Reporting in as one more sheet addict! The sheets that my MIL and Grandmother had were those wonderful old scalloped Wamsutta sheets - they were 100% cotton percale and later called supercale or elite....alas I do not believe they are available. I have 2 sets left...they are worn to perfection and are cool & crisp. Today - I agree with Tibbrix...the closest is the Thomas Lee brand. Another brand that is not as elegant but quite nice is the 250 count all cotton percale from The Company Store -. I have the latter in a summer cottage...the jury is out ...but I will report back after a few more washings!

I LOVED those scalloped sheets with the different color scalloped trim. I think you can still get them. I've seen them. Again, though, VERY expensive.

I bet eBay has some.

Re: bamboo sheets. Are they crisp and cool? The closest I've come to anything bamboo are several pairs of DH's socks. I was surprised at how much longer they take to dry in the dryer. They're not holding up as long as his other socks either. They were from a Clark Shoe store and were not cheap. Do bamboo sheets take longer to dry, too?
Lynn

Ok, back from Macy's with my new bedding. It was overwhelming -- mostly sticker shock and trying to find simple, classy ecru or white for a king bed (all sizes but king for the pretty stuff, lotsa ugly otherwise).

I bought the Macy's Charter Club Classics -- 400 count, 100% generic cotton, made in India (if that matters). Any opinion on these sheets?

Bought a new bed skirt, and looked and looked for ecru/white matelasse or something similar, but no luck. At least there was a Martha Stewart quilted coverlet at half price. Unfortunately no plain white or ecru in king size, so I got a pale yellow print that isn't bad. But coming home, I realized I forgot to get a new mattress pad. So I ducked into our local Kohls to get one, and there was the perfect plain, ecru, quilted coverlet with a pretty scalloped edge!

Maybe I should paint the bedroom in one of those wonderful Farrow & Ball off whites...

I just googled "cotton percale sheets" and here is a list of places that supposedly sell them:

Exceptionalsheets.com, Kohls, Target, Company Store, Garnet Hill, LL Bean, Overstock, BBB, Wayfair, Linensource. Penneys did not come up but I think they sell a version as well.

I may take a look at some of these sites. I'll report back if I find anything significant.

I think you should just ask your MIL if you can have the sheets of hers that you love and tell her you will of course get new sheets for her house.

Deleted

This post was edited by jstell2008 on Fri, Sep 26, 14 at 20:44

Those old sheets that are very thin and feel so soft are probably without a doubt the old Wamsutta "Supercale" or comparable type that were made with good long staple cotton IN AMERICA and contain polyester. My grandmother had several of these sets and like an idiot I didn't keep them when she died. I also have bought the Thomas Lees and I like them but they are almost a little too stiff for me. I found some Peacock Alley at Tuesday Morning which was actually labelled "Dream At Home" which are percale made in Portugal and have the old fashioned scallop on the edge. I got a set in blue and red. These are thinner than the Thomas Lees and are more similar to the old Supercale types. I have gotten into the habit of changing the sheets once a week and ironing them after laundering on gentle cycle in warm water and drying on lowest setting, which makes the first night sleeping on them in particular wonderful.
The first thing you need to do if forget about anything other than percale. Don't buy anything made in China. Linens made in Italy or Portugal seem to be better. I don't even know if they make sheets in America anymore. I once found a sheet of Sferra "Linnea Casa" Percale at Tuesday Morning that felt wonderful, but unfortunately, they only had one set in king and I need queen. I check Tuesday Morning periodically--they always have these luxury sheet brands, but most are sateen. I usually find a couple of percales mixed in amongst the mountains of sateen.
By the way, why does hardly anyone make sateen anymore? The website Garnet Hill makes what look like high quality percale but I haven't tried them.

I recently needed to buy new linens for a vacation home and didn't want to break the bank, but am very picky about sheets. I've tried various ones as you mentioned like RL that felt great in the store and then not so much after washing. Years ago I'd bought Costco Kirkland brand sheets and loved them, but both DD's bought them about a year ago, and said they were different from what they used to be so I avoided all Costco sheets in my trials. But then someone on GW mentioned that the Costco Charisma sheet sets were a fantastic price and wonderful, and didn't wrinkle much. So I tried one set and was convinced. I've only bought the white ones, but I've decided that's my go-to sheet for right now. Sadly if you need any twin sheets they don't have that size, but do have king and queen. The only weird thing about the Charisma sheets is that the ends of the fitted sheets have a different fabric set into the part that is below the top of the bed. It's not felt or seen once the bed is made, and I'm not sure why they do it unless they think it makes them more durable. The cost is $39.99 for a queen set with 4 pillowcases and $49.99 for king with 4 pillowcases. The sizing is generous so I use jumbo queen pillows. The king seems about standard for king, but both are deep enough for my mattress.

