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[drizzellla]

When I cleaned out my parents house, I kept many of my parent's sheets. They were all in good shape AND my brother would rent a car (He lives in NYC) when he would come and visit. He had a collie that shed. So he spent lots of time cleaning the car of the dog hair before he returned the rental car.

I would give him sheets for the seats and the floors, to help ease the cleaning process. I ran across a sheet that I used when I was a girl, my parents still had it in their linen closet. It was in pristine condition, so I never gave it to my brother for dog hair.

I checked it out. The sheet had no holes. Was still nice and white with pink embroidery trim. So I put it on the bed in the share bedroom. The sheet is nice and soft and looks so nice. It is over 50 years old. It looks better than some sheets I bought 2 years ago. Wonder why it is still in such good shape. 

[Trix]

@drizzellla Quality and I'm sure your mother took great care with the laundry.  The quality type of cotton sheets your parents were able to keep pristine for more than 50 years are still available today, but you have to buy them someplace like Schweitzer linen where a sheet set (flat, fitted, two cases) can cost more than $1000.  

[goldensrbest]

I think that is just so nice that you have that ,from when you were young ,it must have meant something special to your mom.It is a fact nothing is made as well as years ago.

[depglass]

Quality, plain and simple, quality.  Remember when everything seemed to last many, many years?  Now days its just buy it cheap, throw it out, and buy another one. 

[Snowpuppy]

USA made quality for sure.

I bought a set of Martex percale sheets with an eyelet top sheet on the bay last summer, never opened or used. Fit my king mattress and they are such good quality.

They did come with king cases that didn't fit my oversized king pillows so those were on the guest bed.

Agree that today if you want quality sheets you have to spend serious cash. My other set of cotton sheets are Matouk. I stalked sales until I found rock bottom pricing.

[123SuzyQ123]

Wonderful story, @drizzellla  !! 

I've said it many times, they don't make things like they used to!

Case in point, I am sitting here looking at a 2 year old vacuum cleaner that is broken, AND my 2 year old HP printer that won't print.  In the past, I have had vacuums, printers, washers, dryers, etc. etc. that lasted 12 to 14 years or more!!

Your story about the sheets stirred a memory in my mind, too.  My mother in law is in early stages of dementia, but in her younger years, she always bought the finest of sheets, towels, etc.  When I was at her house about 3 years ago, she insisted that I take some of her sheets that she did not want to throw away, but she was downsizing and had too many.

I didn't want to hurt her feelings by telling her I had plenty, so I took them, and I find myself using them more and more.  Feels like a little piece of her in my house!  

[drizzellla]

Ladies - you are so right. Mom always stressed quality. She would never let me buy shoes just because they were "in style". They always had to be a "good" leather and well made. It was a battle sometimes.

In fact she would never buy anything on sale. She always said that sale merchandise was left over and picked over. 

She always said it was better to have a few quality outfits than many cheaply made items. Sadly, a lesson I did not learn. 

[Marsha2003]

If I had known in my youth how difficult it would be to find a nice quality percale sheet made from long-staple cotton, I would have hoarded a few sets of the original Charisma in king size.

[Mominohio]

@drizzellla

As others here have stated, it is the quality from back in the day, and the care your mother took with her things over the years too.

It is very trendy today, to use vintage linens like this for everyday again. 

Because beds have changed, and mattresses are so thick, the fitted sheets of old days don't work (unless someone knows how to sew and can add material), plus those are the first to wear out. 

So what people are doing is using the top sheet and the pillow cases from either beloved old sheets or patterns they love (70's mod is really hot right now) and find in thrift stores, then add a solid color fitted sheet in today's sizing to complete the set. 

It's really fun to see beds done up like this. Kind of a fresh version of a blast from the past. 

It must be special to see that sheet on a bed again. It would be fun and comforting to sleep under it again.

[Mominohio]

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@Marsha2003 wrote:

If I had known in my youth how difficult it would be to find a nice quality percale sheet made from long-staple cotton, I would have hoarded a few sets of the original Charisma in king size.

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I agree @Marsha2003 about sheet and all linens for that matter. 

That is why I have spent years (decades) scouring thrift stores and estate sales and have quite a stash of good quality vintage dish towels, bath towels blankets etc. 

Nobody and I mean nobody makes towels like they did back before the mid 1990's. There is just something about the way they dry and the way they last and last no picks and runs, no linting all over everything....same with good thick terry cloth dish towels from the 1970's. I use the things I've collected, (as well as buy new for a more updated look to hang for 'looks' in the bathrooms) but I'm careful with the old ones, as I know there aren't any more being made like those anymore.

Sheets are harder because of the bigger fatter mattresses now, but there are still a lot of vintage sheet in the package new at these types of places as well as ebay. 

And when you consider what sheet made today cost, and are likely not to last, it really isn't so hard to pay ebay prices if you find something you love.

I especially miss the ruffled and pretty sheets in the late 1980's early 90's by designers like Laura Ashley and others. There was something so feminine and beautiful about those styles. Ran along the time of the Victorian craze.