Crisp, Cool Bed Sheets: The Best, Most Comfortable Bed Linens Are Also the Simplest

I've been obsessed with finding some affordable 100% cotton sheets that are of the cool, crisp weave and quality that my grandma used - the kind you'd see drying on clotheslines in her neighborhood.

Here's my problem.  In the hot, humid weather of summertime, I can't fall asleep without a sheet on top of me, but I don't want it to cling.  I hate the feel of those shiny, high-thread-count, soft, drapy sheets in sateen, especially in the summer - it might feel okay at first, but it's not really ideal for year-round wear.  Those so-called luxury sheets feel as breathable as wet silk to me - which means not breathable at all.  (Silk, though airy when dry, gets stifling when it's damp, and is much harder to care for, so it doesn't make the best comfortable day-to-day sheeting).

I considered linen sheets, which are airy, smooth, and cool.  They would be perfect...if I could afford them.

Which left me with an option I had almost forgotten:  those wonderful, old, kinda stiff, sorta wrinkly, but smooth, crisp sheets that rustled loudly against the skin when I was a kid and gave me this great feeling of being tucked in and cozy.

So then my mission began.  Find the crisp cotton sheets!  And while I was on a sheet shopping crusade, I decided I wanted my pillowcases airy and crisp, too, and not stifling my face, right where I'm trying to breathe!

I also wanted to find single sheets and pillowcases - bedding a la carte, basically.  See, I love flannel sheets in winter, but I can't stand flannel pillowcases against my face.  And because we have been trying out some unconventional bed and mattress designs (like shikibutons), I wanted to be able to buy a flat sheet here, a fitted sheet there...and any number of pillowcases I choose, not just the standard single pillowcase that comes with a twin set, or the two cases with full, double, and queen, or the two king-sized pillowcases that come with king size sheet sets (I mean, I like a big bed, but my head is normal size, you know?)

So what have I learned in my quest for those traditional crisp sheets of yesteryear?  I've learned the best sheets aren't the fancy ones, like the Thomas Lee cotton sheets.  They sent me a swatch, but although it felt really lovely - in fact, it felt very much like fine silk to me - it wasn't what I wanted to sleep in every night of the year.  I want something substantial on me.

I learned what to look for when I buy crisp sheets, specifically that the feature that makes cotton sheets cool, crisp and smooth is the percale weave.  For the non-fabric-techies, percale is the simplest, most basic weave there is, tight and strong, and not stretchy, fluffy or linty.  I learned that a good quality cotton can make the difference between scratchy percale sheets and smooth, that combed cotton feels somewhat warmer than plain cotton.

And thread count?   Sheets of 200 thread count (which means 100 threads going in one direction and 100 threads going in the other direction, per inch) to 280 thread count are usually what we think of when we think of our grandma's clothesline sheets.

In my research, I found some highly rated and very affordable sheets, which you'll find here. I've tried some of these sheets, and others I only found after I did my sheet shopping.  (For some reason, my husband is not thrilled by the idea of replacing the entire contents of our linen closet with sheets while I test each one.)

I did use my newly gained savvy to pick out the sheets that earned positive reviews by people of like minds - those who remember their grandmother's sheets and scorned the sissy sateen and impossibly high thread counts (after 400, apparently it's all hype) for those basic, comfy, smooth and firm sheets that are best for everyday use.

Besides percale sheets, you'll also find here some great sources for quality flannel sheets and old-fashioned 100% cotton quilts that have a heirloom look but not price tag.  And for those who can afford it, some nice linen sheets.  And any other bedding products I found that I thought were nifty.
 

Update: Discovering Sheets for Over Ten Years

I started this blog back in 2011, thinking I was all alone. To learn there were others who felt as I did was a big and welcome surprise. Since then I've added onto it and made sure it was up-to-date.

Then came a different kind of cool! A few years ago this very blog was featured in an issue of the Chicago Tribune.

And the fall before that, it was featured in Cottage White, the home décor section from the publisher of Romantic Homes and Cottages & Bungalows. They interviewed me and everything. That year was a double wow.

I'm thrilled that my weird passion for airy bedding, which started out as a cranky grumble that annoyed my family so much they told me to put it in a blog, has led to this place being a hub of discussion on this most critical topic for us coolcrispers. Yes, I did just coin that word! :) And yes, I do consider bedding a big deal. Menopause among other things has taught me never to take comfortable sleep for granted.

I've gotten a lot of emails from like-minded folks over the years, asking me questions. I promise you I do update with the current status of the percale sheets market as frequently as I can. Currently, my personal favorite recommendation for sheets is on my Buy Crisp Sheets page, in my review about halfway down.

Thanks for visiting, everyone. I'm grateful to know I'm not the only one feeling the heat these days. Stay cool and cottony. :D

 -Chris, May 2022

260 comments:

  1. Hi :) I have been looking for Grandma style sheets!! So many shiny uncomfortable ones available now, I wanted the semi-canvas hard-wearing ones so good to see someone else searching too. Any good shop recommends?

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    1. So glad to find this, I had nearly despaired of finding crisp sheets!!!

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    2. I agree! Delighted to find that others feel the same as I do on this subject.

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    3. I agree finding good sheets like we used to buy in the 70's & 80's is near to impossible. I found 200 and 300 count percale sheets at www.bedding.com They are sold as separates. The pillowcases come in a set of 4 standard or set of 2 in king. I just purchased 2 flat..2 fitted king and 2 sets of standard pillowcases...for all that I paid $106 and change. They only come in white and best of all the flat sheet is oversize..or the size sheets used to be. I just washed them and they came out of the dryer a bit wrinkled but after I folded them they lay beautiful. If I had removed them when the cycle was done they wouldn't have been as wrinkled. Like the percale of old the more you wash them the softer they get. I will be buying a few more sets...

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    4. Add me to the ranks of the displeased and ever-searching. I have a closet full of sheet sets that have been used for one night (one very unsatisfactory night). The crisp, cool, lint-ball-free sheets I'm sleeping on now are well past needing to be replaced, but I just can't give them up until I find reasonable replacements. Another issue (which I haven't seen mentioned by anyone else yet) with the current, and terribly uncomfortable, sheets is that they ALL seem to be very ill-fitting. They are far too loose, having been designed for extremely tall mattresses, thus leaving me tossing and turning all night on wrinkled up, bunched up sheets beneath my bare skin. It's horrible! I LIKE having to stretch the fitted sheet onto the mattress corners! HELP!!! Sleepless in Georgia

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    5. I have found now days that you might be able to buy 300 plus thread count, but the Guage of the thread is thinner; therefore, not as strong and not as durable as the good old fashion "200 high thread count" of yesterday years. It's all about built in obsolescence in order to stay in business. I miss my grandma's sheets.

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  2. Hi Rebecca,

    I did find some I love. I'm working on a list - check back soon for concrete recommendations. :)

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  3. Shabby Chic sheets are light and airy and crisp.

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    1. I loved Shabby Chic sheets for a while; then they ripped and tore at the seems.

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    2. thanks for the information - I have placed an order and hope to receive by spring!

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  4. I was searching for those good, crisp, old-fashioned cotton sheets when I stumbled onto your blog!

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  5. Okay, I've started a list of crisp cotton sheets, and started one for quilts, too. They're here

    http://grandmothershome.blogspot.com/p/crisp-sheets.html

    and here

    http://grandmothershome.blogspot.com/p/buy-quilts.html

    Or you can just navigate to the "Buy Crisp Sheets" and "Buy Quilts" links at the top. Let me know in the comments if you have other suggestions!

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  6. Thank you so much for this Blog! I am so frustrated, with not being able to find our good old fashioned plain sheets, I'm ready to scream! I did a search and your blog came up. I was actually relieved that I'm not the only one who doesn't care for all these new sateen, Egyptian cotton, etc.. sheets because I was starting to think I was a bit crazy! : ) Thanks again!

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  7. It's so nice to finally find others that remember their grandma's clean, crisp & always so nice & cool sheets! I've been searching for years. I've tried so many only to be so sadly disappointed! I also dislike the silky sateens, egyptian cottons, etc that so many claim are luxury. I thank you for this blog & thank the others that contributed to this blog w/ their comments. I will check out the ones you have listed. Thanks again, Sherri.

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  8. I am a die hard simply shabby chic fan and I can no longer find sheets at Target anymore. I am completely bummed. I can't imagine sleeping in anything other than that. Any good suggestions.

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    1. I too bought the Target/Home Brand crisp sheets. Not anymore. I've purchased two sets but they are just not the same. I found at another site that The Country Store may have the crips sheets or Wamsutta superCale, now I see that Vermont Country Store may have them. Good Luck all!

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  9. I've looked everywhere for crisp cotton sheets as well. Loved Martha Stewart's cotton sheets at KMart but they are no longer available, like so many of those listed on various websites or blogs. FINALLY found Vermont Company Store's Clothesline Crisp Sheets. You would think that these sheets would be more available. Are we really that old fashioned???

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    1. Just got Vermont Country Store in the mail. Washed and ready to break in tonight...hopeful

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  10. Im on board with you all! When my grandmother passed, we were all asked if we would like something, and I asked for her sheets. They are so wonderful!

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  11. Wow, we must all have grown up in the same era. I too am looking for the wonderful old fashioned sheets. I've put you on my favorites list and will check back often.

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  12. I tried the Vermont Country Store "crisp" sheets and was very disappointed. They're heavy, and loud whenever you move, and never quite relax to the body or bed. It's hard to describe but there's almost a plastic feel to them. So, I'm still looking. The Target website says my local store has the Simply Shabby Chic sheets in stock, maybe those will be what I'm looking for...

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  13. The 220 ct percale seashell pattern at LL Bean are great. When I first unpacked them, they felt coated and plasticky but after a few washes, they are perfect, yes wrinkled but crisp and cool. I hang them up outside because we live in LA. Unfortunately they are discontinued. Their 280 ct percale are ok but not as crisp and cool. I think what we're seeing is the difference in cotton mills and the old sheets were made in the US at the old cotton mills. They are no longer operating

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    1. aaah, the seashell percale are the ones we sleep on at cottage we frequent as guests. I ADORE those sheets! May have to do the 280 if you think they are close. Have you tried the egyption percale with LL Bean?