The great thing about getting them from Costco is also that you can always return them.

Jokewing,

You might have a point. It didn't occur to me that these sheets might have some polyester in them, which would clearly give them that icy softness. I never considered it because polyester sheets feel very stifly and clammy to me and these sheets sure don't.

Then again, if it's a combination with a lot of high quality cotton, I wouldn't be surprised. Next time we'll go, I will have to dig up for the tag!!

I recently bought 2 sets of Pottery Barn 400thread count Classic sheets. My options were limited because I needed sheets for XL Twin beds. They are 100% cotton. They come out of the dryer somewhat wrinkled, but not horribly so. I iron the pillow cases and the upper edge of the flat sheet just for esthetics, not for function. I am very pleased with them.

The sheet that I like most is from Sears. It came with DH when we married. The fitted sheet disintegrated years ago, but the flat sheet is still going strong! Wish I could find more.

I think Jokewing may be right in terms of having a little polyester in the old percale sheets.....I don't remember my mom's sheets being as wrinkled as the cotton sheets today..they came out of the dryer pretty smooth.

Neiman Marcus White Sales.....good percale sheets.

These guys have the percale made from the long staple cotton with some polyester, SINGLE PLY.
These might actually be what you're looking for.

Another tip for sheets and a great night's sleep is to line dry them. Also saves energy, saves on your electric bill, etc. Unless it's raining when I have a turnover, I line dry all of my tenants' sheets so that they can climb into bed their first night to fresh smelling, cool airy sheets.

Here is a link that might be useful: Long staple cotton sheets.

This post was edited by Tibbrix on Wed, Jul 16, 14 at 10:37

I generally buy nice sheets for our bed, but I needed new sheets for a twin bed in a spare bedroom. I was in Walmart one day and saw some sheets that were really cute. I rubbed them with my hands and thought, "Why not?"

Oh my gosh. I took a nap on the bed that afternoon and slept like a baby!

I have to touch a sheet before I buy it, but let's just say I'm no longer a sheet snob. lol

Tibbrix....the sheets from Crane and Co. appear to be sateen....any sateen sheets I have purchased are not like the old percale.

I can't stand sateen sheets.

I think this person needs to ask her MIL if she would be willing to part with her sheets in exchange for some new ones!

I recently found 100% cotton percale sheets at Marshall's. They were made by nicole miller and were kind size. They didn't have a price on them so I took them up front and they only charged me $30! Score! Now, the don't sleep as "cool" as I would like but they're nice enough!

This may be a helpful read...

Here is a link that might be useful: The Best Sheets

Try eucalyptus sheets, they are amazing! We had some bamboo ones too that lasted about 5 years, couldn't find the same kinds again so we tried the eucalyptus from bed bath and beyond. Crisp, soft and wonderfulðÂÂÂ

https://m.bedbathandbeyond.com/m/product/eucalyptus-origins-sheet-set/1309569

This post was edited by mrsfireman on Thu, Jul 17, 14 at 0:47

mrsfireman,

Yeap.
This is exactly what is sitting on our bed right now and believe it or not, it is our ONLY sheet set besides a worn out, horrible, super-pilled flannel sheet set that we take out in the winter when it gets really cold and the eucalyptus feels simply too cold. I DO love the feel of these sheets, they are definitely very soft, but as laughable as this might be, it still kind of bothers me, striclty psychologically, to know that it is not a 100% natural fiber.

Given I don't have any nice cotton sheet set, I wanted to find out too. So I am still chasing for the cotton sheets of my dreams.

In the meantime, I simply wanted to find some good ones for my kids. After returning a Ralph Lauren set which was fine but too big, I grabbed an Organic Cotton Sheet Set from Target, mainly for the fit, and called it a day. I am so done with my son's sheets for now. It fits, it's OK, it felt very nice and smooth in the store but of course it roughened up after I washed it. Then again, ALL OF THEM seem to do that.

While at BB@B, the Wamsutta DreamZone Micro-Cotton sheets caught my attention. It felt very, very soft and icy in the store, and I almost got it.
Then I saw a review online that said it made the person "sweat like a pig"...maybe because of a very high TC? It is 100% cotton, after all.
No TC was mentioned on the package.

I don't know, it sounded a little suspicious - so I will keep looking.

Downy. Downy! (I use unscented.)

I agree they don't make them like they used to. Fieldcrest is not the same now, it's terribly disappointing. And yes, of course, on top of that old sheets are broken in.

