relegated to use as a "drop sheet" (for painting, etc) after over a decade of regular use, but the curtains are still perfect and I was delighted when she had been clearing out her "hot press" (linen cupboard) and found them and offered them to me.
Three hours since video drop and already almost 4,000 views.
I’m so proud of you girl.
We all love you so much.
Maths, statistics and any form of crafting? Count me right in. That was a super interesting video and I'm very glad I found this channel.
percale is a type of weaving that has been used for sheets for hundreds of years that gives durability, strength, and a matte finish. Percale is a good material for sheets. Robert Morris was a famous designer of interiors, fabrics, wallpapers around the Art Nouveau period. His designs are still available. Rachel Ashwell, another British designer, is known for making shabby chic style popular. She started out with beautiful second hand linens from flea markets. Interesting video, thanks!
Percale sheets also tend to stay cooler and get progressively softer while staying strong. We've got sets of Percale sheets from my gma going on well over 50y with the only sign of wear in the elastic and fading, but the material itself still going strong
They also feel heavenly straight off the clothesline.
....undercover journalist investigating bed sheets......Badum tsssss
I gotta say, you did a terrific job at this and I greatly appreciate not just the information, but the time and effort you put into it.
I use all of this for homeschooling... Math, science, geometry, statistics, home economics.. My son doesn't sew.. but my daughter and granddaughter do!
It’s actually very scientific of you to point out the difference between your samples and consider how that may affect your results, as well as to measure everything with the same units and record everything in a spreadsheet to objectively compare to each other.
Good job embodying science in the everyday!
An actual engineer and measurement specialist (metrologist) chiming in to agree. Precision in measurement is at need. Need is determined by project parameters & goals, not by the availability of more precise options.
You (Charley) measured in inches to compare feet/yards, which is acceptable precision for the stated goal of finding out whether it’s worth buying sheets for fabric over bolt fabric as a general guide for savings.
Being off by even 3 or 4 inches for 60 to 80 inches is a 5% error, and somewhat equivalent to what one can lose with selvages, which you didn’t subtract. And I’d argue that a 5% price difference isn’t significant enough for small crafters to tip the scale between the 3 broad possibilities:
1) new sheets are enough cheaper than discount bolt fabric to make a difference
2) new sheets are about the same as discount bolt fabric so choose either
3) new sheets are enough more expensive than discount bolt fabric to make a difference that they’re only worth it when one needs the extra width.
In that (not pillow) case, being an inch or 2 off isn’t likely to change your conclusion, so extra effort put into measuring down to mm or quarter inches is wasted effort that would impede the process more than the value it adds.
as another commenter stated, you shared your hypothesis, selection criteria, method, & results. Anyone could replicate this and would likely come within an acceptable margin of error that it would replicate. That’s scientific!
You made a sizing/pricing guide sufficient for general use. Huzzah!
It merely needs the sheet price to get the value needed for a given project - with the understanding that they should allow margin of a few inches.
I'm currently turning an Egyptian cotton king size flat sheet into an Edwardian inspired house dress, I Goggled the brand and found that that one sheet would have been $400AUD, it makes me so happy to find things like that at op shops (thrift shops)! Treasure!
Thank you, SOOOO much for your time and effort in putting together this video!! All of us have wondered about this but didn’t want to do all of the research that YOU actually did!
I’m a plus size and this helps sooo much because I want to make the full tied skirt-the viral one 😂😂-to wear to events but I need 5-8 yds minimum and since we have a sheet outlet I will head there first!!! Need that king size 😂😂😂
I did this exact thing! It's one of my favorite skirts. I took the extra step of crocheting some lace to trim the edge but even without it, it'd still be my favorite
Ooh, what's a tied skirt?
I got a beautiful 100% satin K flat sheet. I think it was $5.99. It is a dark lovely chocolaty gray. I plan to make a full length holiday dress.
@@wendywarren5756Tied skirt here refers to one of this channel’s specialties- the split side skirt. Check this channel for details on split side garments & circle skirts.
The split-side skirts have partially open sides (which overlap, and are good places for pockets!) so the back fastens separately from the front. This makes for a skirt that can be adjusted for size day by day without needing alterations.
@@CrankyOtter Oh, of course! I should have figured that out. A split-side skirt is on my mental list to make for myself. Probably even out of sheets! (I might even make a pocket to wear underneath.) Thanks!
