Journal

How a Pillow Sham Is Hand-Embroidered, Step by Step

An artisan marks the design onto the finished cotton, sets the fabric in a frame to hold it taut, then works the motif stitch by stitch in cotton thread, following the set design by hand. A single ...

Is Bedding Made in Pakistan Good Quality? An Honest Answer

Yes, it can be excellent. Pakistan is one of the world’s largest cotton producers and a long-standing centre of textile manufacturing and hand embroidery. As with any country, quality depends on th...

How to Style Pillow Shams on a Bed

Stand your hand-embroidered shams at the back of the bed against the headboard, and lay the sleeping pillows in their plain cases in front. On a Queen or King, two shams span the width; on a Twin, ...

Why Handmade Linen Varies, and Why That Is the Point

The design is the same on every piece of a given design, worked from the same pattern. What varies, very slightly, is the fine execution: the spacing of a stitch, the tension of a thread, the faint...

How to Choose a Fitted Sheet That Actually Fits

A fitted sheet fits when its pocket depth matches the height of your mattress, plus any topper or protector. Measure from the top of the mattress to the bottom of the side, add your protector, and ...

The Best Sheets for Children's Beds

Choose crisp cotton percale for a child's bed. It sleeps cooler than sateen, launders hard without complaint, and its matte surface holds a fine embroidered outline sharply. Look for 100% cotton wi...

Do Cotton Sheets Shrink? What to Expect on the First Wash

Yes, a little. 100% cotton relaxes and shrinks on its first wash, typically by 2 to 4 percent. It is normal, it happens once, and it stops if you keep heat low. We cut our patterns with this allowe...

How to Wash Hand-Embroidered Bed Linen

Turn embroidered pieces inside out, then machine wash cold or warm on a gentle cycle with a mild liquid detergent. Skip bleach and optical brighteners, which degrade cotton. Tumble dry low or line ...

What Is a Pillow Sham? And How It Differs From a Pillowcase

A pillow sham is a decorative pillow cover, finished on all four sides with the opening at the back rather than the end. It is made to dress the bed. A pillowcase is a plain, three-sided cover with...

What Sheets Do Luxury Hotels Use?

Most luxury hotels use crisp cotton percale, typically in a 200–300 thread count, laundered hot and pressed so it arrives cool and sharp. That crispness is the “hotel feel” people describe, it is p...