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    2. I think you hit the nail on the head Kara. I live in the hometown of what was at one time the home and headquarters of Springs Mills, known for their Wamsutta brand among others. At one time a large percentage of sheets mfg in the US were made within a 50 mile radius of me. Now Springs is called Springs Global and operates out of Brazil. Even though the name is basically the same the products being produced are in my opinion substandard to the quality we were accustomed to.

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    3. Springs & Wamsutta brands were my favorites. Just right - got better the more they were washed. I just wore holes through my last queen size Springs branded fitted sheet and I am despondent. Nothing else feels like these sheets. They are smooth and soft, but have the perfect weight to them. Why can no one make sheets like this anymore? Clearly there is a market for the old quality that we used to have. It makes such a big difference for a good night's sleep.

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    4. Real cotton is a thing of the past for the masses due to genetic modification, pesticides, and short fibers.

      It's so sad.

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    5. Unfortunately, cotton is genetically modified, full of chemicals and short fibers.
      Real percale is gone for the masses.

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  14. Oh my gosh---I thought I was alone as well...All I can find are sateen which are ok-but not what I really like. Some people make fun of me and say--"a sheet's a sheet" Not!!!! I'm glad I found this...btw--my favorite sheets seem to be old ones I've found at yard sales! I like a nice ,crisp, cool, soft sheet which no lint balls..:)

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    1. Me too.. someone gave me a bunch of bedding for the rescue dogs. Going thru them I found some old sheet sets..they were thin, soft, wonderful... sorry dogs..now I hit the thrift stores looking for old soft sheets.

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    2. Me too! I found a fitted and flat sheet at my local Goodwill and used them to pieces. They were exactly like the soft cotton sheets I grew up with (7 kids) that started out as stiff cotton and ended up like a soft hug at night.

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    3. I ALWAYS get my sheets at thrift stores! I hate surprises when it comes to my sheets!

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  15. Hi Chris,
    Of the ones still available, can you tell me your favorite and second favorite? Many thanks!

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  16. My favorite turned out to be the 250 thread count percale at Eddie Bauer. Unfortunately, I don't know if those big retailers use the same suppliers all the time - I suspect not. Their stock seemed quite diminished when I checked the other day. I was not crazy about the way Shabby Chic held up over the test of time. I'm still looking, to be honest, as I am also looking for bargains - I have a hard time paying the prices I'm seeing as if low-thread-count percale were at a premium (though in a sense, it is!).

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  17. Oops - I said Eddie Bauer, but turns out I meant Lands End. I just checked my order receipt - seems I always mix up those two along with LL Bean! I have been very happy with the sheets and pillowcases I got with a 200 thread count. They're having a Christmas sale right now, too. Better selection than Eddie Bauer, certainly. :

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  18. Well...these are only 55% cotton, but I just ordered three more sets...because I slept in mine last night and they were JUST what I wanted. Crisp...cool...I was back in my childhood. And...soooooo reasonable price wise. Check them out.

    http://www.overstock.com/Bedding-Bath/Classic-Percale-250-Thread-Count-Oversize-Sheet-Set/5090026/product.html

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  19. Thank you for this info!So glad I stumbled on this. I have bought so many sheets only to return them. At times been so frustrated that I have taken them out of the pkg in the store, put them against my face and leave empty -handed. The sheets we have now were bought 2 years ago and the company doesn't make them anymore. I had a set, "high quality" wedding gift, that made so much noise that turning over in the night would wake both of us! They are on the guest bed which,btw, is a great way to get rid of company that stay too long.

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  20. I thought I was the only one on this quest. 3 years ago I bought two sets of sheets for my parents when they finally entered their independent living home. But they were twin sheets. I found them at Sears, threw out the packaging and didn't notice that they were the holy grail until I slept on them after my parents passed and my sister and I cleaned out the apartment. We share the room and slept side by side on the heavenly sheets. We both woke up and the same time on the first night and said "OMG these sheets are just what I want at home on my own bed".
    Sad to say I haven't found a pair to fit my king size bed since. They were cool, crisp, snapped when you fold them, a nightmare to iron but who would try that? and just enough weight on a summer night. I get a blank stare from linen department clerks and everyone wants to sell me Egyptian cotton that feels like damp kleenex. To top it off, I live in Canada and after I have scoured all the major department stores and bedding specialty stores all I have left is on line stores...but I can't feel them first. Does anyone have any ideas for me?

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    1. I would iron Them! I actually enjoy ironing in the fall, winter and spring, that is. I have one set of Wamsutta sheets that actually kind of crackle when you move them. Gosh I love them. Like so many things, if I had known they'd be gone forever, I'd have bought a big supply. I am so distraught that I ever replaced my old GEORGE Washington machine that had a lint filters! Now when I wash rugs, I have to run 2 empty loads to get all the lint out of the washer.

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  21. Glad to have this place to discuss/vent I too am frustrated with the selection and I'm on an avid hunt to find these sheets. Several years ago I picked up some random sheets from Sears and had used them for several years until the fitted sheet got a rip. I got the name from the tag - Whole Home. But I've searched Sears stores and the internet high and low with no luck. I've subsequently bought and re-bought sheets at various places but have gotten nothing but those sateen luxury sheets that stick to me that I can't stand. I hate it when I can't move around in my bed. After some research I finally learned that I needed "percale" sheets. Well, now that I know that I'm having a difficult time finding them. Last week I did find some labeled "percale" at Bed Bath and Beyond. Ha! They were for kids - in Hot pink, purple, polka dots and all were twin or double.

    For about $54, Lands End will sell me a fitted queen that is very very close. It's 100% pima cotton, 280 thread count. They do not sell them in sets. But its the best match I have found. But the fitted sheet is loose on my mattress. Ugh.

    Last week I was digging around in my collection of old mismatched sheets that I save for wrapping furniture, taking on trips to sleep on someones couch, etc. ( I always save old sheets.) Lo and behold I found a fitted Queen sheet that "felt" like what I have been looking for - cool, crisp, yet soft. The label says JCPenney HOme Collection 100% Eqyptian Cotton and It's Perfect! Sadly it's no longer a product they sell.

    Anyway I'm frustrated as the others are who have posted here. Apparently we are a small group. If we were large enough perhaps the powers that be would realize there is a market here.

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  22. Add me to your list of seekers. I have one thick, heavy soft white cotton sheet with white embroidery top center, found at a garage sale, and it's soooooooo cozy. I've been wanting to find something comparable. Thanks for the info. Maybe we should form a Vintage Sheet Lovers' group? Count me in! smiles...

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  23. Me too! I have one set of inherited crisp, heavy, sateen, cotton, made in India, no-name full-size sheets I adore, even patched to smithereens as they are, and my Great-Aunt's antique white sheets and that's it. The rest are clingy, nasty, thin high-thread count which must mean very fine threads. Give me the OLD JC Penney Percale of my youth! Please!!

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  24. Hillcrest fine linens 400 thread count 100% long staple cotton I bought from a store that sells clothes with imperfections turned out to be very crispy, they make a sound when handled, best of all they are not thin.
    I went back and only found a Hillcrest luxury linens 600 thread count 100% long staple cotton, these are too smooth, don't wrinkle or make a sound.

    I should find another set of 400 count before I claim anything, maybe it's a fluke.

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  25. Haa haa 5 am uk time, bring back the old army sheets, im sick of paying a fortune, to find their soft like a baby wipe, and paid £60 for et of flat and fitted, 30 yrs down the line, passed down and only 2 of them

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  26. I have been searching for over 10 yrs for the crisp sheets of my youth. I'm a senior now & as a child I was in charge of ironing all the sheets for my large family. They were crisp & fresh from wash to wash. The bedding today is very poor & I think that the higher the thread count, the more they feel like cheap polyester sheets and I think the sateen sheets are garbage.
    My mother would add a small amount of starch to the bedding wash about once a month. Perhaps the starch & the ironing helped & I plan to try this on my newest set of bedding.

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  27. I am also searching for 100% cotton percale sheets that are cool and crisp, not too thin or flimsy that will last for years and years. I read some reviews on the Thomas Lee sheets that stated they only lasted a year or two. Has anyone tried them?

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  28. I, too am on the quest for those cool crisp sheets of my youth. I can't stand the "sateen". I did get a set several years ago at Kmart but they are no longer available. I line dry and iron the pillowcases so I don't care if they "wrinkle". Any recommendations would be so appreciated.

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  29. Hi ladies, glad I'm not alone. I buy, return, buy, return. I'm refusing to settle. I long for crisp, wrinkled but soft good old fashioned cotton sheets! I hate to admit defeat, but one reader above probably has it right. It's the source and quality of the raw product that we just don't have anymore. Soooooooooooo frustrated. If anyone has success please share ;) I'll check back here.

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  30. My wife understands, but thinks I'm semi-crazy on this subject -- but she has tried repeatedly to find the kind of sheets I like. I remember my mother saying that i preferred "precale" to "muslin," but all I know for sure is that the twin sheets (and especially the pillowcases -- heaven!) that I took from my parents' house when I moved out were the best! When I got married 33 years ago, we had some great sheets from Penney's (because they matched the comforter we wanted): I still remember the pattern name -- Stencil Flowers. Anyway, I'm still looking for those cool, crisp pillowcases and sheets. Came close with a set from Big Lots, but still on the hunt. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone (or crazy).

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  31. I'm also looking for the cool crisp sheets--the kind that are well made, not thin where you can see through them--I found some several years ago on Overstock but they don't have them now. I line-dry mine and iron the pillowcases. These are the sheets that are nice in the summertime as they stay cooler. If anyone knows of any, please let us know!! Thanks.