My local Goodwill stores sell ALL individual sheets, pillowcases, and curtain panels for 99 cents each. I try to visit two different stores every couple of weeks. Even being both incredibly picky about fabric content and patterns, I tend to find a couple "fabric pieces" every visit for future projects. Today, in fact, I am making a summer-weight robe out of a 100% Egyptian cotton sheet that I bought just for this purpose. Sheets let me try out a pattern (wearable mockups) before I decide whether I like it enough to invest in more expensive fabric to make the same (or similar) design.
Yes, it's important to keep in mind that Goodwill stores have regional variance. I've been to stores in NC with that sort of pricing around the research triangle area (I got so many pairs of jeans there!)
Meanwhile, I've yet to find a region of CA with a pricing structure anywhere near that low, and often they price by looking up many brands online and using that to guide final price. (Including various regions of the bay area, orange county, and san diego county)
Treasure the regions where they still price like they're selling well-loved items ❤
I wish my Goodwill would sell bedding this cheaply.
Same thing many ladies from back in the day did to make sure patterns were correct. They used old bed sheets to do it too.
Wait for the color tag sell 75% off of 6.99 king size sheet is $1.75 for just the 4 yards of a flat sheet that equals .44 CENTS per yard.
Blows even clearance Joannes out of the water.
She’s absolutely right about the lack of variety. Right now as I’m just learning I need cheap more than I need variety.
Here in Germany we don't have names for sizes, we just write them onto the package. The size of the duvets is usually the same as the mattresse's. Teenagers or single people usually have a 1,40m wide mattress, 2m long. As a student couple, you might share that. Then we have mattresses 90 cm and 1m wide, always 2 m long, which you use in single or double beds. There is an extra long size of blanket with 2,20m, that comes in 90, 100 and 2m width for either very tall humans or two people. We also buy sheets and cusion covers together but mattress covers seperately. Normal cusions are all 80 x 80 cm.
Regular pillows in germany are 80 x 80 cm, duvet covers are 135 x 200 cm. There are smaller pillows 40 x 80 cm. Then there are oversized duvet covers: 155 x 200 cm. Sometimes you get the really big ones: 200 x 220 cm. And then only ikea has the really big ones 220 x 240 cm. Fitted sheets for mattrasses cover sizes from 90 x 200 cm , 100 x 200 cm, 120 x 200 cm (unusual), 140 x 200 cm, 160 x 200 cm, 180 x 200 cm and 200 x 200 cm
Another body in Germany here.
Having an American Queen-sized waterbed (160 x 210 cm), I always have problems to find fitting sheets and basically used "Hotel sheets". Meanwhile even those are hard to come by ...
I recently discovered that the chain "Action" has a small collection of cotton sheets and hurray my size ! (for € 14,95 🥳) the sortiment has limited colors but I can work with that. The quality is good and comfy. I'm using the first bought one now for 4 years and still looking good.
Please don't think what your kids have is the German standard. My teenaged kids have mattresses 80 cm and 90 cm wide, both 2 m long. Bigger beds wouldn't fit in their rooms and why would they need more space for sleeping than their parents?
Double beds can have two mattresses each 80 cm, 90 cm, 100 cm or 120 cm wide or one mattress of 120cm, 140cm, 160cm, 180cm or 200cm wide. They are usually 2m long, but for very large people you can buy 2,20m long beds.
Same here in the netherlands! I had a 80 or 90cm wide one as a child through teenage, and for the past 10 years my husband and I share a 140 wide bed.
I love the shark sheets haha x)
In the Netherlands we have;
-eenpersoons (one person sized) which includes 1 pillowcase and a sheetcover of 140x200 cm, matress size 80-100x200 cm
-tweepersoons (two person sized) 2 pillowcases and typically a sheetcover of 200x200 cm, matress size 120-140x200 cm
-Lits-Jumeaux (which is a French term for the bigger sized bed meaning "twinbeds", it's the size of 2 single beds next to each other) 2 pillowcases and a sheetcover of 240x200 or 260x220 cm, matress size 160-200x200 cm
There are also extra long sets of all these width sizes with sheetcovers of 220 cm instead of 200 cm for the extra tall Dutch people :)
Bedding sets don't include fitted sheets here, you buy those seperatly. Maybe that's because the matress size options don't really line up with the sizes for the sheets here?
It sounds like the lits-jumeaux would be the equivalent of what used to be known in the US as a "double bed" but is now called a "full bed" (full is larger than double by perhaps an inch, about 2.5cm).
This is the one and only time I ever actually took NOTES from a RUclips video! This is so helpful!! I've always wondered about this too and I'm totally going to use your numbers to better understand any future bedsheet-as-fabric purchases. I am not surprised that queen sheets cost more per square foot, because they are the most popular mattress size in the US ($$$).
