Have you ever had that moment when you wake up in the morning and your duvet has fallen to the end of your duvet cover? It's because you may not have the right size duvet to fit your cover. Bedding sizes, including comforter sizes and duvet cover sizes, are made with the dimensions of the bed and mattress in mind. They vary around the world with different countries having their own standards of measurement. It doesn't matter which you decide to purchase first, your duvet or your duvet cover. However it can be a daunting thought to know if your duvet will properly fit your comforter size. Many companies sell bedding and the duvet, but may not tell you exactly what the dimensions are. If the dimensions aren't listed make sure to double check with a customer service specialist to get the right numbers. You'll want to make sure your duvet fits your cover correctly. Typically your duvet should be filled with a comforter that allows plus or minus two inches in dimension. If you want a snugger fit then you should purchase a comforter that is bigger than your duvet cover by two inches in both dimensions.
You must also keep in mind that once you wash your duvet cover there is a chance that it will shrink 3-5%. There should also be ties on the inside of the duvet cover that are meant to be tied to a loop on the comforter. Not every duvet cover has this and that makes for a not so pleasant clump of duvet at the bottom of your cover. See a selection of duvet covers here. See a selection of comforters here. This article is about human sleeping facilities. For other uses, see Bedding (disambiguation). Bedclothes in a retail store Bedding, also known as bedclothes[1] or bed linen, is the materials laid above the mattress of a bed for hygiene, warmth, protection of the mattress, and decorative effect. Bedding is the removable and washable portion of a human sleeping environment. Multiple sets of bedding for each bed will often be washed in rotation and/or changed seasonally to improve sleep comfort at varying room temperatures. In American English, the word bedding generally does not include the mattress, bed frame, or bed base (such as box-spring),[2] while in British English it does.
[3] In Australian and New Zealand English, bedding is often called manchester. A set of bedding usually consists of a flat or fitted bed sheet that covers the mattress; a flat top sheet; either a blanket, quilt, or duvet, sometimes with a duvet cover which can replace or be used in addition to the top sheet; and a number of pillows with pillowcases, also referred to as pillow shams. (See #Terminology for more info on all these terms.) Additional blankets, etc. may be added to ensure the necessary insulation in cold sleeping areas. A common practice for children and some adults is to decorate a bed with plush stuffed animals, dolls, and other soft toys. These are not included under the designation of bedding, although they may provide additional warmth to the sleeper. Lightweight white, solid-color or printed plain weave, satin weave, or flannel cotton or cotton/polyester blends are the most common types of sheeting, although linen and silk may also be used, including in combination.
Goose or duck down and other feathers are frequently used as a warm and lightweight filling in duvets, comforters and quilts. But such fill can protrude in part even from tightly-woven fabric, and be an irritant for many people, particularly those with allergies. Natural and synthetic down alternatives are marketed. Cotton, wool or polyester batting is commonly used as fill in quilts and down alternative comforters. These are less expensive and more easily laundered than natural down or feathers. Synthetic fibers are best in the form of thermofused (where fibers cross) batting. Thick-woven or knitted wool, cotton, acrylic or other microfiber synthetics, or blends of these, are typically used for blankets. Around 3400 BC Egyptian pharaohs had their beds moved off the ground and slept on a raised surface. Bed linen was widely evolved in Egypt. It was seen as a symbol of light and purity, as well as a symbol of prosperity. The Egyptian mummies were often wrapped in bed linen.[4] Roman Empire mattresses were stuffed with wool, feather, reeds or hay.
The beds were decorated with paint, bronze, silver, jewels and gold. During the Renaissance, mattresses were stuffed with straw and feathers and then covered with silks, velvets or satin material. In the 18th century Europeans began to use bed frames made from cast iron, and mattresses that were made of cotton. In Japan mattress types were stuffed with cotton and rolled up for storage during the day. In the 19th century the bed spring was invented, also called the box spring. In the 20th century United States, consumers bought the inner spring mattress, followed in the 1960s by the water bed (originating on the West Coast), and adoption of Japanese-style futons, air mattresses, and foam rubber mattresses and pillows. Bedcover entitled "Buildings, Animals and Shields", Albany, New York, c. 1890. Art Institute of Chicago collections. See also: Mattress § Mattress dimensions Bedding sizes are made with consideration of the dimensions of the bed and mattress for which it is to be used.
Bed sizes vary around the world, with countries having their own standards and terminology. Mattress sizes can be categorized by their country of sale: In Spain, standard mattress widths are 90 cm (35"), 105 cm (41"), 135 cm (53"), 150 cm (59"), 180 cm (71") and standard lengths 190 cm (75") and 200 cm (79"). Sizes are not named but are referred to by their dimensions in cm. In Denmark standard sizes follow below table The conversions to metric are rounded to the nearest whole centimeter. ^ Oxford English Dictionary: "A collective term for the articles which compose a bed, esp. the mattress, feather-bed, or other article lain upon, and the bed-clothes." ^ a b The Design Directory of BeddingI don’t know about you, but I never cease to be shocked at the price of bedding. And nothing sets off my “I could make that myself so much cheaper and better” instincts like duvet covers. It’s just a big flat case of fabric, yet even the simplest options easily soar into the three digits—but all it takes to make your own is a bunch of fabric, a few straight seams, and a spare afternoon.