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  32. having fun reading years of comments ! I have been on the same journey as all of you. My favorite sheets used to be from JC Penneys. I wondered why the sheets didn't seem the same....in about 2000, they changed the brand sheets from being 100% cotton made in USA to 80/20 made in China. So it' been all of these years. Someone told me the word 'Percale" meant nothing, but like the story....I had my best luck with 350 to 40 Percale cotton.....so that is what I'm going back to. What the person above me posted is exactly how I feel....CRISP, COOL, remember how our feet would be cold when we slid into bed as kids.....yes....and hanging on the line on a windy day....sateen, Egyptian cotton, and all of that just grosses me out. Also, many above 400 sheets DO add fabric softner on cheaper priced sheets and then when you wash them a few times...that softness wears off and you end up with beady sheets.....no good. Glad we are all together in the "BRING US BACK OUT CRISPY SHEETS !

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    1. Thought it was just me. I just recently came off a cruise and the sheets brought me back to my childhood. Slept like a baby. Now I am on the quest with u guys. Never thought about the yards ale idea or maybe estate auctions but am going to try that route. Just bought a set of sheets today but I think I am going to return them and wait for the yardsales. I TOO WANT MY CRISPY COLD SHEETS

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    2. You can usually buy sheets from luxury hotels and maybe even the cruise line if you ask them. (New of course)

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    3. Just for your information, Sateen has chemicals added to soften the material and give it the sheen but Percale does not have any added chemicals to soften it which is why it is so crisp. I love that crisp feel especially if it has been dried on the line. Pima cotton is not as high quality at Supima cotton. Supima is a trademark and no company that does not use that brand, cannot state that it is Supima. They have to use the Pima to describe it. Supima cotton is grown in the western USA, where most pima cotton is grown. Supima is a premium cotton that is stronger and Pima is not premium or as strong as Supima. You can read more about it if you go to supima.com. It explains things well. I also purchased Walmart Egyptian Cotton Sheets and they shredded within one year. I was given some cotton sheets that were came from a shopping channel that did not last more than 2 years. My mother had purchased some Wamsutta sheets from Robinson's and they lasted for years and were probably cotton/polyester, but the Wamsutta Sheets I purchased from Bed, Bath, and Beyond in 2012 shredded this week. I did not notice anything when I took them out of the dryer but I am sure they were on the verge of shredding then because they did not look like they use to so I figure it was because they were thin but I did not see that. I found some at Authentica but I do not want to spend over $130.00 for a set of sheets. I would like to purchase them separately because I have more than one size of pillows so I need more than one size of pillow cases and I do not want envelope cases. I want regular old fashioned pillow cases. I purchased the last ones that were Wamsutta because I already had a top sheet and only needed the bottom sheet and the pillow cases. This was better for me but they were a higher thread count and I think I only want no more than 300 this time. I think they were in the 700's. With Supima you know it is from the USA but the Pima cotton you do not know that. I have also checked with L.L. Bean but they are Pima and not Supima cotton. When I checked with Land's End, they did not tell me that they had the Percale Supima Cotton Sheets like I was looking for so they are not an option either for me. I am still looking but if I find something I will post it here. I hope this helps sort things out.

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  33. well it was nice to see all these comments but still where can I buy them

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  34. I found crisp cool wrinkled sheets at Anna's Linens they are thin and very wrinkley and your feet feel so cool when you move a spot only 20.00 a set.

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  35. I found a set at Walmart and I love them. Brand name is Better Homes and Gardens 250 count. Make sure you get the 250 count because that is what makes them crisp and cool to the touch. They are dreamy to slide into at night, nice and cool and crisp.

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  36. As far as I could find, the Better Homes and Gardens 250 count percale sheets are "cotton rich" which turns out to mean 60% cotton and 40% polyester. Do they have any that are 100% cotton? If so, how do they wear after numerous washings?

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    1. This was of interest to me after finding that some of the "tolerable" sheets we had were 60/40, but probably due more to weight and snappiness of the fabric, than the fabric composition. My post will be below, once approved.

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  37. ditto to almost everything. We too have been unsuccessful in finding exactly what we're looking for. I need help even finding out what the "magic words" might be that would get us closer to finding it. Like almost everyone, I've found absolutely no correlation between thread count and the sheets we seek. I'm VERY confused re: whether Percale is really the right direction, or whether the definition/make of it has changed, or whether the type of cotton really matters so much as the 'heft' - Egyptian? Pima? Portugal cotton? This is making me crazy.

    I took apart our closet (where nothing is thrown away) and found the Perfect Sheets had the following labels:
    1. Royal Velvet, 100% Combed Cotton, Made in India purchased ?> 10 yrs ago?(no TC noted) - BUT, could only find someone selling the exact product as a pillowcase set on eBay. all other RoyVelv references I find now are to sateen, or something clearly not wanted. The combed cotton surprised me, I would have steered away from that term, if I saw it online, thinking it too fuzzy/warm or overly soft for our tastes, but these are crisp, cool and stiff from a quality weight, I think.
    2. the other Set is labeled "cmnHOME", 400tc, 100% cotton, and also Made in India!. They are fabulous. Same expensive feel based on weight, drape, cool and crisp. No mention of what type cotton. Also purchased > 6 yrs ago.
    the Only other sheets that come close are: a set of 100% cotton, (label ripped off,) that are cool enough, but are THINNER than 1) and 2), and very wrinkly even yanked ASAP out of the dryer, and don't have that crisp/snappy weight, a little on the limp side.
    Astoundingly, the fall-back sheets while waiting for the others to get washed, are various inexpensive brands purchased over the years that are 60%cotton/40%Poly (including Dan River, no longer made). I was shocked, didn't think I could stand that. They're not the same quality, but they ARE a heavier weight, so at least maintain their stiffness, and therefore still cooler to the head and body than more expensive, thinner, limper sheets.

    I just purchased online a Martha Stewart collection twin sheet that advertised "crisp, cool, percale", 100% cott,; but so disappointed. The ad failed to include the word on the package that would have been a deal-breaker: "Lightweight". Sure enough, these don't even feel like cotton out of the package - they feel like a synthetic, very slippery, and VERY lightweight. Will the poly-feel wash out? These don't even feel like cotton!
    So.... I'm seeing that besides 100% cotton, and not wanting sateen, etc., that the heft and weight of the fabric might be a key factor. "Percale" as defined by MS seems to be a bust.
    Is the quality weight fabric just no longer available? Does anyone have familiarity with items 1 and 2 such that they've found replacements that match? any input appreciated!

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    1. Hi! I know your comment is old but I just had to chime in. The cmnHome brand is what I'm searching for also. I really wish someone could help me with this matter. They are the absolute best sheets ever. Mine states 100% cotton and 500 thread count. I've been searching online but I keep seeing cmn international. I wonder is this the same thing. I think I'm going to go-ahead and order from it and just pray it's the same thing. I've had my cmnHome sheets for so long. I've put them in high heat and everything. These things are still smooth and beautiful. I'll let you know how these cmn international goes.

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    2. Hi 7lady! I am also on the hunt for cmnHome sheets! I found a set at a thrift store a few months ago, and I am in love! Such lovely sheets, just heavy enough to feel substantial and crisp, smooth. I want more, but I have no idea where to find them! Mine are also 500tc, made in India. Please do post back and let us know if you find where to get these!

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  38. I personally do like the Cuddledown 500 ct Italian percale. I dry top and bottom sheet separately on delicate, each dries in ten minutes, almost wrinkle free, and I only wash in warm water, no bleach.No pills, no threads, no signs of wear after years of use!! And they just get better and better with more and more washing.
    I think we have to remember, that Grams sheets may have dried "crispy" on the line in the sun and breeze, were ironed to a fault, washed a zillion times. try drying a TOWEL in the sun on your deck. You hardly have the same result as the one fluffy soft out of the dryer.....and if you are waking sweaty? Fans! AC!! and in winter, crack a window, and turn the heat down, down down. I sleep like the dead on my Cuddledown : )

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  39. In the DC area, Bed Bath and Beyond has simple percale sheets by Wamsutta, but I have had to open some pkgs to be sure I got the right ones. I think they are online too. What I want to know is what is fueling the industry to make the "wet Kleenex", hot, cloying sheets?

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    Replies
    1. The young people seem to like them. Feel they're "luxurious" and that the sheets we like are "scratchy". Can you be more specific on the simple percale sheets you bought at BBandB?

      Delete
    2. In a word, PROFIT! A few decades ago the technology to spin extremely fine thread was embraced by the weavers. This necessitated a higher thread count (TPI) or the fabric would look like cheesecloth. But even with the higher TPI there is far less cotton per square yard (usually measured in ounces per square yard and perhaps metric uses grams/square meter.) Less cotton means lower cost AND a shorter lifespan so customers need to buy your product more often. The blame for our throw away economy does not rest solely on the consumer. I stopped by a tailor shop to look at fabrics and even men's suiting from Italy has succumbed to this trend. I don't know the difference between a percale vs. broadcloth weave or how much difference there is between cotton plants today vs. a few decades ago but finer threads and a less dense fabric are primarily to blame. Business profit is good and necessary unless it is at the expense of reasonable quality.

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  40. What a welcome find you are, band of sisters and brothers! My all time favorite answer to this dilemma is a Company Store sheet set. I can't tell what the details are - label just says Company Store - but I think if you talked to one of their people and told them what you are after, this might be a good route.
    I bought mine at the outlet in Madison, WI, so the price was right.
    Sleeping cool in Kansas City!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Company Store definitely has the cool, crispy sheets- 220 t.c. percale 100% cotton. West Elm also has wonderful cotton/linen blends, as well as 180 t.c to 300 t.c. percale and pima cotton

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  41. I purchased the percale sheets by Wamsutta at Bed, Bath and Beyond and they are exactly what "we" are looking for... however... had to take bottom fitted back because it was too big for my regular King sized bed! UGH! I'm desperate! I hate the feel of trying to sleep on lumps of soft, hot sheets.