Thanks so much for making this, it was fascinating. 💡
Just a little tidbit in case no one else has shared: Marshall’s, Tjmaxx, and Home Goods are all part of the same parent company (along with Sierra Trading). Home Goods, as the name suggests, will focus on household goods while most Tjmaxx’s have a bit of everything. So if bedsheets are what your after, then you are correct to think that Home Goods is the best call of the three.
Loved the video btw! I’ve been looking to make stuff out of bedsheets recently so I was excited to see you made a video about it!
Winners is part of that family too! (idk, does America still have Winners? Canada does.)
“rifling through the remnant bins….)
if people had always taken photos of everything, there would be many photos of my bent-over backside floating around the world.
i completely relate ♥️👍🏼✌🏼
Also, my kid sleeps on those “cooling sheets” and I just realized that fabric might make an excellent pair of lounge shorts for my husband.
What are cooling sheets and where did you purchase yours?
Are they tencel/lyocell? Makes great clothing for summer. Linen weight but silk feel.
If you google cooling sheets, you will see several brands. His second set are Sealy Cool Comfort. The set he really loves though, the company went out of business.
Love the cooling sheets I've used! And though they aren't (or at least weren't when I purchased them" advertised as such, the modal sheets are also really nice and cooling.
Oh I just heard of the cooling blanket and sheets. I have a cooling body pillow. I was honestly thinking of cutting it up n making shorts or pants ..lol
You discovered my secret. Bottom sheets from thrift stores have a lot of wear...but not the top sheets. Perfect lining for my tote bag addiction!
I’m a duvet/no top sheet person, so any time I buy a sheet set, the top gets zero use. I usually just buy a fitted sheet, so if I buy a set it’s because it’s on sale and cute. I’ll get around to making something out of them someday, I swear.
I was going to large SCA events years ago, and at a week long event in the summer, you're expected to be in period clothing the entire time. In order to make enough clothing on a budget, I wound up finding a ton of linen tablecloths, and cotton sheets from the thrift store and it was so much cheaper than buying fabric.
I used to do SCA
Thrift stores are our favourite places and you never look at household linens the same way again. I had a beautiful overdress made from duvet cover of a fleur de lis print
Keep an eye out on curtains, too. IKEA curtains are awesome!
And they have excellent linen curtains!
Yes! But do keep in mind that some curtains are treated with fire retardant which is not something you want to wear on your skin
Especially when they're in the bargain section! Got several sets of linen curtains (Full length) for £14 for the lot because there was slight marks at an edge
@@dawnmoriarty9347 I've been finding mine at Goodwill, which is great!
Yes! The loosely woven curtains come in super long lengths like 108” long, too.
2:46 for the flapping pillowcases, fold the extra over to one side, then push the extra fabric between the pillow and pillowcase. You get a perfectly enclosed pillow! Some pillowcases have similar things built in - but they are usually too short in the part that goes inside.
I do that to mine! Love ❤ it!
I do this too! Usuallu every other day cause I move around to much for it to stay. 😂
Yep! That's how I do it, too!👍
Really, if you are a sewing person, it's just one seam to make a pillowcase smaller...
Yep. Hospital bed making at its finest.
I was trained by a very old school nurse she demanded excellence from our beds.
Oh Don't forget Ikea sells bedding!
There has been a lot of Historical costumers that have made 18 century gowns from Duvets from Ikea..
😅
I made a fabulous Mrs Frizzle costume one year with an IKEA duvet cover I found at Goodwill. And I had enough fabric left over to make a giant floor cushion which I tried to fill with chopped up fabric scraps, but eventually gave up and filled with furniture foam bits.
Once I saw a full shopping cart wrapped in plastic in their as is section full of fabric. Since it was wrapped I couldn't really tell if it was sheets or thicker curtains. I don't remember the price either but what ever it was would have been a STEAL
I’ve bought fabrics from their bin in the “As Is” section of IKEA. Several cotton or cotton/lyocell (Tencel) blend fabrics in different weights and textures. One cotton curtain had a paint splash on the lower hem, but has a lot of yardage, and I keep using parts of it. The fabric can be a good price, and I wasn’t the only person rummaging through the bin.
My first thought!!! Nothing on Ikea????? My favourite patterns and quality fabric!
That was a lot of fun A circular table cloth came to mind when you were talking about the benefits of width. Anyway you did a lot of work and produced an entertaining and educational video Thank you so much.
Favorite thrift fabric is curtains. I use them to make totes, pretty bags for camping chairs, and even cross body purses. Spend 5 or 10 dollars for 6 yards.
