Every time you go to bed, you lie directly on a piece of cloth called a bed sheet or bedding, which serves as a covering for the mattress. Normally, you would tuck yourself between the bed sheet and another piece of cloth called a top sheet that is laid on top of the bed sheet. In cold climates or air-conditioned rooms, a blanket or comforter is added to the top sheet to keep you warm and comfortable during the night. There are two kinds of bed sheets – fitted and flat sheets.
Just like what their name imply, flat sheets are just simply rectangular pieces of cloth that are slightly larger than the dimension of the bed so that their edges can be folded under the mattress. A technique of neatly and securely folding these kinds of sheets under the mattress is known as “hospital corners.” A fitted sheet, on the other hand, is a piece of cloth that has been cut and sewn to fit exactly the shape and dimension of the mattress. Sometimes, its four corners or four sides are fitted with garters to secure it to the mattress and keep it from slipping off while in use.
Fitted and flat sheets were traditionally available mostly in white to convey a clean and sterile place to lie on. Perhaps, because white bed covers have become so stereotyped with the sterile “hospital look,” – these bed covers now come in a variety of colors and design patterns that would enable homeowners to make their own beds an extension of their personality.
In fact, an increasing number of hospitals and hotels have begun using colored and patterned bed sheets to give their rooms that homey and comfortable look. As bed sheets come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, they also come in different qualities. Bed sheet quality is often expressed in terms of thread counts, which refer to the number of threads per square inch of the fabric. A thread count of less than 200 is cheap, but considered inferior and does not last long. Aim to buy fitted or flat sheets with a thread count of 200 or more because it will certainly be worth the price you will pay for it in the long run.
Bed sheets also come in different materials, ranging from cotton, rayon, linen, satin and even the luxurious and pricey silk material. One of the popular choices is a blend of cotton and polyester, which is cool yet wrinkle free. Other new materials that have recently been introduced into the market are hypo allergenic and disposable bed sheets.
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