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  42. This comment is for the ‘anonymous’ who posted on July 29, 2014, seeking the magic words for finding the exact sheets we’re looking for. ‘100% cotton’ is essential. ‘Percale’ refers only to the type of weave and tells you nothing about the material. In my case, the real magic words are “Wamsutta Supercale.” But it took effort to perform the magic, because these sheets haven’t been made for a long time and not all Supercale is alike. You do NOT want Supercale Plus. It’s a cotton/poly blend and not crisp enough. There is Wamsutta Lustercale, but some of that is 100% cotton and some is not, so you have to look at the tag to make sure. “Wamsutta Elite Pure” is another combination that might work, but you don’t see much of this around even though it’s more recent.

    I set up a daily search email on eBay for Wamsutta Supercale and just waited, checking out the lots that came up over a period of several weeks, and weeding out all the Supercale Plus items, of which there were many. Finally a cluster of vintage Supercale lots appeared, I bid aggressively, and acquired the same wonderful, crisp, rustling sheets I remembered from childhood.

    I haven’t bothered with fitted sheets for a long time. They’re a hassle to put on, never fit right, and impossible to fold. We never had them in the fifties. A flat sheet tucked in firmly around the sides of the mattress works perfectly well.
    Hope this will help some of you perplexed and confused sheet-seekers.

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    Replies
    1. How does one find flat sheets to buy separately. Everywhere I look, sheets are sold in sets with fitted bottoms.

      Delete
  43. To Anonymous who just posted...your comment is very timely. I've just been on a mission to refresh my stock. I will be updating this blog soon with some of my finds...and most are at least 50 years old! I, too, have moved back in time when it comes to finding new sheets. I have to admit I'm avoiding Wondercale because it was my impression those were treated with a resin to eliminate wrinkles, but I could be wrong! Anyway, I'm looking exclusively at vintage now and just received my first wave of sheets. Really looking forward to posting my reviews of the sheets and photos. Keep tuned!

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  44. Alas! Found this site after mending 3 small holes in a wonderful set of sheets I happened on by accident about 6 years ago: Pottery Barn Songbird, made in Israel; heavy, crisp, so lovely that when we bought a king sized bed I went straight to the website and ordered an identical set in king. I should have bought 5 sets. They are no longer made. The last PB sheets I bought recently are, as some other poster so aptly phrased it, wet Kleenex. We will now all be "aggressively bidding" for those sheets on eBay. By the way - I have recently found a site similar to this, with similar laments about the awful denim used now in women's jeans - thin stretch that bags after one wearing. The days of heavy,crisp women's jeans are over, although maddeningly they still make men's jeans in fine sturdy denim. What's with the fabric industry that foists this substandard product upon us? Are we all such sheep that we just accept this? Well, pointless rant, sorry. Thank you everyone for the great sheet tips!

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    1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    2. Boy, are you correct, I am an old woman, & I despise those short zippers. Also I am sick & tired of the shallow pockets in pants, skirts & even winter coats, can only get barely past the 1 st. joint of your fingers. I am sick to death of paying for & not getting.

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    3. Gloria Vanderbuilt from Khols are great and feel wonderful:

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  45. Anonymous of 10-5: I remember those jeans! I remember spending $20 to buy a pair of super-heavyweight denim jeans, all cotton. Same with tee shirts. Now 6 oz cotton is called heavyweight in t-shirts! It must be an issue with cotton.

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  46. I long for my mother's sheets the ones I remember from my teens just before synthetics and super soft came in! (I'm 71) And I have another reason for wanting heavy long wearing sheets, my husband's nails tear up the expensive! soft sheets and yes he does trim them often enough! And, there is no way to patch them they tear so easily---ugh!

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  47. Oh man, I thought I was the only one who missed those crisp sheets.

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  48. And I thought I was the only one! The closest I can find anymore is the fabric used to make my down comforter! WOW is that hot and uncomfortable in the summertime! Lol
    Miss grandma's sheets...

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  49. http://www.thecompanystore.com/sheets/eco-friendly-sheets/

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  50. I googled crisp cotton sheets and this perfect article appeared! I think we are sleep twins! Thank you for describing exactly the kind of sheet I am looking for. I don't mind the wrinkles because I know the material is substantial. I want a crisp, breathable, washable sheet. One that snaps when I shake out the wrinkle to fold!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Target sells Threshold sheets 300 thread count classic percale and they are exactly like my grandmas sheets I am laying on them this very minute as I type this! They are labeled crispy and they are!

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  51. I read your post along with others. I was tired of people trying to talk me into sateen weave sheets ... hate them. I want them cool and crisp. I'm 57 ... remember and love the sheets I grew up with. For the money ... my top pick is Threshold Classic Percale from Target. They are 300 thread count and of course, 100% cotton. Take care to untangle is your washer is prone to twisting and shake and smooth them out before putting them in the dryer. Remove immediately just prior to being fully dry. Yes, they will have lots of wrinkles but my large mattress helps with smoothing out the bottom sheet as do my full down pillows on the pillow cases. Obviously, if you want you can use low head iron ... not me. I love these extremely crisp and cool sheets. Bed Bath Percale 400 thread count are ok ... but I like these better. L.L. Bean has some ok ones, and higher recommended, but come at a fairly high cost and are not as crisp ... but do come out slightly less wrinkled. Hope this helps!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the target sheets suggestion! I am going to definitely try those. I found some percale sheets from Amazon that are good, but the price is ridiculous. Thanks again! Hopefully this is a new trend that the market will adjust for accordingly. Just say no to slick sheets!

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    2. I agree the target threshold is exactly what the doctor ordered when it comes to crispy sheets at an affordable price. $39 double bed set

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    3. I believe I slept on these Target 300 count Threshold percale sheets at a b&b last week and loved them for their coolness and crispness. They're on the Target website but show currently unavailable online and in stores - so frustrating. I will keep my eye on this.

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    4. The Target Threshold sheets are perfect but they are no longer available. I just checked. SO wish the sheet producers would read this blog!!!

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  52. I am satisfied with a recent purchase from Vermont Country Store given the lack of alternatives. Heavy and crisp, but they do wrinkly horribly. http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/jump/productDetail/Home/Shop_By_Room/Bedroom/Clothesline_Crisp_Sheet_Set/49249

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  53. OMG so glad to find these comments. I loved my Grandma's cool crisp sheets. I have bought so many sets of sheets and only one set I like. Do Not Buy microfiber they are thin and don't stay on the bed at all, that was my latest buy. The ones I like best was some I bought at Walmart they were Better Homes and Gardens 60 cotton and 40 polyester. I think I don't like change when it comes to our sheets, Give me the old 100 percent cotton, blowin in the wind sheets!

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  54. Hello all- this has been my struggle for a couple of years. Still no luck. My two old pairs that I love are Wamsutta and Ralph Lauren but they are really for the old standard depth mattresses and not for the deep mattress I now have. Whenever I think I might find a potential, I buy it but then buy a separate pack of just standard pillowcases (I'm looking for King sheets) then wash the standard pillowcases. If they don't cut the mustard, I still have the unopened pack of sheets to return. This doesn't solve the problem but for those of you hunting like me, it will lessen how much money you are loosing in this hunt. I'm at the point that I am willing to pay for an expensive set if someone would just say "get these-guaranteed!". HELP!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://www.amazon.com/ORIGINAL-Bed-Band-USA-Lifetime-Warranty/dp/B004I3VDWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426779054&sr=8-1&keywords=fitted+sheet+suspenders

      Hope this helps,I have the same problem! While new percale is stiff at first, with repeated washings, they do soften over time....I will post more later about bluing,sizing and line drying. My grandmother is responsible for my obsession over crisp,line dried sheets!!! I am buying the Target Threshold for my bed & my son, who absolutely loves them. My father used to say,"If you make the bed and can't bounce a quarter on it, then it's not made!" I guess that's a leftover from his days in the A.F. but it still makes me feel very comforted to have these white sheets snapping on the line! Good Luck!

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    2. Target sells Threshold classic percale 100%cotton 300 tread count. They are everything you ever wanted.

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  55. Ok, so we got a set of 1000tc Egyptian Cotton sheets for our wedding. They were from Herbergers and they were the most amazing smooth, cool feeling sheets in the world. Herbergers no longer sells them and I never even tried to find them until I was looking for a replacement set. So I tried some 500 tc from Macys, some 1000 threadcounts that I didnt' realize were Sateen until I received them, they all are terrible. I am hoping someone here can point me in the right direction.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Target has Threshold classic percale go buy some today, you can thank me later.

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    2. If Target still carries these I'll try. I have some wonderful sheets purchased a few years ago for a twin in my guest room. Can't remember where I bought them, and I love, love them. Label says Wamsutta 100% cotton ALGODON, that's the key word and I'm looking all over the internet to find Algodon 100% cotton sheets and when/if I do I'll certainly share my find.

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  56. The best sheets I have ever slept on were Chris Madden 600 thread count from JC Penney. I bought them a few years ago. I went back to get another set, and they have been discontinued. Why is it that all the stuff that is too good to be true goes away? These sheets were super high-end, top of the line feeling, at such an affordable price. They were amazing, thick and sturdy, not flimsy. They were cool and crisp...simply wonderful. Now I can't find them on ebay or anywhere. I am desperate for these sheets!! Anything similar is going to cost you at least $400 from Italy or some 5 star hotel. In fact, these sheets were better than any hotel sheet I have ever slept on. I know I sound obsessed. That's because I am. So sad I can't find the Chris Madden sheets.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have used these sheets also and am always looking for something that will compare -- to no avail!

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    2. Target sheets by Threshold classic percale.

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    3. I would also love to find these sheets again. The tag on mine is so worn that I cannot tell what the tc was. I just knew that I bought them at JCP in 2005 and have loved them! I have bought and returned other brands because they just do not compare! I would love it if someone found something comparable to those sheets!