I am exactly who this video is for. 😂 As someone who lives in an area without any sort of remnant fabric seller, sheets are SO much cheaper than Joann!
So much of joann fabric is 45"! At $12 yard, it's crazy expensive. I'll go and look and feel, then go look on line and find same or similar for half price or less. Learning about weaves, weights and counts with natural fibers helps when buying on line. Get swatches mailed when in doubt.
Walmart used to have a great selection of single solid sheets and print sheets! Single sheets were $4.97. I’ve been a seamstress for decades and when people ask about starting to sew - I would recommend Walmart single sheets at $5 you got 2 1/2 yards of 60” wide fabric !! Best deal around and start with some easy like cover a pillow! Quick results, something pretty and the desire to sew more! Around Pandemic time they changed manufacturers and the colors went to basic color solids only!!! AND doubled the price to $10!! Grrr
I don't know if this was already said, but as someone who has a Cali-King, the difference between that and a standard King, is that a Cali-King is narrower but longer., when you have a really tall hubby, Cali-King beds work great, because his 6 ft 3in body fits and his feet don't hang off the bottom.
This is exactly why my husband and I have a California King. The salesguy at one of the furniture stores we went to was rather snippy when we said we wanted a Cal king. "It's just a few inches longer than the regular king, and it's narrower." Yeah, well, my 6'5" hubby would really like a bed where his feet don't hang over the end of the bed. I understand it limits the options on which bed models are available, but it's worth it.
For anyone thinking about a California king, turns out they are the size of two extra-long twin beds put together.
@@christineg8151you can get a Wyoming king at 84’ x 84’ but they get pricy and Texas and Alaskan are even bigger
Yes, the box spring of a typical Cal-King Mattress is actually 2 Twin XL box springs.
This has been a really interesting deep dive! 😊 Thank you!
I'm in the UK. Our charity shops typically don't sell fabrics by the metre, sadly. The best value source of fabric from charity shops, therefore, is good quality - by which I mean 100% cotton (polyester? Yuk! 😝) - bed linen, particularly double or king size duvet sets which comprise a sheet, a duvet cover and two pillow cases. If they're cute prints (or a nice plain colour) and not stained or damaged, given that you can get SO MUCH fabric for something under £10, it's an absolute no brainer! The added bonus of a double or king size sheet is the fact that the width is enormous, which makes it super versatile. When a regular fabric is only 112cm wide (always disappointing), it limits what you can make without joining pieces together, e.g. a circle skirt or super wide culottes may not be possible without "piecing" the fabric.
You talked about thread count. Paradoxically, if the thread count is very high, sheets will probably be less desirable for making into garments as they won't drape nicely - they'll be somewhat crisp or stiff. A slightly looser weave (lower thread count) is actually more comfortable to wear. But a high thread count is brilliant for sheets used for sleeping on, as they'll last longer and be less likely to rip.
"Percale" used to indicate a higher quality cotton fabric, but nowadays I think it's just a marketing gimmick.
Again, thank you! I very much enjoyed this video 😊
I have wondered about the term “percale” so often! Clearly never bothered to look in to it AT ALL after deciding that it meant “slightly cheap looking and shiny looking” all by myself 😅
And one of the contestants from the current series of Sewing Bee often makes clothing from sheets bought from charity shops!
Im in the UK and had no idea of that bit of thread count info. Thanks!
Percale sheets depend on your source! I'm currently lying in bed on my percale cotton sheets, and let me tell you, it's a surprising difference from cotton jersey. Turns out that woven sheets don't retain heat as well, which isn't great for winter, but in the summer? When it gets up to the mid-20s Celsius in the dead of night? It's nice.
Anyway, I think at this point percale is just a designation of plain-woven cotton, to distinguish it from cotton sateen. (Sateen is denser than percale/plain-weave fabric, so it's warmer. It's why high quality percale sheets range from 200 to 400 thread count, while sateen only starts at 300.)
@@SpringStarFangirl Really interesting! Thank you! 😃
This video was so chaotic in the best way possible I forgot what we were researching and then it came back Midway. New follower😂
Im actually having an exhibition entitled “Matching the Drapes” that opens on July 12 in chicago. this exhibition playfully explores bespoke garments made from repurposed curtains, bed linens, and other household fabrics imbued with memories of comfort and family life.
lol. And, yes, fabric is redonk expensive and I love you more than any full-price linen bolts. 😊
Speaking of bed sizes, I think the largest bed sheet size is known as an Alaskan King.
California King?
