In a Flap
My mom gave me a set of bed sheets when I moved to Halifax. They were navy when I got them, and over the past 8 years they've faded into a soft dark blue, the same colour as my grandmother's eyes, but 4 shades darker.
Last week, there was a small tear along the seam between the top hem and the body of the sheet. Over the week it got bigger. And bigger. Until I felt like someone was trawling for me as I slept, caught in the net when I woke up.
So I need new sheets. This is a problem. If it weren't for the fact that sheets won't ever make your boobs look weird or your belly bulge in the wrong spots, I would put sheet shopping right up there with bra and bathing suit shopping. It's overwhelming.
This is an investment. If my past history is anything to go buy, I'm going to have these sheets for the next 8 to 10 years. Hell, I've still got the sheets I bought 12 years ago. Family history supports this idea too - my sister is still using the fitted flannel sheet I got for my 10th birthday. The pillowcases from that set have been torn into squares I use for sex cloths, and they're my favourite ones, being the softest. We like to hold on to things, us Butcher girls.
So what if I make the wrong decision? What if the colour isn't right? What if they're scratchy and not soft? How do I know if I want crisp egyptian cotton or softer regular cotton? Will I want the same thing in 3 years? 5 years? 8 years? Should I just bite the bullet and use some of my savings to buy the $300 organic cotton ones? Seems like a lot, but that's $30 a year for the next decade. See? That's not such a bad plan. But then what if they're not as soft and nice as the colour of my grandmother's eyes and every night I go to sleep and think, these are not what I wanted, but I can't get rid of them because they are good quality and were expensive. And $300 for sheets? Maybe I should spend $60 on sheets made of cotton spun by little fingers and sprayed with poison by people with little lungs and donate the rest of the money to ACO to run a crack pipe kit program. I don't know. I don't know.
See, this is what happens to me every time I try to buy sheets. And why I've been sleeping for months under a gradually fraying sheet.
Jennifer has offered to drive me to ikea on Sunday, which is beside a linens store. What is going to happen is that I am going to end up with an armful of sheet options, and I'm going to talk myself into and out of them several times and then I am going to look imploringly and helplessly at Jennifer and then she is going to just grab one option out of the pile and say "These ones." and then I will be perfectly happy with them. For the next 10 years.
7 comments:
Hello there, little sheetnik. The best sheets of all are to be found (usually) at Value Village. They are old, thick 100% cotton - both crispy and soft at the same time. Wabasso are the best of all, but sometimes they are so old (and soft, yet crispy) that the tag has faded away.
I must caution you against evil IKEA sheets - so thin! No lasting for even 2 years there, dear heart. No no no. Also the scratchiness. Not nice. Thrift, my dear, thrift!
I got my current sheets (which I bought post break-up because I wanted MY OWN sheets that had never touched the ass of an ex-boyfriend) at that linen place next to Ikea. That place is overwhelming even for me, but I managed to find some super nice sheets that were also super on sale. It just took a bit of digging. I will help you.
My sheets prior to these were from Value Village and I liked them too. Sometimes its hard to find ones that aren't stained though. Ugh.
I have similar sheet-shopping issues. While I have no advice to share with you, I want you to know I completely understand your sheet-shopping angst. I hope you end up with lovely, comfortable sheets that make you happy, and that you then blog about them so I can copy your choice.
What are sex cloths?
Arriving late from your garage sale post the other day... I'm happy to know you enjoyed the catalogues, great pick for shoes by the way! I own a pair of fall-winter Campers with the same idea behind -they are different but they belong together kind of a thing, love that idea!- And yes, you got it right, except for the little h (Cristina, Spanish spelling, but don't worry about it).
I've had luck with Ikea sheets, especially just the bottom sheet, which doesn't scream Ikea the way the duvet covers do. HomeSense has good ones too. If you're feeling really adventurous, you could go down to the States or just order on line with the US dollar being so low, you could probably get a great deal. I love sheets too. Mon Lit in the Market is awesome and for a real treat you can order ones from Montreal through Philip Van Leoen or whatever it's called, and they'll MAKE them for you. Ahhhh.
i still have the sheets your folks got when they got married...
Indeed, letting go of sheets is tough. I love those flannel sheets that are over twenty years old. I think I have some that are older too. But I have to admit, the sheets for guests are older than the sheets I use on my own bed... !!
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