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  57. I cannot BELIEVE that there are so many of us searching for those crispy, cool, substantial cotton sheets of the past!! I can't guess how many sheets I have donated, or how many hours I have spent searching. My family thinks I am crazy. They like to sleep on t-shirt material (shudder)! Maybe we need to form a 12 step group to learn how to live without these sheets!!

    I used to buy great cotton percale sheets at Bed, Bath and Beyond, but they are no longer made.ARRRGGHHHH! I got one passable set from Target's Shabby Chic line, but subsequent purchases have been both inconsistent and of lower quality. I would pay pretty much any amount. Has anyone found even very expensive shets that are cool, crispy, heavier-weight cotton?

    I am so very happy to have a place to share and/or vent. Thank you....it is nice to kno I am not alone :-)!

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  58. Anonymous from Feb 18, the only sheets that I have found to be truly crisp are the ones that don't say anything like, wrinkle free, silky, even soft! I'm serious! If you see on reviews that sheets come out of the dryer wrinkly, BUY THEM lol. Other people don't want that snapping, texture to their sheets because they've been brainwashed.
    The best sheets I got were in 2013 from Amazon. Search: "Solid White Percale King Size 300 Thread Count Sheet Set 100 % Egyptian Cotton (Deep Pocket)"

    Those are the only ones that have turned out to be TRUE Grandmother sheets. My daughters Shabby Chic set from 2011 were also true grandmother sheets but I just bought some on sale yesterday and they are not the same. Very discouraging that shabby Chic would "sell out" like that and I'm insulted they think we wouldn't notice the quality change.
    Good luck!

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  59. I also second the suggestion of buying separate sheets instead of sheet sets. I was able to buy just one fitted sheet from Overstock - the quality is so nice that it's tempting to see if it's too sheet is the same. But this way - we're not throwing away $$ on full sets.

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  60. Hey, everyone! Just a head's up that today I got a notice in my email that Land's End is having a 25% off of bedding sale with promotion code 1567. The Land's End bedding I got a few years ago is nice, not as great as the vintage stuff but still pretty good, as I wrote in this blog. Plus, for those with deeper pocketbooks, they seem to have a new line of 100% linen bedding I'm very curious about, including king sets, which some folks have been asking for: http://www.landsend.com/products/linen-solid-sheet-set-or-pillowcase/id_281914. Good luck - and please do let us know the results here if you do find what you're looking for.

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  61. I miss Domestications!!!

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  62. AMAZING to find this group of like my nds!!! I thought I was NUTZ and mt laundry lady still thinks I am because one secret is to never put them in the dryer. I got several sets of Simply Shabbu Chic on eBay (almost always still available I am sure). As soon as I touched the first sheet, I loaded up on them. Initially I put them in the dryer and they quickly lost their crispness. Som all my others get hung to dry and are staying just like new going on two years now. I actually like the scrunchy wrinkles and wad my queen size sheets across three hangers and hand outside for an hour or two (we live in the desert so they dry fast), then fold neatly or put back on bed. I am glad that ended up with about six sets, actually by accident because I bid on them and never figured I would win all the auction bids that I won! I am stashing them and hopefully have a lifetime supply since I am in my sixties and they are holding their crispness.....but I think the secret is getting the right THEN NOT USING THE DRYER TO DRY THEM.

    Best of luck to all who are still searching. I was a woman on a mission for years till I found a Simply a Shabby Chic. I think they are 250 thread count if that helps anyone. Oh, and I had an old sheet of grandmas and it had a tag on it labeled "100% combed cotton" so that could be another way to search for the right sheet. Maybe 'combed' cotton makes a difference? I am just not into textiles, especially now that my frantic search for crisp sheets has ended so happily. Good luck fellow crunchers ;-) thanks for letting me know that even IF I am NUTZ, I am not alone!!! LOL

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  63. muslin. Oh how I love the stuff! Interestingly enough, I've scored a huge number of full-sized muslin bedding at the sales done twice a year by the local Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary garage sale. Unfortunately, my bed is a queen, so the hunt is a little more challenging.

    have also discovered a 100 percent cotton sheet milled in India by Ralph Lauren which is so light it's like you don't even have a cover on you. Hoping to find more, someplace soon.

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  64. Again, Wamsutta Supercale. Not Supercale Plus, not Wondercale, just plain old Supercale. They come up on eBay every few weeks.

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  65. jysk used to have a brand called malibu and they were 400 tc...Soon as I touched the sample I knew I had to have them but not they no longer selll them and they are wonderful..I have tried so many sets and none have compared.

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  66. I am sickened to report that I believe the sheets I've been searching for to be EXTINCT! I'm talking about probably circa 1930s-1940s sheets - - that were just *sublime*! Forget about their "wearing out"; they were as good in the 1960s and '70s as they ever were, and they never wore out. I long for them constantly; never have gotten a good night's sleep since sleeping on those; I dream of them. To describe them: the folded sheets were, I remember, heavier than today's sheets. (There were *not* fitted sheets; you had to put them on with those clip straps). They were pure white and never lost that creamy white color. They weren't lustrous; they were "crisp". They were *dense*. But they were unimaginably smooooooth. *Creamy*-smooth. "Sliding" smooth(!);*sleek*-smooth - - but not slithery-smooth, slippery-smooth, or silky-smooth. Somehow crisp and creamy-smooth at the same time. And *cold*; not just cool: cold. Just thinking about them sends a shiver of delight up my spine. Dense, creamy, ineffably smooth, cold. You couldn't detect the weft to them; they were as smooth and seemingly weftless as paper. Had a certain quality when they were wet; they got a certain "transparency" to them, and they would cling to themselves; difficult to handle when wet. Had to be ironed. I'd thought, early on in my search to get the effect of such sheets again, that the answer was the ironing. Everybody had gotten lazy with the advent of no-iron sheets, and I'd thought that the answer was to simply start ironing non-treated cotton sheets again, but that didn't do it. I ironed and ironed, but all I got was shitty, insubstantial sheets without wrinkles; no substance, no "heft", no creamy smoothness, no crispness, no cold. I've come to the conclusion that I will probably never experience such sheets again, that I remember so well from my childhood home; such as these are just not manufactured anymore. They never wore out; they were as good at twenty to thirty-plus years of age as they were the day they were made. I guess that wasn't as profitable as the crap they've made since. But, oh; they were HEAVEN! Never have felt anything like them, again, and I long for them so! I believe that they were swiped from hotels (possibly European hotels) as my father was in show business for years and lived from hotel to hotel - - and I seem to recall black hotel laundry stamps on some of them. They were from the days when there were Chinese laundries that did sheets. And, oh, by the way: I do recall that my father's shirts were made of a similar or the same material - - that were sent to the Chinese laundry. No more shirts like that, either. I'm thinking that the only possible answer is to find genuine, (high-quality?) vintage sheets from the 30s and 40s on Ebay - - non-fitted, of course - - and use the clip-straps with them. I'd get king size for a queen size extra-thick mattress of today (don't forget that mattresses weren't nearly as thick in the time-period to which I refer). I'm going to try this as my last-ditch attempt. Good luck to all in finding the sheets of our dreams - - and to all a good night.

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  67. Anonymous, I don't have the privilege of knowing those sheets personally, but given the dates, I do think they were likely a high quality muslin cotton. Many vintage sheet sellers on eBay don't know the decade of their product, but they do read labels. So you might try a search for "muslin vintage sheets," or go to my page http://grandmothershome.blogspot.com/2014/09/buying-sheets-again-and-turning-to.html where I have now plugged in this search ready-made for you, with some mods and exclusions to make it more relevant.

    I'm personally crazy about muslin. I like percale a lot, but the muslin sheets I got off of eBay are my new favorites, with the exception of linen. Of course, the summer's about to hit, so all my eBay sheets are going to go through their first test of hot weather. Percale may very well win out here.

    P.S. Love your poetic waxing on the subject. :D

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  68. Pointehaven Egyptian Cotton Deep Pocket Embroidered Percale Sheet Set and Pillowcase Seperates Has anyone tried these from Overstock??

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  69. does anyone make 100% cotton muslin sheets in queen size?

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  70. Just bought Threshold Percale sheet set from Target. They are TERRIFIC. In fact I bought two sets. I slept on them last night after washing them first...just like my grandmother's. Cool, crisp, soft and smooth. They did wrinkle on the top seam, so a quick iron got them smooth, but the rest of the sheet and pillow cases are just fine. I have looked a long time, and spent too much money on sheets that did not meet my standards. I recommend Target, surprising quality and great price...under $50.00 for a queen set. I liked them so much I bought two sets. Target, who would have thought?

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your efforts and information. Very helpful.

      Frustrated in Williamstown, NJ

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  71. My favorite sheets came from Ross, some years ago. 500 thread count 100% cotton. Heavy, cool, crisp. The tag says CMN Home. Have not been able to duplicate. I did spring for the Thomas Lee Sheets. Nice, but not as nice.Not as weighty as the CMN Home sheets. Hate the sateen weave like others. Going to check out the Target Sheets mentioned. Thanks for all the input.

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  72. I have a slightly different problem. I'm trying to replace the Royal Velvet by Fieldcrest, 100% Pima cotton 325tc sheets. They were very thin and extremely soft! I have Fibromyalgia and heavy sheets actually hurt! I literally wore through my last set and put iron on tape on them for as long as I could as I couldn't bear to part with them. Short of haunting thrift stores for worn out sheets, I'm stumped.

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    Replies
    1. I just saw ultra fine sheets advertised at : https://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod6451682&categoryId=cat6110225 . It's totally not what I'm looking for, but I hope it helps you.

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  73. Try "Simply Shabby Chic" from Target. They're 250 thread count, 100% cotton with percale weave. They're soft, cool and CRISP. I've been looking for cool sheets, too, and I am definitely pleased with these. I plan on buying an extra set. The king set cost less than $60 which is an EXCELLENT price.