@@dar4835”An Alaskan king bed measures 108 inches by 108 inches (9 feet by 9 feet) and is the largest mattress available. These beds offer multiple sleepers plenty of room to spread out and sleep comfortably” 😉
Yup, Alaskan King is gigantic!! They are made to sleep a family of 4. I guess it's easier to stay warm that way! 😂
There's also a Wyoming King that's slightly smaller than the Alaskan, then one step down is Texas, and finally the California King...
Yes, I just found out that that is a thing.
To be fair, Alaska is 2.5 times the size of Texas, so having Alaska king be the biggest seems appropriate.
Watching you scratch the itch in your brain was nice. Love this video.
Bed sizes in the U.K., single, divan, small double, double, king size and super king, widths are 2’6”, 3’, 4’, 4’6”, 5’ & 6’. We generally buy our sheets separately from our duvet covers and pillow cases , which come as a set, There’s normally one pillow case with a single, two pillow cases with the other sizes. Duvets sets can be plain, patterned, jacquard or embroidered. You can also buy pillow cases separately in pairs, but these are normally plain, patterned sheets are rare and king size bed sets come with standard size pillow cases. Average fabric on the roll width in the U.K. is 147 cm or just under 58 inches. Thread count only applies to pure Cotton, linen and silk.
UK here too... our mattress is superking, but the base duvet that we use year-round (summerweight) is a king, with an absolutely huge microfibre blanket from Dunelm ontop of that (except on the very hottest of nights). In winter we add a heavier double duvet, and keep it on as long as possible - it's still on there now, although i suspect it might be coming off tonight - if only because we both love the weight of it (really should get around to buying a weighted blanket sometime). anyway. the double duvet is just a little bit short the width of our superking mattress. Also, fitted sheets for the superking drive me NUTS. no matter that they're sold at 200 by 200, i.e. superking, so many of them just don't really fit properly and the elastic end up squeezing the middle ofthe mattress height and pinging free in the middle of the night. ARGH.
UK sewist, used to work in a fabric shop: it's the same widths, marketed as 115cm or 150cm, but that includes the selvedges so the usually usable width is a couple of cm less.
@@lizvanwessem2055the solution to the sidewall height issue you are experiencing is to do an alteration to make it bigger, perhaps using some additional yardage from pillow cases. That's what I would do in your situation
@@AnitaSouthall yeah, maybe. Thank you!
@@lizvanwessem2055 and that’s why I always buy flat sheets! Of course I’m Scottish and by nature a bit frugal… come to think, my last KS duvet cover was made using a pair of plain flat sheets (I didn’t like the patterns on offer) And there was enough fabric left over for a pair of pillowslips.
My father and I reupholster a couch and two chairs with bed sheets that had a beautiful under water fish theme.
Fun fact that might affect pricing of larger sheets. The wider the bolt of fabric is when it's woven in the factory, the more complicated it is. Because threads need to be stretched over the looms, and so when they're longer, they are more prone to snapping and other weaving issues. So to get larger fabric widths costs more because it's more complicated to do right.
Also that comment about queen beds makes sense. More people have queen beds as kings are kind of a luxury. So because more people buy queens, they can make more profit off of them when the prizes are raised (is my guess at least)
I was a member of Job's Daughters, a Masonic youth group for girls ages 11-20. At our State conventions (Grand Bethel), all the members would wear "look alike dresses." Depending on the bethel (chapter), everyone would at least wear a floor length dress made of the same fabric and some bethels would require the girls to all use the same pattern. Every bethel was different, and it was fun to see the variety of fabrics chosen. The State Representatives (Grand Bethel Girls) wore look alike dresses as well, but as they were from throughout the State, you couldn't count on every city having the same fabric store with the same bolt of fabric, as this was long before the days of internet ordering. Many fabric stores would not special order fabrics unless the member committed to purchasing the entire bolt. So, the GBGs would get together and choose a patterned sheet because it was easier to go to a department store that carried XX brand and have them order XX pattern in the amount of flat sheets that they needed. Even though we were in California, their dresses were the huge Southern belle style that required hoops underneath. Even today, when I see a particularly pretty, flowered patterned sheet, I think fondly back to the Grand Bethel Girl dresses.
I’m a majority member of the Job’s Daughters in Brazil ❤
@@tainaracosta270 That's fantastic! Hello!
Fascinating lifestyle ❤
Haha, my mom was the Grand Guardian of Colorado a few years ago. I was telling her about your comment and she said, "She must be in California." Yup!
@@wendywarren5756 LOL!! I didn't realize we were the only ones who did that.
