Short Sheeted

I love my bed.

And I love drifting off to sleep in nice, cozy linens.

My comfort zone; where I've probably spent half my life. I adore soft cotton (softer supima, pima, jersey knit or Egyptian for 3 seasons, and flannel for winter.) Satin, no thanks. The mattress is "high contour" about 13" tall, and I rotate it a few times a year. I didn't bother with a pillow-top, nor do I use a feather bed. I don't have an outrageous pillow farm. Says me.

I prefer 4 simple layers...quilted mattress cover, bottom fitted sheet, top sheet, light blanket and a white duvet. I had a throw and two pillows made in New York--Asian guys floating in whimsical balloons--and I pull a color from that palette when I buy sheets.

What disrupts my sense of serenity? Queen size sheet sets. True, the fitted sheet fits the mattress perfectly, with it's extra deep pockets.

But, the flat sheet is too narrow to tuck in on the sides! I read labels, and I know that my mattress is 60" x 80" x 13".  60 wide + 26 deep =  86 across. So why can't I tuck in a flat sheet with a finished size of 92" x 102"? There's way too much fabric to tuck in at the bottom of the bed! I'm no math whiz, but there should be 3" extra on either side to tuck under the mattress. After washing the sheet for the first time...it's too narrow. I like to tuck loosely enough so that my feet can point up, rather than having to turn them sideways.

This is not an audition for Black Swan, I just want to get some zzzz's.

I compensate by tucking the blanket all the way under, but that little untucked top is vexing. I have my priorities straight, believe me, but why can't mills produce complementary sheet sets? The sets often have more appealing patterns than separates, and I'd rather not have to buy a King sized flat sheet. LL Bean does it right with their generously cut flannel sets, so I may have to look to see what they have in cotton.

Those people in Maine, they know how to do cozy.