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  74. Just a quick alert from your blog's author that Land's End is having a white sale on Home items starting today and I checked and saw they do have some cotton percale in basic solids and prints. Although I got one set from there that were awesome (an organic sheet they no longer stock), the several Land's End sheets I got have proved to be kind of thin and not my favorite - as I said above in my posts, I'm much preferring the older vintage sheets - but they are crisp at least at first even though they soften after several dozen washings. But I know some of you are looking for king size, and they have 'em - in solids! So you might want to check them out.

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    Replies
    1. Hey to you! Thanks for this site/blog thing I am so very very happy to find it and you and all my new sheet crazy friends. It was like stumbling into a strange place finding kin folk!

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  75. Hi Chris...

    First off, I just want to let you know that I'm a guy. And like you, I am obsessed with finding the good quality 'real' sheets that I grew up with...about 50 to 60 years ago!
    I thought I was the only one that hated all of this new 'crap'
    ...sateen, microfiber stuff. I wore out a set of 'new' cheap sheets in a couple of years.
    I still have two sets of the old Springs Industries sheets from years ago and they are still going strong. Only problem, the pockets are not deep enough for my mattress and topper. :(

    I appreciate your site, It made me realize that I was not alone in my quest for quality. I look forward to reading the rest of your site including the comments. I'm sure its filled with good advise!

    Thanks again,
    Dale N

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    Replies
    1. I too am a guy searching for the right sheets. Our mattress is 10" latex and none of the market fitted sheets stay on the mattress. We wake up to crumpled sheets. Ugh!
      My wife pulled some old Dan River 100% cotton sheets (percale) out of the closet. It's the feel we're searching for but can't find a match that will fit tight enough.
      I'm considering a king flat sheet to tuck beneath the mattress and euro slats, hoping to get a tighter fit than those extra large pocket sheets.
      Thanks for the many suggestions and ideas but we're still shopping for the right sheet.

      Delete
    2. We have a 8" latex with a 1 1/2 topper for softness. I just started looking "again" and found the Vermont Country Store has Dreamfit sheets.
      100% cotton sheets
      Adjust to fit any size mattress
      High-performance elastic provides a secure and custom fit (elastic all the way around) +
      1" corner bands secure to mattress
      Extra long and wide top sheet
      http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/jump/productDetail/Home/Bed_&_Bath/Sheets/DreamFit_Sheets/62115

      I like the idea of the wider sheet & they say adjusts to fit any size mattress, secure and custom fit, but will it work?

      They also have Slender Clothesline Crisp Egyptian Cotton Sheets
      250-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets for Hard-to-find 9" pocket.

      http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/jump/productDetail/Home/Bed_&_Bath/Sheets

      Will these sheets fit, our total mattress height w/topper is 9 1/2".. or your 10". Will it be too tight and slip off?

      Someone above mentioned the Vermont sheet was to heavy..

      I did find out The Company store does make "custom sheets" but the special department had gone home for the day. You may want to check them out, I believe you have to call and ask for custom sheets. (800) 323-8000 Sorry don't know what they cost..

      I am so glad I am not the only one looking for the perfect sheets. I actually started to cut & paste the possible sheets everyone has mentioned from this site. Most people would think we are crazy, but now I know we are not. Lynn

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    3. We are a little bit crazy Lynn but then it makes for a very interesting existence- does it not?

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  76. Rachael Ashwell Simply Shabby Chic sheets are the answer. So cool ,crisp and affordable 60 bucks for king. EXTRA large pockets that fit my pillow top and 5 inch feather tick to boot. Little tip for Xtra crispy like grandma always done is line dry starch and iron.I hope this helps.Sweet dreams to all that's searching . .

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  77. I'm 65 and have been searching everywhere! Thanks for the blog and all the suggestions.

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    Replies
    1. I'm 64 and I think it comes with our upbringing to long for the feel of crunchy sheets. It is not something you forget once you have felt it.

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  78. This is one of the blogs I read while searching for the 'perfect' sheet. Like everyone else, I wanted grandma's sheets. At least, as close as I could AFFORD (Love Westin sheets but not paying 1200 bucks for the set. And yes...that's how much they are!) I believe I've come as close as I can get. Thomas Lee sheets. 2 long time textile guys went in search of the perfect sheet. I paid 220 for a set of king sheets. 500 thread count from LONG cotton strands...not doubled up, nor are they the inferior short pieces of cotton. They are solidly hemmed on all 4 sides. The fitted sheet is a bit big, but only because we have a small mattress cover. We're getting a deeper one. I followed the wash instructions, ironed them and wow...just WOW!!! Disclaimer...I am only a customer of thomas lee. I don't know them and I don't get any bonus if you order. I'm just spreading the news. Thanks to everyone here...you helped me on my search!!!!

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    1. I got some too, king sheets from Thomas Lee, based on the
      Reviews here and I love them. Now if only I could find a duvet cover to protect my Quilt!

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    2. I finally gave in and purchased the Thomas Lee sheets yesterday from Amazon. They are due to arrive tomorrow and I can't wait. Thanks for the tip about ironing them. I will do that.

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  79. Holy Moly Rocky. I just want cool, smooth as heck sheets. Why oh why do they stop making the BEST stuff. Leave well enuf alone world! But that word crisp confuses me. Crisp to me means kinda rough. I need smooth as a babies butt here man but cool. Hate stiff, hate scratchy. I have sheets at home that feel almost HOT. What causes that and they are not flannel either.

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  80. I thought I was the only one searching for old time sheets. I was so excited to see that there are others like me. I have had to settle for Kohl's "THE BIG ONE" sheets. They seem to be as close as I can find. But not all batches feel the same. Kohl's has a great return policy. I also use sheet "garters to keep my older fitted sheets on. Hope this helps.

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  81. Add one more to the count of countless searching for the smooth cool crisp bed sheet. I bough Calvin Klein sheet back in 2002 and have loved them. The tag is worn so I can't read what the blend is other than 100% cotton. Did a quick search for Cuddledown 500 ct Italian percale, but the price scared me off. I looked at Target Shabby Chic but not crazy about the color. So my search continue....

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  82. Any great finds? I'm almost tempted to transition to Rough Linen, $$$$, but matches my wishes.

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  83. After 15 years or so of searching for sheets like this I found them. Cuddledown were too expensive. I went with Ralph Lauren percale 464 which are also pricey but check on Ebay. I'm in heaven. Yes, the wrinkles, I don't care. I wash them, put them in dryer to take the worst moisture off then put them outside to finish drying. So now I've got the sheets...and the smell.

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  84. Those "high thread count" sheets aren't actually high thread count. They stopped using 3 ply, and started including the cross threads. A 600 count sheet is hence 100 count if you use the old fashioned system. I used to buy JC Penny 200 count (counted one way) when they used 3ply. Nice, crisp sheets that stayed where you put them and didn't separate from your blankets - didn't hang all over you. They don't carry them any more. Used to get 200 count at our old Walmart; they were likewise pretty crisp. Not any more - and the "permanent press" isn't either. I'm tempted to start making my own. Surely one could find old fashioned percale in a fabric store?

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    1. I have made my own 100% cotton pillow cases but sheets would really be hard to do. I would hate a seam up the middle.

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  85. I am fortunate to have a double bed, as most of the percale for larger beds is the no-iron type, which has polyester in it's content. I am consistently able to get a vintage, American-made flat sheets on Ebay, still in the wrapper from the 50s for around $15. You cannot beat the quality of the percale although over 50 years old, but brand new. No doubt, found in a grandmother's attic or drawer. Of course, you can spend more, but with patience you can find them around this price. Etsy is also another good place to look.

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    1. Can you share with me where you are looking on ebay? I have a King.

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    2. I found this site last night and purchased a LOT of sheets. Thanks for taking the time to write this stuff down. I too am lucky to own a double bed.

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  86. This blog is fascinating. My father bought poly/cotton sets made in the US when he and my mother first got married. Thirty years later we still use them - they are the most durable sheets I've ever seen in my life. Nothing will put a rip in them! But, they are silky smooth, which Mom doesn't like. Personally I buy pure Egyptian cotton sheets with a low threadcount from the supermarket every couple of years, and they are fine for me, but still too soft for Mom.
    Suddenly yesterday she announced that she found the perfect fabric to turn into bedsheets: a new pair of curtains I got from Ikea. They're made of a lightweight, sheer, slightly stiff fabric that to me feels like fine sandpaper. (The label says polyester and cotton.) I'm almost sure I would end up with friction burns if I spent a whole night lying on them. But she insists that's the right texture. She even rejects linen because they eventually soften with use and washing. So I guess I landed on this page because I'm trying to understand...Maybe the "crisp" sheets you guys are looking for are the same thing my mom wants.

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  87. That's funny. Friction burns lol

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    1. Kristy check out Target sheets. They are great. Threshold in classic percale 300 thread count 100 % cotton. I'm laying on a set as I type this and they are crispy just like it says on the label.

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    2. I'm not sure crispy describes the sheets I'm looking for though. I just want cool and smooth. I have the 1500 cnt Egyptian sheets on right now that came free with my new bed and they feel okay but I'm sweating at night!!

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  88. The Better Homes and Gardens sheets are comfortable like this. I bought them at Wal-mart.

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  89. I am so happy to find this on the Internet. I also thought I was quite alone in my search. Hey yall!

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  90. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  91. Many years ago while thrift storeing I found a set of two flat white all cotton sheets with a cardboard band still around them from where someone had bought them and then just put them away. They had a sewn in label that said muslin. I decide I want more of this same type of sheets and if at all possible I WILL FIND THEM! And Then I found this site or blog or whatever it is called and see that there are quite a few people just as obsessed with this as me. I just want to say --hey yall!!

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  92. Yesterday, which was Christmas Eve 2015 my EBay vintage sheets arrived at my door. I washed them tonight and hung them OUTSIDE to dry. I am so happy for all the information from this blog!

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  93. you can thank me later, that was funny haha

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  94. Vermont Country Store has sheets as Grandmas Crisp Sheets. Very pricey, from India that are treated with resin that cannot be softened so they can be slept on or under. Nothing like Grangmas. Wrinkles are horrorendous

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  95. I am so frustrated on spending money on sheets that leave me wanting. I too am glad I found this blog but am disappointed to not have a solution to quality crisp sheets.