But liquid fabric softener, used generously and often, does wonders. Vinegar is not the same at all. Vinegar is a rinse aid and can help with soap buildup - which, if soap was built up in the clothes, will help them feel softer. Liquid fabric softener coats the fibers - kind of like conditioner for your hair!

I'm a massage therapist and I actually use Macy's Charter Club at work and at home. Swear by them. Target made lovely bamboo ones at one point, but no longer. (Bamboo does take longer to dry, I use some bamboo pillowcases at work and they always take longer!) I also have the Target organic cotton ones at home; they aren't so great.

I agree thread count isn't important; it is all about the quality of cotton.

I should say I like the Macy's Charter Club Damask Stripe and Solid. They make other styles, but I don't know about them.

And even between packages of that same brand there are differences! The grey sheet set I got was particularly nice, but the matching duvet cover was NOT matching in quality. Different batch of cotton.

I also think dark colors such as brown can be less soft.

Sorry to revive this but...question for wormgirl:

I thought it is better not to use fabric softeners: first, for the chemicals and then, I heard it affects the fabric too.

You are right that vinegar doesn't do a thing.
I used it on several sheets and it absolutely doesn't work.

The 'old sheets' many of you mention were probably percale. It's what I remember my Mom talking about and saying never to buy the cheap muslin ones. I'm pretty sure she bought them at either Penney's or Montgomery Ward as those were the only two 'department type' store back when I was a kid~speciality linen stores had 'not been thought of yet'. When they were washed and became worn as well as thinner, with no balling up, they became as smooth as silk.

Here's the definition of percale........

Here is a link that might be useful: what it is

The "hotel sheets" from Home goods take me right back to sleeping in a bed at my grandma's house. You can move your leg and feel the softness.

LOL, another sheet thread. As always, my standard answer is: 100% linen.

This Penney's that's been referred to a few times, is that JC Penney's? Or something different?

Tibbrix-Macy's 600 TC Hotel Collection makes an extra deep fitted sheet-fits a 25" mattress. Our mattress is 23" or so, pillow top with 2 body size impressions - big mistake on that mattress purchase.
My Thomas Lee are 5 or 6 years old. Love them for the top sheet & pillowcases.
Begonia - read the Macy's reviews on the HC 600TC & buy one sheet on EBay. I think you'd be pleased.
Or find a sheet that looks like MIL's & do a switch.

amberm145,

I was just about to comment that my kids heard my mom referring to Penney's, and they asked if that was the same store as J. C. Penney.
(It is.)
It's very funny to them that Mom calls it Penney's.
Oy. I'm getting old.

I'm always on the lookout for my favorite sheets: cool and crisp because some day my favorite old Wamsutta's may finally fall apart.

Fortunately I am still using my old Wamsuttapercale sheets - they were a 50/50 blend of cotton/poly and then later they became 60/40 (I think 60 poly/40 cotton) and if I felt like walking upstairs to my linen closet I could check. I also have a few sets of Springs percale.

My MIL worked in the linen dept at Beale's and that's what she always gave us as Christmas presents. At the time I suggested it so that she wouldn't buy me red paisley sweaters that didn't fit or weird kitchen appliances that were never used.

I have some sets that are over 20 years old and they're still wearing and laundering well. I have replaced the elastic on most of them .We're not talking high thread count either - these sheets were 200 or 250 thread count. They haven't pilled, some of the printed sheets have faded over the years but none of the fitted sheets have worn thin.

I have bought some of the high thread count sheets when I was seduced by a particular color or design. But they haven't lasted, they pill and the fitted sheet gets thin and tears.

It's funny because now that my kids have left home they've asked me what sheets were on their double beds when they were living here. I laugh because they'll never find them. I'd give the sheets to them but they all have king beds and even though I dearly love my kids - I'm not giving them my Wamsutta's.........although maybe I'll add them to my will.

I had a friend who sent her sheets out to be laundered. She had them lightly starched, too. She discovered that to get the crisp, pressed feel that she loved, she could not use sheets above 300TC. I do not recall her ever telling me if she bought sateen or some other finish. Regretfully, she is no longer with us, so I can't call and ask.

Melsouth.....growing up and even now J.C. Penney we've always called it just Penney's..never J.C. Penney.....it was mom's go-to store for sheets, towels and underwear for the family. I think she also bought dad's white dress shirts there as well. Fond memories going there as a kid at our little local "outdoor mall."

I do believe the best percale sheets are the lower thread count..I'm just not impressed by the expensive high thread count sheets.