There is a Texas king. A lot of basketball players will have that if they don't have a custom setup.
FYI the dimensions of mattresses areTexas king is 80x98, Cal King is 72x84 and a King is 76x80.
There's also an Alaska king, which is 108"x108"
@@driverjayne that was sultan size in water bed sheets back in the day
@@HealthyDisrespectforAuthorityis the implication that you have a harem?? im glad they don’t call it that anymore
@@k80_ I guess back then, that was the reference..A guy I knew in college had an apartment, and one room was only slightly bigger than that bed. I don't think an ice chest fit between it and the wall on any side. It was the movie room for our group of friends.. his bedroom was a different room. Wrestling sheets onto that thing was no party.
So basically Cali King is longer but narrower than a King.
YESSSSS this video is something I've wondered often when wandering various stores!! thanks for taking the time and making the epic and nerdy spreadsheet.
This is so fascinating and I’m SO thankful you did this for the sewing community! THANK YOU! 🙏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This was very interesting! You went really deep and that took a lot of work. You'll find with sheets that the percale are more crisp and cool, great in summer, and sateen are limp and drapey, better for winter, in my opinion. Good job on the research. It wore me out just watching!
Thank you for doing this work for me! I have been toying with this exact question for months and now I don't have to be overwhelmed by the thought process!
I made dresses/tops for my toddler to 6yr old from thrift ed standard pillow cases. I've made curtains, I made little house on the prairie style dresses for school play from flowered sheet sets. I could not afford fabric on the bolt in the 80s on minimum wages of the time. It worked!
Wow, listening to you talk about the different sizes... Man, it sounds way more complicated than what I'm used to here in Germany: mattresses are usually 90 or 100cm wide, a Doppelbett is one frame for two mattresses and therefore 180 or 200cm wide. Bedsheets come in sets of 1 pillowcase 80x80 and one duvet cover 135x200 standard or 155x220 comfort size. So you're set up with a mattress and a set of pillow&duvet per person whether you're sleeping in a double or single bed. Now that I have a partner who moves a lot during his sleep I really came to appreciate this!
Yes, there are mattresses of 140 or 160 width, called "french" size but they are mostly used by students who want to fit some extra sleeping space into their rooms. (That's what I had in the past decades and ever since meeting the guy I'll never, ever get back to a shared mattress, especially not a bouncy one where I'm in constant fear of being wobbled out of bed 😅)
Thanks for the work!
Your split skirts&dresses inspired me to do my own, out of bed sheets actually!
As a sewist who almost always uses scrounged and thrifted sheets and curtains for my garment projects, there are a few extra details you may want to consider. First, a lot of the sheets (usually the fitted sheets) that I have found are quite worn in the center from use (usually in the "butt area" when one was lying down on it), and so that can limit the square footage if it is super noticeable (rough, pilling, or worn sheer) and needs to be cut out or avoided. The second thing is that most of the time it is difficult to find cheap or used sheets in anything that isn't synthetic materials (obviously it is possible, but I haven't found it common). In my experience, using polyester or poly-blend sheets to make garments I plan to wear not very comfortable as the fabric doesn't really breath (makes a bit of a sweaty mess, plus visible sweat staining depending on the fabric colour!) This means that the styles of garments I can make are further limited to things like loose-fitting things and sleeveless or strappy tops, dresses, or skirts. I will still continue to use sheets of course (because buying fabric by the yard is expensive where I live and not as great a decision for the environment), but I do have to keep these things in mind when designing a new outfit.
I'm really fascinated by this, can you tell me if for example you were to find a white cotton flat sheet with a a thread count of I dunno 350 - 500 sold by itself (because I know some places will sell them as separate?) would you say that would be useful in making into some items comparing to just buy the fabric like normal in a roll? I know nothing about sewing so I'm curious as to Wyatt I would be getting myself into, especially if I were to try and hand sew it since I don't have space for a machine set up.
I feel like this job would be so much easier in a metric-only country.
You managed to make a data heavy video interesting. I’m glad you were fascinated by this.
And while I knew canvas was a type of weave, I’ve now learned that satin and percale are also weave types. So now I wanna go down that rabbit hole.
Hey Charlie, I’m from Bangalore, India and we typically have 4 types of beds: (and bedsheets) single, double, queen size, and king size beds.. Pillow case sizes remain the same tho. Sizes of the bedsheets are single bed sheet 66x92 inch, double bed sheet 78x98 inch, queen size bed sheet 90x102 inch, and king size bed sheet size in inches 102x108. All sets have only 1 flat sheet and 2 pillow cases, other than the single size, which has only 1 pillow case. Hope this interests you 😁
This is so helpful to all of us sewist who shop fabrics second hand!! Very much appreciated the hard work AND Queen size more expensive side quest knowledge. Very interesting all around. Thank you!