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  96. Have been looking for years to replace my sheets and am so glad to find this blog, but really disappointed that there really is no answer here. Guess they do not make them anymore. Targets in no way measure up.

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  97. Ditto! I've been looking for crunchy cotton sheets, too, and in fact, when I typed that into my search engine, up came this article. Thanks!

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  98. I also think all those high thread count sheets are awful - they feel "SLIMY" to me. But the worst part is that I can't find tight fitted sheets. Now, can I get an Amen from those of you who want their washing machines to have lint filters again? If I had known I could never get another washing machine with a filter I would have paid ANY price to keep my old one running.

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  99. I too have been on the search for comfy, cool, crisp yet soft sheets!!! Ones that actually FEEL like a sheet, NOT filmy or thin or slick and drapey. Sheets that "rustle" when you climb in them!! I remember climbing in bed as a kid with those sheets on just washed and smelled yummy.....the coolness of them, especially in the summer!! My grandmother gave me sheets that I KNOW she had way back. They were pale pink and white striped and they were amazing!! I KNOW they had to be durable and high quality because my grandfather was in the army and the sheets had the tags on them from being washed on a base. SOOOOOO, on my never ending quest to find sheets that even REMOTELY COMPARE to the ones I remember as a child (I'm 42), I have done extensive research (which is why I ended up here), asked for "good sheets" for Christmas, went on trips to the Fieldcrest outlet store etc, etc. I dug around my linen closet to see what names I came up with when it came to the sheets I have that I like. I do truly believe that you can't find sheets made the way they were when my grandma was alive, best bet for those are estate sales, my mom has gotten me some like that before. Anyway, the tag on one from my grandma said "Springcale" 100% combed percale by Springmaid Cotton. Pretty sure they don't exist anymore. My husband and I bought Fieldcrest Charisma when the outlet store still existed in Smithfield NC off I-95. We loved them but they are hard to find nowadays. We have a set of Wamsutta 100% cotton, made in Pakistan. They are nice and have softened up nicely over time while still maintaining their "crispness", if you know what I mean. Target has started to sell Fieldcrest sheets, so I JUST bought a king set of Fieldcrest Luxury 500 count 100% long staple Egyptian cotton. Washed them with baking soda and warm water first then washed again with detergent before we used them the first time. They definitely have potential, they feel like "real" sheets, not thin or flimsy, but also not TOO thick and stiff. I think they will work well and just continue to get better after each wash.The higher thread count ones did not feel as nice. I also bought a set of Threshold Organic 300 thread count, said brushed for softness (which I was kinda nervous about but they were 50% off so I only paid $27.98!!) They seem pretty decent. Not EXACTLY what I'm looking for, they don't seem to have the smoothness that my Wamsutta sheets have but they are also brand new. I'm hoping after a few more washes they might be a little better. But they still are not bad at all compared to the billions of other sateen sheets and supposedly high end "luxury" sheets out there. Glad I found all of the people out there who love and appreciate REAL, wonderful cotton sheets. If I had some more disposable income I might be tempted to by sheets from some of the above mentioned places. Until then, I'll live with the ones I've acquired recently and over the years.

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    1. JoEllen, It's been a couple months. How have your sheet sets measures up? I found a small fitted sheet for a play yard with the the Garanimals label that felt like what I'm looking for. 100%cotton. Made in China. Alas it won't fit my king. I'm having such a time finding sheets that won't pill.

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    2. I REALLY am happy with the Fieldcrest ones from Target. Getting a little softer, or just better I should say, after each wash. Even the Threshold ones are decent. They don't provide nearly as much "cool, crisp (yet still comfy)" feeling as the Fieldcrest ones. If I had to pick which ones were the closest to what I think we're all looking for, it would definitely be the Fieldcrest ones.

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    3. Any pilling that you notice? I hate that. Every set I've purchased in the last couple years get pills in the after. The first couple washes. Your feedback is helpful. Thank you

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  100. I like the Lands End oxford cloth sheets.

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  101. I wonder why they ever changed the sheets of the 80s they were cotton?Poly percale. Everyone loved them. No wrinkles

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  102. I also have this never-ending problem of finding a good crisp sheet. I'll head to Target today and purchase the Threshold Classic Percale 100% cotton king sheets. Thanks for the recommendations. I hope they don't disappoint. I'm 70 yrs. old and have spend the last several years searching for Grandmother's sheets.

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    1. Mimi, Check out the shabby chic collection at target too. They have a couple different styles the one I purchased was $61 for a king set I don't remember the style but so far they remind me of my grandmother's sheets. They awesome so had another style, also shabby chic, that had crinkles in them even folded up. They felt similar to but the thread count was too high

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  103. :) Don't laugh, but canvas drop cloths from the hardware store. Be choosy though, some are treated to repel paint (of course), but others are rough, but not too rough and LOVELY to sleep on. I first bought them years ago to use as a bedspread and loved to nap on it so much, I made bedsheets and pillowcases out of them. Be aware that some drop cloths are pieced together because it doesn't matter for paint protection, but it does if you're using them for sheets. They come in huuuuge sizes, too. I don't bother with making a fitted bottom sheet, although I prefer a tight-fitting bottom sheet, I haven't had the patience to sew one. I figured that hotels don't use fitted bottom sheets, the military doesn't use fitted bottom sheets, I'll tough it out until I feel like sewing the elastic, lol.

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  104. Has anyone had any experience with the shabby chic collection of sheets at target? I just purchased a king set and washed them. They feel very much like what I've been looking for anyway. I believe they were 250 count. So far so good. I'll keep you filled in. Another important character in sheets is no pilling and doesn't pull off mattress every time I move!

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  105. The Company Store. 300 thread count, cotton percale sheets. Absolutely heavenly! I just ordered my second set today. Had previously ordered my first set earlier this year. Had not had percale in years, so didn't know if I would like them. They were a bit crackly/noisy at first, but a lot of that goes away with washing. My sheets and I are now madly in love!!

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  106. I almost cried when I found this blog! I have googled for days and spent the day in stores yesterday with absolutely nothing to show for it.

    The other issue I have with "modern" sheets is the elastic on the fitted sheets. The "modern" ones have elastic all around the sheet. They don't fit my beds at all. I want the corners! I haven't read all the comments yet so I am hoping someone has said something about that. I did find a couple how-to sites for making them out of a flat sheet so I can always do that.

    Well, off to buy some sheets! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

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  107. The only way I've been able to find the heavier, crispy, cool, white, somewhat textured sheets like my grandmother had on her beds, is to purchase those
    EXACT same 1920s-40s aged sheets on E-bay/Etsy. 100% cotton/muslin/percale sheets are absolutely thee BEST! One EBay seller inherited 10-12 vintage sheets from the 20s-40s. She took them to the local university and had the fiber content analyzed. The sheets had been manufactured by a variety of American mills, but all had the same fiber content.......Cotton w/a touch of linen added for durability. (Even though they had been advertised as 100% cotton.) Sheets from the 40s and older (if new/unused) come w/a printed, paper/cardboard band-type packaging, in a box, or have a large sticker-type label pasted directly onto the sheets. If sheets are in any kind of plastic wrap, they're probably from the 60s or newer. I've learned to ask sellers about the weight of a sheet.....Double/full sheets that weigh close to 2lbs. are my favorites!

    I've always thought that sheets made from pure linen were the definitive, top-of-the-line sheets. Unfortunately, they're completely priced out of my budget. Then I found French "Metis" sheets.......A PERFECTLY balanced blend of cotton and linen. (This might be where U.S. manufacturers learned to add a touch of linen to their sheets.) Unfortunately, "Metis" sheets are also quite pricey, usually because the seller is in France. Monetary conversion and international shipping rates drive up the final cost. But occasionally, I've found a U.S. seller on EBay who doesn't really value a Metis sheet, and had it priced for a quick sale. This type of purchase is like hitting a jack-pot!

    Finally, King size beds did not start being manufactured until the 1040s-50s.(?) If someone wants a King sheet, the only vintage option is to sew together two double or queen size sheets.

    When you think about all the money wasted on newly manufactured-poor quality sheets that don't fit properly, have no durability, and feel thin & slimy, purchasing Grandmother's sheets (either new-old stock or even used) will literally make you feel like you're sleeping in her bed again........Sweet Dreams! ;)

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  108. Like all of you I LOVE the percale cool, crisp sheets I grew up sleeping on. And my Mom would hang them outside to dry including in the wintertime (although they would be frozen stiff when she brought them in!...but oh they smelled so goood!). I did buy the perfect percale sheets years ago from L.L. Bean and they are a beautiful floral pattern. I looked at the tag and saw they were made in Portugal. (They remain my favorite sheets!) I look for "made in Portugal" but haven't found anything that comes close since. And good luck finding a pattern other than a solid color. I will keep on looking like the rest of you. L.L. Bean still has the "made in Portugal" percale sheets which I did buy but they did not compare to my favorite sheet set I bought from them years ago. Glad to know I am not alone in my quest to find the percale sheets from my childhood.

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  109. You had me at "percale" My late mother once made my sisters and me each a pair of pillowcases of wonderful Wamsutta cotton from the local fabric store. They remained my favorite for many years. There is that option.

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  110. Wow I just took a chance at Googling to find some old fashion sheets and found this article and many others who appreciate old fashion sheets. Thank you so much!!! My search just got easier. I have a set of sheets that are pretty ragged but they are the best!! I didn't want to depart from them until I could fine a acceptable replacement but have found that to be a challenge. I believe I am on my way to replacing them. Thanks for all the comments. I am so glad to know I am not alone in this.

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  111. I'm with all of you. I used to do massage and somehow, I got this one sheet that was really like old fashioned cotton. Wrinkled and everything! It outlasted all my other massage sheets and, ohhh that SOUND that it would make when I was furling it across the table. I keep trying to find really nice cotton sheet sets. I don't care for that limp weave that passes for "soft". I wish there was a standard for cotton!

