Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that rekindle a loved one’s memory or have you wishing you could just pick up the telephone…..Happened to me recently at Home Goods when shopping for new sheets – “Mom, I need you!” I actually said out loud to myself as I perused through 300, 500, 600 thread count sheets of various and highly varied prices….Ginger was knowledgable and had ‘lessons’ on this subject and I could not remember! Something about the thread count – the higher the better – stuck in my mind, but all these low priced sheets with a high thread count made me suspicious that it was some sort of marketing ploy…..”They aren’t expensive enough for you???”, Peter slyly asked me…….HaaaHaHa, very funny – but true!   One thing I learned from Ginger – you get what you pay for……….So, after a bit of research, a few shopping trips, and some trial and error, here is what I learned:

• Thread Count –  the higher number of threads per square inch does indicate a stronger, higher quality fabric, but do not rely on this solely.  Other factors also affect a sheet’s quality and feel; the thread count is often highlighted on packages for marketing purposes.
• Fiber –  the fiber is actually the fabric content of the sheet and this makes a big difference.  Some are cotton/polyester blends, some are all cotton. For softness, nothing beats 100% cotton.
• Weave – this is the method in which the fibers are woven to create different ‘feels’…..Percale is a tightly woven crisp finish – if my memory serves me, this was ginger’s favorite – she hung them out on the clothesline to dry in the fresh air, then ironed them for extra crispness…..Egyptian cotton, pima, and supima cottons are smooth weaves that are softest to the touch.
• Brand/Price – if you shop for the lowest price, don’t expect to get a luxury sheet – on the other hand, no need to go to the top of the line either….if you do, check out Frette online or at Bloomingdales – in the price range of $500 to thousands for a set of sheets…..(I think Oprah has them!)…Once you know what ‘feel’ and price range you are looking for you can find wonderful sheets at Home Goods, Bloomingdales, and Bed Bath and Beyond.

My final purchase was at Bed Bath and Beyond – Palais Royal in pale gold; 630 thread count, 100% Egyptian cotton, super soft and silky, noticeably more so than any ‘designer’ sheets I already own….On sale for $99.00 (Queen) and worth every penny…..

You might be wondering what started this sheet shopping……as it often goes, one thing leads to another…….after talking about purchasing a new mattress for the past couple of years,  Peter and I  finally took the step – with careful consideration and much research we recently purchased a latex Kluft mattress from Bloomingdales –  sooo of course that meant new pillows, new mattress cover, and you guessed it, new bed linens……happy with all, bedtime can’t come fast enough!

Have you been sheet shopping lately?  What’s your favorite?