You're awesome. I found this exploration fascinating. I love these kind of rabbit holes. My brain loves answering its own questions, in detail 🤩 This was excellent information for me. I happen to live in a small, remote town where we no longer have a fabric store, and our Walmart got rid of it's fabric cutting table about 10 years ago. Now they bring in random cuts of 2 yard, pre package fabrics of terrible quality. Rarely multiples of the same print 🤦♀So bedsheets are my primary source, although yardage does show up at the second hand stores at times. I haven't bought new sheets to make things with, but I will consider now.
I recently made a lovely chemise and kirtle set out of some lovely tartan yardage and a king sized, high quality cotton sheet I got for $5.00. It felt like winning a lottery 🥳 I hadn't sewn in years until I needed a medieval outfit, and now I am re-smitten with sewing.
You have no idea how much I love the spreadsheet! Great video :)
I love finding flat bed sheets with pretty floral prints.
Excellent nerd out. Love how you broke down the data❤
I’ve always thought of new sheets as “good value” when large pieces are needed and thrifted sheets as worth having when the price is low enough because they are great for mock ups, linings, extra layers etc
While I have repeatedly heard people talk about using bedsheets to make clothing (and/or muslins), I have always assumed they were using thrifted/used sheets. Never occurred to me to buy a brand new set of sheets for the yardage! We have a store in the Twin Cities called SR Harris, which sells fabric at half the price listed on the bolt. One of the locations is quite large, and they'll help you find things, and cut your fabric. The other one is overwhelmingly large, and you are basically on your own in terms of finding things, and cutting your own the fabric. As I experiment with different types garments (and things like shirt collars), where there's a learning curve, it's been a great resource for making (potentially) wearable muslins, but if I screw up, I'm okay with the loss. I usually pay somewhere around $4-8/yd.
Love SR Harris! Minnesota Woman here!
I live 10 miles away from the warehouse store - I've been there once, it's fabulous. I bought 1/4 yds of 30 fabrics to make a crazy quilt.
@@jilbertb Perfect place for crazy quilt material!
I suddenly want to take a trip to the Twin Cities XD
I just had to say, Roxanne, that you and Charlie are currently my 2 favorite RUclipsrs, so seeing you comment on her videos is so cool. 😊
28:56 Satin/sateen are "floating" weaves, which makes for a soft/shiny/smooth-feeling fabric; the difference, I think, is that one is warp-faced (more of the vertical grain is visible on the right side) and the other is weft-faced (more of the horizontal cross-grain is visible on the right side).
1:01 Eta: if you ever forget/don't know how to spell "reconnaissance" you can shorten it to "recon"
22:30 adults who don't share their bed with a partner tend to have either a queen or a full mattress (I have a full), adults who share their bed with a partner tend to have either a queen or a king, and children and teenagers tend to have either a twin or a full. So, while 3-5 more cents per square foot doesn't seem like a lot to your average consumer, it means that the company is making the most profit on the most popular sheet size for adults. An extra 5 cents per square foot can really add up, especially when we're talking about the company's most sold product.
What I usually see is that sateen is used purely for cotton and other short-staple fibers, while satin is used for longer staple fibers like silk, polyester and sometimes rayon/viscose.
@@SpringStarFangirl here's what I found online: both are a 4/1 (over 4, under 1 twill/"floating") weave and the wrong sides are matte. Satin is warp-faced, glossy, and made with silk or synthetic thread. Sateen is weft-faced, sturdier, less shiny, and made with cotton yarn.
@@kohlraedirectioner huh. I thought both of them were warp-faced.
I'm in awe of anyone who can do this much research and actually follow through. Living in the UK and soon to be Japan, this video doesn't much apply to me- we use metres, and our beds are different sizes (IKEA sizes are also different!), flats sheets are rarer too, and bed sets have duvet covers- but I have really enjoyed going through this journey with you.
I found a lovely 100% cotton bed set at TKMaxx for £20 and snapped it up in an instant with the hope of using for clothes making. Quality printed cottons in the UK are often more than £15 a metre!
•I love your research, it satisfies some muscle in my brain 😎💙.
•I have an idea of why the silk bed sheets are 4x as much per yard as silk on the bolt by the yard. Silk tends to rip when it’s wet, more so the more load of its own weight it has. So bigger pieces rip more.
