Mending a tear in new bedding

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mattl

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I picked up a set of Simply Vera sheets, very heavy pima 100% cotton, unfortunately they got caught on something sharp and I have a 5" long straight cut in the fitted sheet, it's also about 3/8 wide.  It's only slightly frayed,  I'm wondering what the best way to mend this is.  I looked online and found a number of suggestions ranging from putting a patch over it, to using an iron on patch, neither of which I"m interested in.  I'm worried that it is just a bit too wide of a tear to darn over with the sewing machine, though that is the method I'd prefer.  i just checked and the max width of my zigzag stitch is just under 1/4"

 

i know repairing bedding is now a lost art, but I'm willing to revive that art to save these very nice sheets.  Interestingly I've never seen pillow cases constructed like these, they have an extra section of fabric to enclose the pillow so it can't slip out.
 
Win some, lose some.

I mended a fitted sheet, many years ago, with an iron-on patch but I had only a small tear ( less than 3") on one of the corners about two inches from the corner box edge. I put the patch on the back side of the fabric so it was nearly invisible. It was in a set of Ralph Lauren sheets that were nearly new as well. The patch outlasted the sheets, but it wasn't in a area that got much wear other than making the bed and washing/drying. I hadn't expected that little patch to last as long as it did. I used another iron-on patch, cut to fit, on a tiny hole in one of my down comforters 10+ years ago and it's still there, holding just fine.

If your tear is too large to patch without seeing/feeling it on the top of the bed surface and can afford another set, I would chalk it up to experience and bad luck and make it a new painting drop cloth. I recently did this with a set of sheets I bought that were "sateen" finish. I didn't care for the slippery finish/weave on the fabric.
 
Does your machine have a 3-step zigzag?

I've successfully repaired sheets by putting a patch of fabric on the wrong side and essentially "darning" with a 3- step zigzag and multiple rows of stitching. Stitch each new row on top of the preceding row by about an 1/8", beginning and ending on the good fabric to provide a stable foundation. You could probably do this w a plain zigzag as well- the widest width by about 3.0 stitch length.
 
3 step zigzag

A 3 step zigzag does 3 straight stitches for the zig and 3 more for the zag. It's normally found in the utility stitch menu on the machine. My machine manual calls it a 3 step elastic stitch. Often used to overcast a seam, or sew elastic on a garment. As well as darning. Here's a photo as a seam finish. It's actually quite a useful stitch.

aamassther-2015051518415605592_1.jpg
 
I'm all for

the machine darning method. My Pfaff has an automatic darning program. If yours does not...simply straighten the tear, iron some wash away embroidery stabilizer (find it at the fabric store)to the underside that you will be working on. Then use the 3 step zig zag as mentioned before. Down the side, reverse (or turn work around) and go back, overlapping a bit. Repeat until everything is covered and secure.

Good Luck!

You will likely get a ton of terrific methods here, which will solve your problem. People had to darn their sheets often in the past because they couldn't afford not to!

Guy
 
Thanks, great suggestions.  I'll have to look at the cams I have for my Singer 503, odds are it does not do the 3 stitch zig-zag, but my junky newer plastic Singer may have that stitch.  Hate that machine with a passion, but if it can save my $$$ sheets I'll hate it a little less...
 
Yup, love it.

I did find the 3 stitch zigzag disk, made a test run on some fabric and I believe it will work. Now just need to find some donor material that will hold up with the 800 thread count sheets. This is a very heavy fabric, should give years and years of use if I can repair it properly.
 
Snagged a 503 Rocketeer at a yard sale with desk type cabinet-only 20 bucks.Snapped it up right away-then took it to the Sew&Vac place-machine just needed a cleaning and lubing---works GREAT!!!!Another find for my sewing machine collection!Hunt those yard sales-you may find your Rocketeer!Also the 500 was another in the Singer "Rocketeer" series-it has a stitch selector knob on the front panel instead of the individual cams the 503 has.The 500 has a cam "stack" selected by the knob.Otherwise its the same.These machines are so striking-you can see them almost a mile away!
 
I got my 503 on ebay.  It was a one owner, older lady could no longer sew so she sold it.  I paid a bit more than I'd have liked, but got all the assorted goodies she had with it.  I'm giving it a good home.

 

I had some scraps for a top sheet I tuned into a fitted sheet last year but tossed them.  I'll have to see what is laying around.  I have some fabric from the 40's and 50's my mother tucked away, I'll have to see what in that collection.

 
 
Not really...

The main point, but honestly you've never seen pillow cases with the extra bit to stop the pillow slipping out?

I have never seen a pillow case not to have that extra piece of fabric.
 
@Louis

Yes, Americans have pillow slips (cases) that are merely rectangle shaped with one open end, no inside "flap" to hold the pillow. We do have pillow *shams* which have that feature but they became common as a European import to decorating.

Many of the European linen lines from high to low feature pillow cases with inside flaps along with shams sold here have inside flaps, but American offerings at least when it comes to pillow cases are the same as they have always been.

During my days involved with nursing made more beds than care to think about and never came into contact with pillow slips/cases with inside flaps.

Interestingly the owner's manual for my ElnaPress refers to pillow cases/slips with inside flaps as "house-wife style". It gives directions for pressing them which is different from pillow cases.
 
Most fascinating thing I read about making a hospital bed was that the pillow should never be put on the bed with the opening of the pillow slip towards the door. I can't imagine that's for hygienic reasons or is it? Perhaps in former days more bacteria came from the door side than from the window side? Or is it just because it looks better to have the opening on the other side?
 
No Logical Reason

Other than some nurses (managers) or sisters had a bee in their bonnet about the opening of pillow slips facing away from the door. Apparently this was to prevent the "pillow" from being seen by those passing in halls or whatever. Of course if Americans were sensible and used inner flaps then the whole thing would be unnecessary.

At one time nursing services in most if not all American hospitals took bed making *that* seriously. You could be marked down or sat down and spoken to about the neatness and technique of bed making including the depth of your mitered corners. From what one has seen today by and large all that has gone out of the window. Consider yourself well served if you *get* fresh linen every day and most places have moved onto fitted sheets. Do not even think many nursing programs teach and or place emphasis on hospital corners anymore. In fact bed making is mostly left to aides as the nurses are often far to busy.
 

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