Advice please: ripped sheet

23rdspiral

My OH put his foot through the top bed sheet last night, so I've a 10cm rip, but the area around it is quite thin. They are those nice fluffyish flannel ones, too expensive to replace.

I've searched the forum but am still needing advice... Should I darn the hole? Or take a corner off to patch it? Or turn right side to middle? Any advice most welcome. My nan was great at this sort of stuff but we lost her 1.5 hrs ago, really miss her right now, shed know what to do.

Softstuff

Sorry you're missing your nan, mine was pretty practical too.

How far up from the bottom is the rip? The only idea I'm having is to flip the sheet so the rip is near the top, then fold the rip and make a little sewn folded feature near the top. I apologise for my rubbish explanation, but maybe this tiny picture might show what I mean:



My summer sheets have a bit of a sewn folded ridge like that about a foot from the top.

Another option would be to again make the bottom the top, get a length of inchwide satin ribbon and sew it over the rip again making a feature.

Not sure I've helped, but I've been on the gin :rotfl:

foxgloves

Depending on where the rip is, you could turn the sides to middle, sow the seam, then try to darn the rip. I've done this with an old cotton candystripe sheet which belonged to my Nan. She bought them in 1959 and they are such good quality (which is why I love vintage bed linen!) that I decided I'd try and do a repair. The darn needn't be too brillliant as if turning the sheets side to middle means that the darned patch is now near to the edge of the sheet, chances are it will be tucked under when you make the bed & not too visible. I thought that the seam down the middle of the sheet from going sides to middle would be an uncomfortable ridge to lie on but it isn't, you don't even notice it, really, so I would definitely do it again with other good sheets.

westlothianlass

Hi, could you take a small peice from the edge and either darn it on like a patch or attach using something like wondaweb (sp?). I have used this stuff for patching difficult to sew areas and because it turns into a glue like substance when ironed has worked quite well.
hth.

LittleBrownFrog

I would go for turning sides to middle - if you make a flat felled seam then it will be nice and sturdy but not too bulky

Mrs_Arcanum

This takes me back to my childhood - Happy memories of making rips in sheets.

something-witty_2

I'd fold flat to middle. If it's a left to right rip then making a feature of it would be nice, but it depends how patient you are (I get half way and lose heart in it!)

23rdspiral

thank you so much everyone... i love the idea of turning it into a feature, but sadly the rip is 10cm running top to bottom as it were, but i will remember that idea for the future. i'll read over your suggestions again and see what i can do. more ideas still welcome though!

[Deleted User]

Gosh I wish I had a pound for every sheet me and my late mum turned sides to middle when i was young She would cut it and pin it and I would be at one end and she at the other and we would sit listening to the wireless whilst we sewed it by hand.Everything was recycled in those days as there was so little we could buy in the shops due to war-time restrictions and then the austerity of the late 1940s-50s and rationing .When the sheets were really getting too thin we would try to adapt the thicker bits into pillowcases and then the remainder into cleaning cloths

foxgloves

But Jackie, I think the quality of those much-mended things must have been better back then? It amazes me that I still have 2 of my Nan's cotton candystripe sheets. I know they were bought for her as a present from Selfridge's in 1959.....still a good few years before I was born. Yes, they are both turned sides to middle, but they have been used regularly for over 50 years and they still wash & iron nicely.

[Deleted User]

foxgloves wrote: »

But Jackie, I think the quality of those much-mended things must have been better back then? It amazes me that I still have 2 of my Nan's cotton candystripe sheets. I know they were bought for her as a present from Selfridge's in 1959.....still a good few years before I was born. Yes, they are both turned sides to middle, but they have been used regularly for over 50 years and they still wash & iron nicely.

I so agree the quality was very good as housewives in those days had a sharp eye for quality as they knew they would not get many opportunities to replace things.Many women started their 'bottom drawer' before they actually met the man they went on to marryToday sadly relationships are like polyester cotton easily repmlacable and sometimes not worth the money of effort spent on them.I have a pair of Dorma single sheets, the first pair I bought for my eldest daughter when she moved from a cot to a bed in 1968.My DD is now 44 this year and the sheets have worn a bit better than she has :)They are as good as new and have been washed thousands of times over the years.At the time they cost me £4.10.00 which was almost half of my housekeeping money in those days but they have paid for themselves over and over again. She has asked for them at several times over the years but I'm not parting with them they are very good sheets and are the summer ones for my spare bed.When I shuffle off this mortal coil they can argue over who has them as I won't be bothered by then, but I have had my moneysworth out of them.I wonder do Dorma still make sheets.I now buy sheets if I have to in John Lewis as I know they will go to a good home when I'm gone :D:D
Ah the candy stripers, what memories they bring back ,long before the advent of the duvet, a pair of crisply ironed candy striped sheets on the bed with a couple of Whitney cellular blankets on top and the all encompassing ribbed candlewick bedspread on top of that .A fluffy eiderdown in winter on top and a cuddly hot water bottle (or husband, if possible your own ) alongside of you.What more could a modern late 1950s woman want:):):)