•Somewhere in silk fabric manufacture, if there is a stage when it is wet or even damp (being dyed, steamed? or pressed?), larger pieces or even longer threads in the weaving process will be more likely to rip or break. So the extra care that requires, in human care during fabric manufacture, in machine care during fabric manufacture, and the loss of finished goods (either to seconds, or outright losses) is going to increase the price per yard on the biggest pieces. There will be more loss, because wet or damp silk rips more under its own weight.
•You can see I love the deep dive too, even though I don’t have the data to back it up 😉.
•Also, if Queen sheets sell at 2 shelves to the other sizes one shelf each, as you pointed out, a small extra profit margin there would reap the retailers a giant reward.
•Thanks for this excellent video. 😎💃✅👏
I have no thrift stores or sort of around me in the countryside of western Germany. But I found out, that IKEA has a space where they sell furniture and stuff they used for display for way less money. So. In comparison of cheep fabric on roll or bedsheets. The sheets are much cheeper
Omg! "It's data time" is the best intro to a video I've heard in weeks.
And I absolutely have a template for calculating $/yard that I've been using for years for precuts and other odd size/shape fabric purchases.
You have answered so many questions I’ve had regarding sewing: fabric, sourcing fabric, machine feet attachments etc. I really enjoy your content and your great attitude. ❤
WOW- the writing, editing, humor, and planning for this video are incredible. You are very talented. I watch all kinds of videos and this was really top-notch! The random thought and wonder is so me and the idea to find the answer is too...but the work you did, would never happen for me. ha. I am so inspired that you would go to such lengths to solve a mystery. Oh, and the content and thoroughness are impressive! This was inspiring as a content creator. Master class!
You remind me of myself. I can get very specific and inclusive when attempting a similar project. I have to fight my tendency to go down "rabbit trails" with sub searches. Good work!
In the 1970s, my mom made all her bedroom draperies and bedspread with flat bedsheets (back then you could usually buy the flat and fitted sheets and pillowcases separately, rather than in a set) at a fraction of the price of extra-wide yardage. Sheets nowadays are cut larger than 30 or more years ago to accommodate modern ultra thick mattresses.
And yes, the pillowcases are ridiculously huge. I routinely have to take them apart to make fold-over envelope ends and to shorten and narrow them to fit my bed pillows.
I've used flat sheets for drapes & curtains for decades , starting when I could not find the exact color match to coordinate w/ a ltd. ed. print in my bathroom . Also for shower curtain ( + a waterproof liner used , of course ) & used the extra fabric left for a shower curtain valence on a separate tension rod . Using the same fabric / color for the window covering & shower curtain set gives the bathroom a nice " finished " look .
I just saw your collab with Shannon. So awesome!
Hi. Thank you for asking. Here are the five most popular bed sizes in the UK: Single 3' x 6'3" , Small Double 4' x 6'3", Double 4'6" x 6'3", King Size 5' x 6'6" and the Great Bed of Ware 8'9" x 8'9" x 10'.
27:50 easy peasy test. Cut a SMALL square, 1 cm square. Set it afire. If it turns to ash it's a natural fiber. If small hard plastic droplets form it's polyester.
I enjoy it when you get off topic because it's exactly where my mind went.
Yes you should have king size pillows on a king size bed. They’re longer and will fit better across the bed. ❤❤❤
That would be so much wasted pillow for me though, I sleep on the edge of my pillow XD
Ive bought king sized pillows before and still had an extra foot of fabric.
Nah. I only want a pillow when sleeping on my side - when I'm sleeping on my back, a pillow will only give me neck issues, it's better without. And if my partner is staying overnight, we use 2 ordinary pillows that have totally different thickness.
@@TheRustyTrike I have king sized pillows but only use them for the pillow shams that match the comforter; we don’t sleep on them. Hubs and I like regular-sized slightly flat pillows for sleeping.
Thank you for showing this video. The idea of using bed sheets for fabric has been something I have probably put way to much brain power into lately. This video has answered quite a few questions I keep thinking about.
In the UK a set is usually a duvet cover and one/two/four pillow cases and then you buy the bottom sheet seperate. Standard sizes are Single (what you would call a Twin), Double, King and Super King.
There's also the less well known Small Double, which is the size of bed I have which is the same length as a Double but narrower. The duvet cover is the same size but the fitted sheet is not
Don't forget the small single!!
I love going to the bins! And for pattern drafts, bedsheets are a lifesaver as I can correct issues and not waste precious fabric!
Wow, girl, you really went ALL out for us! Thanks so much 🙏