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  112. i got here by googling "i like crisp bed sheets" just for the hell of it. it's nice to see someone else with the same opinion as me who's able to articulate the feeling so well. i thought it was all in my head.

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  113. After reading this blog, I went to Walmart and bought Better Homes and Gardens, 300 thread count, "Wrinkle free out of the dryer" sheets. There were several nice solids and prints. I got a king set for $45 and love them. I went back a week later, and a few of the prints and colors were on clearance sale for $35, so I bought another set. That cool, crisp sheet feeling is wonderful!

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  114. Searched for crisp cotton sheets for new thick mattress, for months and by luck my daughter gave me "Simply Vera" queen size, for Christmas. AT 87, I find them as close to my childhood memories of them as possible. They launder well, come in 4 colors (at least in my area ) and on sale and with coupons, cost $89 for the queen size, at Kohl's.

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  115. how fun to find all these sheet sympathizers! Simply Shabby Chic has that smooooth, cotton feeling. I bought a set in the early 90's and at the time they were expensive (not sure if the target ones are same now) but they're still going strong. Scandia Down also makes insanely long-lasting excellent crispy percale. Gracious Home in NYC can also set you up if you have deep pockets - the French make the seriously good percale. Meanwhile, I'm just looking for a pair of perfect pillowcases with pockets or buttons on a more humble Amazon budget. My favorite bottom sheet is Target's Threshold Ultra Soft Fitted Sheet 300 Thread Count because you can buy them separately for about $16 and they're super deep and have elastic all the way around (actually plus 4 corners) and even have labels "top/bottom" "side" but they're softer than what we're talking about here (but not pilly or slimy :)

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  116. Bought Treshold Sheets 2 years ago from Target and they are truly crisp, especially when dried outside. They were the best I found at the time. Washed and dried them today and Oh my, the feel from childhood is wonderful. But does Target still sell them or does anyone know of anything better?

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  117. Sometimes you can find white hotel sheets that feel as great as those ones at Grandma's house.
    I have an unusual sized bed that was made specifically for the set so I need to sew my own sheets and duvet covers. Does anyone know where I can purchase extra wide percale fabric?

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  118. The best sheets I ever owned were put out by a company called Creative Home. They were sold through Marshall's and TJ Maxx back around 2001-2002. They were an 800 thread count, all cotton, made in India, and the king size sold for $100.00. They were so wonderful that my parents even bought a couple of sets. Talk about LUXURY! Over the years, they softened up to buttery-smooth and super cool. You know that feeling when you're laying in bed and you slide your leg over and hit a cold spot? These sheets were the Holy Grail. These were the coldest, smoothest sheets in the world. Unfortunately I wore out the top sheet (due to a dog who liked chewing on my bedding). My parents ended up wearing out the bottom sheets on their sets. I'm so desperate that I asked my parents if I could have one of their top sheets just so I could have a complete set again.

    NOW THIS IS DESPERATION: Between my tags and my parents tags, we were able to get enough information for me to do some super sleuthing on the internet. With the RN number of RN81913, I was able to track down who it was registered to - a person in men's apparel. But by researching that individual, I was able to track down his affiliation with other companies. Lo and behold, I found "Creative Home Furnishings Ltd." which was out of business, but fortunately the prior CEO of the company was still around and actively working for a clothing company in NY. I picked up the phone and called him and asked if he could get me any information on who manufactured the sheets and if they were still being sold, perhaps under another name. He said he was still in contact with the manufacturer and is going to see if they're still making the same product and will call me back after he speaks with them. I'll let everyone here know if he does.

    With saying all that, I ended up buying the Thomas Lee 500 thread count sheets (also made in India) for over $200 the other day. They just arrived today and I have them in the washing machine right now. Right out of the package I could tell they have the same feel as the Creative Home sheets, but there is a noticeable difference in the thickness. Obviously sheets soften with each washing, so I guess only time will tell if they turn out to be as cool and buttery-smooth as the others. But they look promising.

    I'm so glad to have found so many other sheet-snobs out there. We spend so much of our lives in bed, it's worth making it as comfortable and enjoyable as we can.

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    1. Oh my gosh!! The whole reason I found this conversation is because I was also looking for the sheets I bought my daughter at TJ Maxx in the early 2000's!! Her tags are all worn off so I couldn't find the brand, but I'm sure it's the Creative Home brand! They are pink with flowery embroidery on the top band that you fold back. They are the best sheets in our house...crisp, cool and so comfy! I will await your response with bated breath! ❤️

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  120. I have been looking for sheets like my grandma had .I remember them being so cold to get into bed as a child .
    Do you know if Thomas Lee would ship to the uk .

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    1. I'm not sure if they ship to the U.K. or not, but if you are able to order from QVC.com, I highly suggest you check out the Northern Nights 600TC Egyptian Cotton sheet set. They are INCREDIBLE!! They are BETTER than the Thomas Lee and much cheaper! I do love the Thomas Lee sheets, but wish I had found the QVC ones first. Just make sure you look at the ones that say Egyptian Cotton.

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    2. Thanks, Sheltieshangrila. I dug deeper on these and from recent reviews, it looks like the consistency/quality control has worsened. A couple of the reviews from this spring and summer mentioned holes - a "gaping hole" and a "large slice" are red flags for me about low quality cotton that doesn't endure washing well. One mentioned the sheets got "scratchy" after washing. I'm coming to the conclusion that the sourcing of cotton fibers is extremely variable, even under the same brand names. You can get a good batch, or a bad batch. It's frustrating. I'm thinking now that the next time I go shopping for new linens, if I find a set I like after washing a few times, THAT'S the time to get more for the future, rather than waiting till they wear out. Because chances are they will literally be different sheets by then.

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    3. Which ones are you talking about - the QVC E.C. sheets or the Thomas Lee? Because I can tell you for certain, neither are the least bit scratchy. I got 1 set of the Thomas Lee and 2 sets of the QVC sheets and my parents got 2 sets of the QVC sheets as well. They have washed theirs twice and I have washed each of my sets once so far. They have all washed up beautifully. The QVC sheets are a tad thicker than T.L., and I dare say even a smidge smoother.... but again.... they are both still very smooth. Both sets are excellent but the QVC E.C. sheets are hands down a better deal. If I remember correctly by the video on QVC, they certify where the cotton comes from, and I believe it. They are exceptional quality... and I don't say that lightly. They stay smooth and cool. You can move your leg around under a pile of covers and everywhere you touch feels cool. They're awesome. :)

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  121. Has anyone heard of or enjoyed Peacock Alley sheets? I have an unopened package I got at Tuesday Morning Outlet. $120 for King sheets. Retail is $450 which is ridiculous. And so is $120 in my opinion. Label says percale and thread count is 300. I'm skeptical. Especially since this brand name hasn't already popped up among other comments. I think Peacock Alley is based or sold out of Dallas according the the package labeling.

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  122. I have them and really like them. The fabric gets a little thicker with wash. They really wrinkle which I don't mind at all. I've bought so many sets of sheets in my search. These are the ones on my bed.

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  123. My 16 year old just said, 'A forum about sheets? Really?' She doesn't know about the amazing sheets from my childhood. I'm going to try the JCP Home Percale 300tc. I'll let you know how they work out for us. Thanks, everyone!

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  124. I just found your blog and thought I was the only person who has been desperately searching for cotton sheets that aren't slippery or cheap! My family thinks I'm nuts lol! I bought a set of sheets from Sears back in 2008-ish known as Whole Home 100% cotton. They are substantial but not heavy. I absolutely love the feel of these sheets. I wish I would have bought more as they aren't available anymore. A close second is the Sears ColorMate percale which is a 60/40 cotton/poly blend (don't know if they still sell ColorMate). While the percale is cool and smooth, it just doesn't have the same "feel" as that all cotton set. I just love how if feels next to my skin. It's wrinkly out of the dryer (we don't have a clothesline and way too many birds flying around outside-older neighborhood/lots of trees-to hang although I would love to do that!) and makes that crispy sound when you make the bed. It also has elastic all the way around and stays on the bed. We don't have a super tall mattress so the percale set gets "loose". Hate that.

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  125. I too have been searching for the sheets I bought at target yearssss ago. They are Thomas obrien vintage modern and they are extremely cool and crisp with every move. The ate hard to find, but are very comfortable soft and ate still in goof condition. So it looks like i need 200 thread count percale. Thank you sooooo much!!!

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  126. I am the quintessential princess and the pea when it comes to bedding. I will go to the ends of the earth (figuratively speaking) to find the most comfortable mattress, pillows, sheets and blankets. Sheets are the worst for me. Years ago I purchased a set of white cotton sheets with pillow cases of course and they are my most favorite sheet set. I am pretty sure I bought them at Walmart but I can't be sure because I shop all over the place. This sheet set is not crispy at all which I love. It is soft from all the washings it's had. I am a hot sleeper and I won't say that this sheet set keeps me cool because honestly, nothing does other than two fans I have on me at night.
    However, knowing I will have to replace these sheets at some point I have purchased over time, several sets from various places. I have a microfiber sheet set that I don't like, I have sateen sheets and today I received a sheet set from Brookelinen. Before I purchased the sheet set I read all about them and read a lot of reviews. I thought okay these sound awesome so I will buy a set. $95.00 later I find that I do not like this sheet set at all.
    I ordered the starter set because it doesn't have a top sheet. I never use the top sheet and felt it was a waste of money to buy it. The sheet set came with a little packet of Brookelinen laundry soap so I washed the set with this in cold water. I dried the set in my dryer on a medium setting.
    The sheet set came out of the dryer extremely wrinkled. The fabric feels like paper and even SOUNDS like paper! It makes a crinkly sound when handled. The fabric is thin and I will be returning this product promptly.
    Why is it so difficult to find 100% soft cotton sheets? I don't understand it.

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  127. Thank you!! I've been wanting "grandma" sheets and just ordered percale!

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