Mending Bed Linen

Want to tackle the huge stack of linens in my mending basket, but think
"50" cotton is to strong for fine percale and linen. Is fine cotton
darning thread (80) still made? Or, should I try Mettler instead? Any
ideas for patches? Am thinking fine cotton muslin or hitting the thrifts
for a second hand good percale sheet to use for patching material.

Did some darning using my Pfaff and 50 cotton, and while the darning
work looked good, think it was tad to thick. Maybe switching to a
smaller needle? Was using an 80/12.

Thanks,

Candide

Candide wrote:
Want to tackle the huge stack of linens in my mending basket, but think
"50" cotton is to strong for fine percale and linen. Is fine cotton
darning thread (80) still made? Or, should I try Mettler instead? Any
ideas for patches? Am thinking fine cotton muslin or hitting the thrifts
for a second hand good percale sheet to use for patching material.

Did some darning using my Pfaff and 50 cotton, and while the darning
work looked good, think it was tad to thick. Maybe switching to a
smaller needle? Was using an 80/12.

Thanks,

Candide

Size 80 cotton thread is still made, I think the Heirloom Sewing stores
carry it. However, I question the utility of darning cotton or fine
linen sheets. I have done it in the past, and found that, invariably,
more holes quickly appear. In my view, it is of more use to turn the
good parts of the sheet into pillowcases and make or buy new sheets.
Old, worn sheets are also useful for making Hallowe'en costumes, testing
new patterns, wrapping good linens or antique fibres of any kind for
deep storage, making cloth bags to cover "dress" clothes, using as
dropcloths when painting or dust covers while sanding etc. I _never_
throw out old sheets until they have completely disintegrated.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

"Olwyn Mary" wrote in message
news:1122378390.904bf008ab217426c5e050445d564ef6@t eranews...
Candide wrote:
Want to tackle the huge stack of linens in my mending basket, but
think
"50" cotton is to strong for fine percale and linen. Is fine cotton
darning thread (80) still made? Or, should I try Mettler instead?
Any
ideas for patches? Am thinking fine cotton muslin or hitting the
thrifts
for a second hand good percale sheet to use for patching material.

Did some darning using my Pfaff and 50 cotton, and while the darning
work looked good, think it was tad to thick. Maybe switching to a
smaller needle? Was using an 80/12.

Thanks,

Candide

Size 80 cotton thread is still made, I think the Heirloom Sewing
stores
carry it. However, I question the utility of darning cotton or fine
linen sheets. I have done it in the past, and found that, invariably,
more holes quickly appear. In my view, it is of more use to turn the
good parts of the sheet into pillowcases and make or buy new sheets.
Old, worn sheets are also useful for making Hallowe'en costumes,
testing
new patterns, wrapping good linens or antique fibres of any kind for
deep storage, making cloth bags to cover "dress" clothes, using as
dropcloths when painting or dust covers while sanding etc. I _never_
throw out old sheets until they have completely disintegrated.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans

Thanks for your suggestions and tips!

Agree with you about new holes popping up, but mending and darning these
linens will give me good practice on my "new" Pfaff, as well as
refreshing my sewing skills after a long hiatus. Probably will just put
small bits of fabric beneath the worn areas before darning, and patch
the larger areas.

Love that busy work! *LOL*

Candide

"Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It's
cheaper."
Quentin Crisp 1908 - 1999
_+_+_+_+_+_+__+_+_+_+_

If you have some used fabric softner sheets, they are good to put beneath a
worn piece of a sheet to stablize it while you mend. You won't have the
bulk as when using a piece of cloth. At least this has worked for me in the
past. HTH
Barbara in SC
"Candide" wrote in message
news:XYiFe.14903$iR2.7468@trndny02...

Want to tackle the huge stack of linens in my mending basket, but think
"50" cotton is to strong for fine percale and linen. Is fine cotton
darning thread (80) still made? Or, should I try Mettler instead? Any
ideas for patches? Am thinking fine cotton muslin or hitting the thrifts
for a second hand good percale sheet to use for patching material.

Did some darning using my Pfaff and 50 cotton, and while the darning
work looked good, think it was tad to thick. Maybe switching to a
smaller needle? Was using an 80/12.

Thanks,

Candide

Thank you for that! Was actually considering using cotton lawn or
similar fabric (do not use dryer FS sheets), but the concept is the
same. Thankfully my machine has several darning/mending stitches so once
the prep work is done it is only a matter of getting to the sewing.

Happy sewing!

Candide
"Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It's
cheaper."
Quentin Crisp 1908 - 1999
_+_+_+_+_+_+__+_+_+_+_



"Bobbie Sews Moore" wrote in message
nk.net...
If you have some used fabric softner sheets, they are good to put
beneath a
worn piece of a sheet to stablize it while you mend. You won't have
the
bulk as when using a piece of cloth. At least this has worked for me
in the
past. HTH
Barbara in SC
"Candide" wrote in message
news:XYiFe.14903$iR2.7468@trndny02...

Want to tackle the huge stack of linens in my mending basket, but
think
"50" cotton is to strong for fine percale and linen. Is fine cotton
darning thread (80) still made? Or, should I try Mettler instead?
Any
ideas for patches? Am thinking fine cotton muslin or hitting the
thrifts
for a second hand good percale sheet to use for patching material.

Did some darning using my Pfaff and 50 cotton, and while the darning
work looked good, think it was tad to thick. Maybe switching to a
smaller needle? Was using an 80/12.

