Linen Lore

Bed Lore Back to top

What is the proper drop for bed skirts, duvet covers, and coverlets ?
“What is the proper drop?” is a question we get asked many times every day. There are recommended drops for bed skirts, duvet covers, and coverlets.

Bed skirts should almost touch the floor. Once upon a time, bed skirts were called dust ruffles since one of their purposes was to prevent dust from getting under the bed. Their main purpose, however, is to hide the box spring and add a decorative element to the bed.

We recommend that bed skirts almost touch the floor, about ¼” to ½” off the floor. A normal drop is around 14”. If you have a four-poster bed or a bed with side rails, you will have to split the corners and add an inch or two to account for the bed skirt hanging over the side rails. We make bed skirts any length to accommodate box springs that are higher off the ground.

If you have a platform bed or you don’t want the bed skirt to hide your side rails, you may want to consider a quilted box spring cover (see above). It fits like a fitted sheet, allows the side rails to show, and gives you a finished look by hiding the box spring.

Duvets and coverlets also drop over the sides and end of a bed. A typical drop is about 15”. Mattresses are made thicker these days and may require a longer drop. A good rule of thumb is to plan on about 7-9” of bed skirt showing. Subtract 7-9” from the height of your bed and that is the proper drop for duvets and coverlets.

Flat sheets should be wide enough and long enough to tuck in. If you allow about 5” for tuck in, then the proper width of a flat sheet should be the width of the mattress plus the height of the mattress plus the tuck in. For a queen bed with a 12” mattress, a 60” wide mattress width plus 24” (two sides of bed) plus a 10” tuck under (both sides) equals a total of 94” width. Most queen flat sheets are 90”, although in our store many of our European sheets are made extra-wide to accommodate newer, thicker mattresses.

If you have any questions about the proper fit and size of any product, don’t hesitate to call us toll free at 1-800-762-3950.

What is calendering?

Calendering is a finishing technique that is created by a machine that consists of two or more heavy rollers, sometimes heated, though which fabric is passed under high pressure to create a variety of surface effects. All of our sateen sheets are processed with calendaring machines.

Pillow Talk

The idea of stuffed pillows, now taken for granted in the West, is still a complete stranger to many cultures. Some opt for traditional headrests crafted from rigid wood and stone, especially in tropical countries. Their high humidity, which quickly damages stuffed pillows, makes hard headrests the pillows of choice. In some countries, such as Sumatra, pillows are used as expressions of rank, i.e., the more pillows one has, the higher in rank that person is.

Bath Lore Back to top

Why are towels called Turkish towels?
Terry loop bath towels were originally made in Turkey, hence the name “Turkish towels.” Our Hotel towels on page 11 are still made in Turkey.

Why are terry towels made with cotton?
Most terry cloth is made with cotton because the absorbent fiber gets stronger when wet. Terry cloth is usually made with looped pile because the loops act like very small sponges. Looped pile is also better able to withstand the strain of rubbing, pulling, twisting, and tugging by the user. Cotton can absorb up to 27 times its own weight in water.

Why should I buy such expensive soap?

Why spend $6 or $8 on a bar of luxury soap when you can buy one at the supermarket for $1 or less? Are you just paying for the packaging or the name on the awning on the store where you purchase it?

Like coffee, soap is a consumable. We buy it, use it up and then buy more. In the world of coffee, there is a big difference between a jar of instant from the supermarket and your favorite custom blend at your neighborhood coffee store. The same is true of soap.

All soaps are made by mixing fat or oil with an alkali, a process called saponification. The differences lie in the quality of the base ingredients used, the length of the soap making process and the additional scents and ingredients used.

Tallow, derived from animal fat, is the traditional fat used in soap making, though vegetable oils, such as palm, coconut or olive oil have become increasingly popular.

Inexpensive soaps are mixed and poured into a mold to harden. Luxury soaps are usually triple milled, a process, which involves liquefying, and then pressing the air out of the soap three times. This process produces a harder bar, which lathers better and lasts longer. This is why any of the soaps on this page will last many times longer than a bar of supermarket soap.

Like your daily cup of cappuccino, our premium soaps will soon be a small luxury that you can’t do without.

Table Lore Back to top

What is the proper drop for tablecloths?
“What is the proper drop?” is a question we get asked many times every day. There are recommended drops for tablecloths.

For tables, add 13” of drop to each side and each end (or add 26” total to the width and length of your table). Larger tables can use a slightly longer drop of 15”; smaller tables can use a shorter drop of about 11”.

If you have any questions about the proper fit and size of any product, don’t hesitate to call us toll free at 1-800-762-3950.

Tablecloth History
Centuries ago, several tablecloths were laid one on top of another, each to be removed after a course. The practice is still followed today in some cultures, in North Africa, for example. Layering is done in the United States, but typically to achieve a stylish look, usually with a square tablecloth placed over a round one.

Fabric Lore Back to top

How should I store my linens?
Always clean your linens before storing them. Store items in a cool, dry, and preferably dark place after wrapping them in muslin or an old cotton pillow case. For wool items, consider using a cedar chest or moth balls. However, cottons and linens should not be stored in cedar, which will yellow them. We recommend Linen Wash to safely remove difficult stains from any of your fine linens.

Why does cotton wrinkle?
During normal use and cleaning, cotton fabrics are temporarily distorted to adapt to the stress of use. Untreated cotton fibers do not have a permanent memory. Fiber chains in cotton move by breaking and reestablishing their binding agents. Since there are no natural forces to promote the fiber chains to return to their original configuration, cotton wrinkles.

How old is cotton?
Cotton has been cultivated and used to make fabrics for at least 7,000 years. It may have existed in Egypt as early as 12,000 B.C. Fragments of cotton fabrics have been found by archeologists in Mexico (from 3500 B.C.), in India (3000 B.C.), in Peru (2500 B.C.), and in the southwestern U.S. (500 B.C.).

What is the strongest fabric?
Linen is the strongest vegetable fiber known. It is stronger than wool, almost three times as strong as cotton, and stronger than nylon and rayon.

What is ring spinning?
Ring spinning is a system of simultaneous, continuous spinning, twisting, and winding. This system produces a strong yarn with a soft hand. As extensive laundering tests have shown, ring spinning helps prevent fraying, linting, and pilling. In premium linens, yarns are ring-spun for extra quality and longer wear.

What is the difference between weft and warp?
Warp is the yarn stretched on the loom. Weft is the filling yarn woven crossways into the warp. It’s easy to remember that the warp is vertical and the weft is horizontal by thinking, “weft to right.”