Not only will going DIY with your duvet cover save you some cash, it’ll also allow you to custom-make exactly what you are looking for. What’s better than that? *if you missed any of brett’s sewing 101 columns this month, check out her archives: curtains, zippered throw pillows, ottoman slip cover CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump! Approximately 10 yards fabric (see below to calculate exact amount; I suggest buying extra just in case) Yard stick, long quilter’s ruler or tape measure I recommend machine-washable cottons or cotton-linen blends for duvet covers. Quilting shops are a great place to look for fabrics, as there are tons of choices there for cottons in tiny prints, large prints, solids and everything in between. Here I’m working with Denise Schmidt Hope Valley Piney Woods from Free Spirit Fabrics. Be sure to wash, dry and iron your fabric before beginning to pre-shrink it. *If you find yourself head over heels for designer bedding, check to see if you can buy two flat sheets from the line, and use these to sew your own duvet cover.
This can be much less expensive than buying the duvet cover itself, and sometimes the manufacturer uses the very same fabric for the sheets as for the duvets, so you’re really working with the exact same material. *Consider using a different fabric for the front and back of the duvet so that the piece is reversible—two looks for the price of one, and a special bonus for the décor commitment-phobes among us. There aren’t strict standards for bedding sizes in the US (comforter sizes tend to vary among manufacturers), so I recommend measuring the comforter you plan to cover and using those numbers to plan your duvet cover. Since fabric generally isn’t sold in widths wide enough for a full duvet, you’ll need to seam a few panels of fabric together to make the front and back. I suggest placing one full panel down the center of the duvet with two smaller panels to each side of it; this is generally nicer-looking than making one seam down the middle of the duvet. NOTE: Remember that you should trim off the selvedge edges of your fabric (these are the finished edges on both sides of the fabric which are a little different in texture and/or color from the rest of the fabric) before sewing.
Remember to subtract the selvedge edge from any measurements as you plan your piece. Measure the width of your fabric without selvedge; plan to place one full panel of fabric down the center of the duvet and two smaller panels to each side of it. Simply make the side panels as large as they need to be to reach the desired width of your duvet cover, adding 1” to the width of each panel to allow for seam allowance. So, if your center panel needs to be 40” wide and each side panel needs to be 20” wide, cut the panels 41” wide and 21” wide. Those extra inches will be consumed by the seams. The length of your duvet is simply the desired finished length plus 2 ½” for hem and seam allowance. *Remember that you need a front and a back, so plan all your measurements and double them to calculate the total amount of fabric you’ll need. Here’s what your panels will look like when they’re ready to go. (Note: I’m making a mini duvet here to make it easier to see the big picture of shape and construction.)
To begin, you’ll sew each side panel to its corresponding center panel, to make the front and back of the cover. For a really nice professional-looking finished result, I recommend using French seams in this project. These seams are finished on both the inside and outside, so that no raw edges of fabric will be visible anywhere. French seams may sound fancy, but they’re really easy! Place two pieces of fabric WRONG SIDES TOGETHER. (This is the opposite of normal; usually you sew most seams right sides together.) Sew the seam with a ¼” seam allowance. Trim away about ½ of the seam allowance, being careful not to get too close to the stitches. Iron the seam to one side, then fold at the seam so that right sides of the fabric are facing together, and iron the seam closed. Pin the seam closed to avoid shifting, and sew it again with a ¼” seam allowance. Iron this seam to one side, and your French seam is done. From the outside it looks like a regular seam, but on the inside all you see is this nice finished flap.
For a nice finishing touch, you can top stitch to tack down the flap. All you do is top stitch on the right side of the duvet alongside the French seam, stitching over the folded-over flap in the back. Iron the seam once again after top stitching to smooth and relax it. Repeat for all center/side panels so that you have a complete front and back. Attaching the Front and Back Together Place the front and back together with wrong sides facing, pinning each side seam in place. Sew each side with French seams as described above (but skip the top-stitching for the sides). After sewing the sides, sew the top closed with a french seam as well. The inside of the duvet is now fully finished, with no raw edges visible at all. Here is what the corners will look like on the inside. To hem the bottom of the duvet, fold 1” of fabric to the inside and press. Fold up another 1” and press again; pin folds in place. Stitch hem close to the exterior fold line and again close to the interior fold line.
You have many options for closing up the bottom of the duvet (in each of these cases, I suggest placing a button/snap/ribbon about every 8” along the bottom): *Buttons and buttonholes: easy to do with the buttonhole attachment that comes with most sewing machines. *Sew-on snaps: very easy to sew on by hand, and quick to snap/unsnap when you change the duvet. *Snap fastener kit: All you need is a hammer and the special tool that comes in this set to attach snaps without sewing for a very professional-looking result. (Check the instructions on the package.) *Ribbon or twill tape: even easier to install. I suggest tucking 10” lengths of ribbon or tape under the folds of the hem before sewing it. *Zippers: long zippers can be purchased online; you might consider a zipper closure along the bottom, using the same zipper-installation method as the zippered pillow cover. That’s all there is to it! Don’t you feel so wonderfully nice and cozy with your new handmade duvet cover?!