Wigardenerwannabe, I gave serious consideration to the Wrinkle Guard that you mentioned. I had to buy so many sets that I went with the ones I listed.
Having some polyester keeps them from wrinkling. They get great reviews also. Try a set.

I bought some sateen sheets from Garnet Hill for the guest room in a different color than the link below, but same pattern. I was hesitant about the sateen, but figured I'd give them a try for the guest room. They are wonderful!! Very, very soft and they don't wrinkle like my own cotton sheets. I haven't tried their solid sateen yet, but will.

On my own bed I have their hemstitched supima percale, which are not nearly as nice. More of a crisper feel and they wrinkle a lot.

Now I take a lot of naps in the guest room.

Here is a link that might be useful: sateen sheets

This post was edited by peacamp on Fri, Jul 18, 14 at 11:08

Begonia 2005,

Seventh Generation makes a liquid fabric softener. I haven't tried it yet but may get some next time when I run out of my Downy Free stash.

Without going on a whole rant -- remember water is a chemical, our bodies are made of chemicals, and there is nothing inherently bad about chemicals. As far as harmful chemicals in household products, fragrance is one of the worst! Even essential oils can be potent irritants. So buying unscented cuts down on a lot of them right there.

I haven't researched it but I was under the impression fabric softener is *not* high on the list of harmful products. I believe silicones are the main ingredient - like dimethicone - which are used in many hair conditioners and skin lotions.

Of course, your mileage may vary depending on how "natural" you try to be.

As far as it harming the fabrics - I do not know of this except to say, fabric softeners make towels much less absorbent, so I don't use them except occasionally, when the towels get hard and crunchy feeling.

We went through this a few months ago when we bought a thicker mattress. We have one old sheet set that feels as you describe (it's a twin from my childhood; DD uses it now) and it turned out to be a poly/cotton percale. We tried various "nice" quality sateens, which felt too slippery and hot, and one percale from BB&B, which felt too rough.

We ended up with LL Bean Pima Percale sheets and we are very happy with them. They don't feel exactly like the old sheets, but they are crisp and cool, yet smooth. I can't speak to durability yet, but they do seem to be softening up with each wash (though they were soft enough to start with).

WalMart has a percale blend that I almost tried. It gets very good reviews on their website. You might look into that if you'd rather buy sheets locally so you can feel them. I am thinking the flat sheet might be slightly smaller than LL Bean's and that might be why I didn't go for them, since our mattress is so ridiculously thick; but I can't remember now if that's really the case.
Mainstays 250-TC sheet set at Walmart

Here is a link that might be useful: LL Bean Pima Percale

northcarolina--thanks so much for that link to the Mainstays sheet sets....what a surprise! I picked two twin sets up today since I've had so much trouble finding decent quality at a low price, and was amazed to see that they felt great and are even hemstiched around the hems for the pillowcase and sheet! As you said, the reviews are great on them. Thanks so much for sharing that info as I'd have never tried them otherwise.

It may have been me that first mentioned the Charisma sheets from Costco. I love mine, and I thought that I didn't like sateen sheets. They are lightweight, silky and cool. They don't feel "slimy" like some sateen sheets feel to me. They don't pill at all, and don't come out of the dryer full of wrinkles. I love sliding into bed with my cool, silky sheets.

I was just cleaning out my linen closet today and removed some sheets I took from my mom's house after she passed away. I was going to give them to Salvation Army, because they are a 1970's brown. Maybe I should sell them on eBay or etsy instead......

She gave me a set of jersey sheets when they first came out. They were the greatest thing as well. That woman sure did buy nice sheets.

Hello friends, I'm chiming in just now after a slight absence and cannot resist tossing in my two cents worth on this topic, as I've had quite a similar experience. Some time ago my mother-in-law gave herself a wonderful birthday present, in that she bought all new everything for the boudoir, down to and including new carpeting, and I said, "Way to go, Rosemary, you and Johnnie deserve this treat!" She had a couple of old sheets that she earmarked for the church's charity drive but I wheedled them away for use in my own bedroom. One set, which I believe was Wamsutta, was like the silky ones your mother-in-law has, and the they were designed by Yves St. Lawrence, in awesome pinks and purples. The colors nothwithstanding, those elderly, well-worn and washed, and much beloved sheets were pure perfection to my husband and me. The lovely smoothness of that old bedding transported us into the sleep of the angels. I promise, we NEVER noticed the pink and purple designs, and we slept on them for another 20 years until they could no longer manage to hold together in one piece.
Oh! Holy cow, I just came out of my reverie and realized you had asked a question! Mea culpa! My bad! Here's my suggestion for silky sheets, or at least for as close we can come these days: Buy 100% Egyptian Cotton in a reasonably good thread count, like 300, 400, 500. I'm now a retired senior with rather thin, frail skin, which I feel warrants the smoothest, most silky bedding I can afford. And I buy my Egyptian cotton sheet sets from Penney's, when they go on sale twice a year. And they last forever, well, I'm still using them 8 years later! I have 3 sets and just rotate. Give them a whirl; they're quite reasonable on sale, and enjoy!
Kaye