Thanks,

Candide

Olwyn Mary wrote:
Size 80 cotton thread is still made, I think the Heirloom Sewing stores
carry it. However, I question the utility of darning cotton or fine
linen sheets. I have done it in the past, and found that, invariably,
more holes quickly appear. In my view, it is of more use to turn the
good parts of the sheet into pillowcases and make or buy new sheets.

Of course, there is also the good old fashioned technique of 'sides to
middle'. This assumes the wear spots are in the center of your sheet.
Cut sheet in half, flat fell or other flat seam finish to join the sides
together. Hem your new sides. Voila, new sheet with good material in the
middle and worn out material at the sides. Very simple, but I have
always wondered whether it would leave an uncomfortable lump in the
middle....

Sarah

Sarah Dale wrote:

Olwyn Mary wrote:

Size 80 cotton thread is still made, I think the Heirloom Sewing
stores carry it. However, I question the utility of darning cotton or
fine linen sheets. I have done it in the past, and found that,
invariably, more holes quickly appear. In my view, it is of more use
to turn the good parts of the sheet into pillowcases and make or buy
new sheets.


Of course, there is also the good old fashioned technique of 'sides to
middle'. This assumes the wear spots are in the center of your sheet.
Cut sheet in half, flat fell or other flat seam finish to join the sides
together. Hem your new sides. Voila, new sheet with good material in the
middle and worn out material at the sides. Very simple, but I have
always wondered whether it would leave an uncomfortable lump in the
middle....

Having had experience of sheets sewn this way during the war to make
them last (no, I'm not that old, but I slept at my grandmother's
neighbour's house a few times - she was still using up sheets treated
like this in the 1970's!), I have to say YES! OK in a double bed shared
with Big Sis - if either of use strayed over the line, we knew we were
in enemy territory and liable for a sharp poke with a toe or elbow!
Likewise patches and darns... Oddly, patches are better when hand sewn,
as far as comfort goes: the softer finish of a hand sewn single thread...



--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

"Kate Dicey" wrote in message
...
Sarah Dale wrote:

Olwyn Mary wrote:

Size 80 cotton thread is still made, I think the Heirloom Sewing
stores carry it. However, I question the utility of darning cotton
or
fine linen sheets. I have done it in the past, and found that,
invariably, more holes quickly appear. In my view, it is of more
use
to turn the good parts of the sheet into pillowcases and make or
buy
new sheets.


Of course, there is also the good old fashioned technique of 'sides
to
middle'. This assumes the wear spots are in the center of your
sheet.
Cut sheet in half, flat fell or other flat seam finish to join the
sides
together. Hem your new sides. Voila, new sheet with good material in
the
middle and worn out material at the sides. Very simple, but I have
always wondered whether it would leave an uncomfortable lump in the
middle....

Having had experience of sheets sewn this way during the war to make
them last (no, I'm not that old, but I slept at my grandmother's
neighbour's house a few times - she was still using up sheets treated
like this in the 1970's!), I have to say YES! OK in a double bed
shared
with Big Sis - if either of use strayed over the line, we knew we were
in enemy territory and liable for a sharp poke with a toe or elbow!

Hmm, this "sides to middle" mending of bend linens seems good for
martial birth control! *LOL*

Sides to middle mending seems to work best on vintage bed linens of
heavy linen or cotton, rather than today's thin "high thread count"
percales. Vintage Pequot muslin and Wamsutta percale sheets would take
mending easily and just keep going. IMHO, today's modern sheets are so
thin it is near impossible to mend without creating more holes or weak
spots.

Likewise patches and darns... Oddly, patches are better when hand
sewn,
as far as comfort goes: the softer finish of a hand sewn single
thread...

Agreed, but have so much in my mending box and so little time, so hand
mending is out of the question for now. Have also considered applying
strips of thin iron on patching material to the wrong side to close the
damaged areas, then machine mending on the right side. My logic being
that the thin patching material would provide a bit of reinforcement to
the percale without bulk. It would also mean no frayed edges.


Candide


"Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It's
cheaper."
Quentin Crisp 1908 - 1999
_+_+_+_+_+_+__+_+_+_+_

Of course, there is also the good old fashioned technique of 'sides to
middle'. This assumes the wear spots are in the center of your sheet.
Cut sheet in half, flat fell or other flat seam finish to join the
sides together. Hem your new sides. Voila, new sheet with good
material in the middle and worn out material at the sides. Very
simple, but I have always wondered whether it would leave an
uncomfortable lump in the middle....


Having had experience of sheets sewn this way during the war to make
them last (no, I'm not that old, but I slept at my grandmother's
neighbour's house a few times - she was still using up sheets treated
like this in the 1970's!), I have to say YES! OK in a double bed shared
with Big Sis - if either of use strayed over the line, we knew we were
in enemy territory and liable for a sharp poke with a toe or elbow!
Likewise patches and darns... Oddly, patches are better when hand sewn,
as far as comfort goes: the softer finish of a hand sewn single thread...




Hmmmm...am I the only one present who has slept on sheets made of
_feedsacks_ seamed together? (at the home of first DH...his parents were
'poorer than dirt'). It was a long time ago, but I still remember the
seams as being very uncomfortable.

Doreen in Alabama

I don't remember sleeping on the feed sack sheets though my maternal DGM had
some. But Oh! do I ever remember the seams in the middle of sheets!
Luckily, I always shared double beds with one of my DSs, and both of us
were careful not to cross "the center line".
Emily