Bed Linen

[cathach]

Amen to that.

For those far away from the various Meccas of tailoring any seamstress/alterations tailor should be able to make unstructured garments like that provided you can supply the cloth and they're willing to take on the work.

Another LL member has this post on having boxers made for him http://www.thelondonlounge.net/forum/vi ... =4&t=10824 . I plan to emulate him post haste, there are also some great suggestions on what to do about the waistband that may solve the perennial problem of elastics being too tight/saggy over time.

[robert_n]

http://www.fergusonsirishlinen.com/

I get my linen sheets here (the natural, unbleached variety). I use the same material to have linen pyjamas and boxers made up. I never bother ironing the sheets, too redolent of Upstairs, Downstairs. I use them all year round.

[Twain2]

I would like to ask Mr Aldens opinion about the traditional, italian cotton and linen mix waffle weave bath towels. I find them very elegant and I'm currently looking at towels from a firm called Busatti. I'd be interested to hear if you have any other recommendations.

[cathach]

The waffle weave is also known as 'huckabuck', personally I'd go for the 100% linen fabric. I don't see what a cotton element would add to the fabric. The all linen fabric would be stronger and wear longer.

[alden]

I would like to ask Mr Aldens opinion about the traditional, italian cotton and linen mix waffle weave bath towels. I find them very elegant and I'm currently looking at towels from a firm called Busatti. I'd be interested to hear if you have any other recommendations.

Decorating and outfitting a home in Italy is truly like being a kid in a candy store. It maybe a nightmare to build or rebuild a house! But decorating one is a dream.

Busatti is excellent as is Zucchi. It is hard to go wrong.

Your post has led to me to imagine why the Italians are so strong in this field. I suppose most people have a house to live in while Italians seem to live to have a great house. The attachment to the home is probably stronger than say in America. And homes are rarely sold but passed onto to following generations.

When you look at Houzz or other blogs and websites dedicated to interior decoration, so much of what you see is pure kitsch, overloaded, wasteful of the eye's attention. The great Italian home is so much more natural, open, colorful, almost Japanese. And this quality is found in their cooking, great products assembled as naturally and simply as possible.

Sound familiar?

Cheers

[MTM]

I have a set of linen sheets from Linoto that I've been very pleased with. Have probably used the same set for 2/3 of the year for the past four years. Soft but very sturdy.

[marburyvmadison]

Is linen so much better than cotton? I use sheets that are 1200 TC from, sighs, Sheridian, a commercial bed sheet provider, and find that they severely handicap me -- at least when I'm trying to get work done in the room. If linen is better, I might get one to try.

[robert_n]

@ marburyvmadison.
Try Irish linen teatowels and if you don't think they dry significantly better than cotton, then you've saved your money. I loosely wrap my parsley, mint and other herbs in a linen teatowel in a sealed plastic bag for storage in the refrigerator, so absorbent is the fabric. The only downside I can see is that linen trousers wear in the seat and knees slightly more quickly than cotton.

[cathach]

Is linen so much better than cotton? I use sheets that are 1200 TC from, sighs, Sheridian, a commercial bed sheet provider, and find that they severely handicap me -- at least when I'm trying to get work done in the room. If linen is better, I might get one to try.

When it comes to sheets beware of thread count numbers as there is no standard definition of it. Cotton yarn for weaving is plied, so is each ply a thread for the count? In any event the finer and more densely packed the weave, the less breathable the sheets will be (or other cloth). In my own case since trying linen sheets I have never gone back to cotton, they are without equal I think in allowing the body to regulate its own temperature. Irish linen sheets and wool blankets layered according to the season are what I recommend to all.

[BirdofSydney]

Barely a week into sleeping on linen sheets, and I will never go back.

[cathach]

Barely a week into sleeping on linen sheets, and I will never go back.

Its amazing what a difference it makes, I still can't figure out why people changed.

[Edward Bainbridge]

Just to try, we bought a pure linen bedding set from IKEA. I don't remember where they have it produced, but this is certainly not the top end of linen weavers. Still already the difference to all the sorts of cotton I had known was eye-opening, or -closing, if you allow the weak but true pun.

Slightly slobbering, I had an online look at Irish linen, trying the links in this thread, but three- and even four-digit pound prices somewhat dried my mouth again. Are there good alternatives? Don't make my wife take me back to that Swedish shop.

Another, minor question concerns the colour: I'd go for white, but online, it's always difficult to see if the "white" is too hard (will it lose this when it's washed without bleaching things?) or the "natural" too much hippy-hempen (will it get brighter?)

[Manself]

The other day I found this dealer at an antiques fair in London. I didn't look closely, but it seemed incredibly promising.
Despite what the tumblr suggests there were lots of bed sheets for sale.
bluelinencupboard.tumblr.com

[Edward Bainbridge]

Thanks! I'll have a look there, though I don't see my wife agree to used bedsheets yet.

For affordable new good linen, I haven't found anything yet.

[davidhuh]

Thanks! I'll have a look there, though I don't see my wife agree to used bedsheets yet.

Dear Mr Bainbridge,

I hope your esteemed wife has no troubles sleeping in hotels then?

Linen is a unique fibre, and manufacturing a quality product comes at a price. The investment is well worth it. Linen bed sheets outlive cotton two to three times, and sleeping comfort is better because linen absorbs humidity much better. In terms of quality, Irish and Swiss are the best I know (also the most expensive). Flemish used to be good but I have no recent comparison. Russian linen is ok, not as refined though.

Cheers, David