Duplicate

This post was edited by kimberlyrkb on Wed, Jul 23, 14 at 7:14

I have bought two sets of sheets I have a question about. One set is by Martha Stewart at Macy's; it's white eyelet, maybe $120/queen set, and they're noisy! I also bought a set of Ralph Lauren at Home Goods and they are noisy, too. I can hardly sleep due to the crinkling and crunching. Will this get better? They seem crisp to me, but maybe this is not the same "crisp" all of you are referring to?

I was just looking at the Garnet Hill site and found this description in their Hemstitched Supima 300tc sheets. Might be what some of us are looking for?
"Heirloom-inspired in every way and woven of pure Supima cotton combed to remove all but the finest long-staple fibers, our 300 thread count cotton bedding possesses the soft yet crisp hand craved by enthusiasts of classic percale. The flat sheet, cases and bedskirt are embellished with timeless hemstitch details. The fitted sheet is fully elasticized for a better fit (deep-pocket Queen, King and California King sizes will fit mattresses up to 15"). Imported."

Bed, Bath and Beyond sells Wamsutta sheets. I bought a set for our bunk beds, but nobody has slept on them yet. Have you tried those to replace your heirloom Wamsutta sheets?

FWIW, I haven't read through all the posts but I did just purchase sheets from Kohl's and washed them last night. They are called The Big One percale sheets. The washed beautifully, are soft, came out of the dryer a little bit wrinkly (but I probably overstuffed it). Haven't put them on the beds yet and can't speak to their longevity, but so far so good. And the price was right. I think what got me was the "percale". I have sheets from 20 years ago that are percale. They were Wamsutta from JC Penney. I couldn't find them anywhere so I took my chances with these. Again, the price and the percale are what got me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kohl's The Big One percale sheets

Many years later on this blog but...while I agree the Thomas Lee sheets feel fabulous, I have purchased two sets and they shrink a LOT AND if you don't iron them every time they will develop a crease and then...holes and then...it simply tears. My top sheet, which I cannot tuck in on an 11" mattress (King) has torn down the outside edge because of a fold that weakened the fabric. I used to iron all the time...not time now. Still have my Grandmother's Eyptian Linen sheets from the 1920s, with her family crest, etc. I use them on special occasions. Sigh...

I'm 74, and when I was a girl, there were only two kinds of sheets, muslin or percale. The muslin were more stiff, and they weren't used that frequently. The percale were very soft, and had that silk-like feel, and didn't wrinkle as easinly as the muslin. Mom ironed the muslin which helped with the wrikles, but they still never felt as good as the percale. Both the muslin and percale were hung on the line outside during the summer months, and the percale were put directly back on the bed. I remember climbing into bed and smelling that 'outside fresh' of my bed...a pleasant memory. I also hung sheets out for many years on my 'umbrella' clothes line because I wanted my kids to experience the smell of fresh laundered sheets, hung out to dry in the fresh air. They loved having their beds made later in the afternoon, the smell permiating their rooms, no air freshner needed! I think you can still buy both muslin and percale, but the favorite these days seems to be Egyptian, the closest thing to percale. I've found anything over 600 thread count is a waste of money. Some things can never be forgotton.

Try Cologne and Cotton in the UK. They have a size chart so one can understand the different size names (our queen is their king; our king is their super king). They are 240 thread count, Portuguese percale - 100% Cotton. They also make some lovely sateen which does not pill. Not all are made in a top sheet - the Brits love their duvets. I've been buying these now for about 15 yrs and they wear beautifully and iron up like a dream.

i believe Matouk still makes their sheets in the US - in Fall River, MA. Lovely sheets, very good quality much like the old Wamsutta.

I had a set of those bamboo sheets that Target had years ago and have found comparable since. Those sheets lasted at least 12 years before my husband's toenails (same image as above...LOL) wore through the fitted sheet. The newer bamboo or viscose/rayon from bamboo sheets Ive tried haven't lated two years. Has anyone tried the Cariloha bamboo sheets? I'm thinking it might be worth taking a cruise or going back to Poipou, Kauai, to buy some. You can buy online, but where's the fun in that compared with port shopping?

I meant to write "have NOT" found comparable since.