Fun print/pattern sheets for grownups (babies get all the good stuff)
August 30, 2014 9:04 PM Subscribe
I want queen cotton sheets with fun patterns to go under my boring grownup comforter. White or pale backgrounds, small repetitive prints. Where can I find them? I've been able to find isolated instances, but I want options! I currently have animal options in mind (e.g little elephants, whales, owls), or perhaps nice multi-color stripes. I might sacrifice my favorite niece or nephew for amazing octopuses or seahorses. Not kidding, I really am jealous of the babies and their magic crib sheets. Some examples of what I've already found are after the cut.
These skipjack sheets at BB&B are a good example of the type of thing I'd like to find. Cute, but not actually baby-ish. The Company Store usually has a few decent options, but I don't totally love the current ones. Mostly, the prints are a bit big -- I might prefer prints that could be mistaken for polka dots from afar, but that's not a dealbreaker. Pottery Barn Teen has some that are okay, but I'm not in love.
I would love something in this sort of print (not microfleece, of course, but I can't seem to find a cotton version at the moment).
If the correct answer is to buy fabric and have sheets made by a sewing-competent friend or someone on Etsy or similar, since there are approximately a gazillion fun fabric prints, what do I need to know about picking the fabrics?
Am I the only one, or should I be starting up my new business, www.whimsicalsheetsforall.com?
These skipjack sheets at BB&B are a good example of the type of thing I'd like to find. Cute, but not actually baby-ish. The Company Store usually has a few decent options, but I don't totally love the current ones. Mostly, the prints are a bit big -- I might prefer prints that could be mistaken for polka dots from afar, but that's not a dealbreaker. Pottery Barn Teen has some that are okay, but I'm not in love.
I would love something in this sort of print (not microfleece, of course, but I can't seem to find a cotton version at the moment).
If the correct answer is to buy fabric and have sheets made by a sewing-competent friend or someone on Etsy or similar, since there are approximately a gazillion fun fabric prints, what do I need to know about picking the fabrics?
Am I the only one, or should I be starting up my new business, www.whimsicalsheetsforall.com?
Pottery Barn Kids is my go-to for fun sheets. In addition to the classic superhero sets, they have puppies, geckos and dinosaurs this year. Wonderful quality, I love the feel of the PBK sheets I have.
The Company Store usually has some very fun designs as well, including this Dog Pound one.
Tommy Hilfiger markets one or two designs a year that are always fun and are 100% cotton. I've had a wonderful school of fish set for years, I also like their sharks. This year's are all out of stock but you can get the Queen on eBay (only one set remaining until they're down to Fulls only).
Queen size fun sheets are easy. Try King sheets, I have had to give up all my fun sheets and go with boring solids...anyone have any good sources for cute sheets in Cal King?
posted by arnicae at 9:25 PM on August 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
The Company Store usually has some very fun designs as well, including this Dog Pound one.
Tommy Hilfiger markets one or two designs a year that are always fun and are 100% cotton. I've had a wonderful school of fish set for years, I also like their sharks. This year's are all out of stock but you can get the Queen on eBay (only one set remaining until they're down to Fulls only).
Queen size fun sheets are easy. Try King sheets, I have had to give up all my fun sheets and go with boring solids...anyone have any good sources for cute sheets in Cal King?
posted by arnicae at 9:25 PM on August 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
Target, specifically their Circo stuff. I have dinosaur sheets for my bed right now, and they also have ones with ponies, owls, and some fun prints.
posted by naturalog at 9:33 PM on August 30, 2014
posted by naturalog at 9:33 PM on August 30, 2014
Like sulaine, Garnet Hill was my first thought as well.
posted by scody at 9:34 PM on August 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by scody at 9:34 PM on August 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
Can you sew at all, or do you know someone who does? It's possible to buy such printed cotton fabrics at a fabric store and make a set of sheets and pillowcases.
posted by orange swan at 9:44 PM on August 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by orange swan at 9:44 PM on August 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
Bed in Vancouver has an online store. Having been there I can vouch for the sheets feels ng sift and thick. Had,a similar set last more than a decade.
posted by chapps at 11:05 PM on August 30, 2014
posted by chapps at 11:05 PM on August 30, 2014
As long as you don't mind having a seam up the center of the sheet, this would not be all that much work and should be easy for a seamstress to do. Quilting fabrics come in a huge variety of designs, fabric stores will have hundreds of choices including quite a few cute animals.
If you want more choices an online custom fabric printer like spoonflower can supply you with many choices. Elephant, octopus, seahorse.
These are the types of fabric at spoonflower. You could go with basic combed cotton, kona cotton, cotton poplin, cotton sateen. There's also a cotton/silk blend which would be a bit fussier to wash and might not be as durable. I suggest you get a sample of each type of fabric, wash them, and pick the one that would feel best to you for sheets.
Check out your local fabric store for fabrics and leads on local seamstresses.
posted by yohko at 11:46 PM on August 30, 2014
If you want more choices an online custom fabric printer like spoonflower can supply you with many choices. Elephant, octopus, seahorse.
These are the types of fabric at spoonflower. You could go with basic combed cotton, kona cotton, cotton poplin, cotton sateen. There's also a cotton/silk blend which would be a bit fussier to wash and might not be as durable. I suggest you get a sample of each type of fabric, wash them, and pick the one that would feel best to you for sheets.
Check out your local fabric store for fabrics and leads on local seamstresses.
posted by yohko at 11:46 PM on August 30, 2014
In the vein of those skipjack sheets you'll want to look to more preppy brands. Those seem very Martha's Vineyard to me.
posted by radioamy at 12:04 AM on August 31, 2014
posted by radioamy at 12:04 AM on August 31, 2014
I missed the part where you said white with small, repetitive designs. sorry. :(
posted by homodachi at 12:29 AM on August 31, 2014 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Company Store and Garnet Hill were my first thoughts. Land of Nod has their kids sheets in Full and Queen sizes -- some of their patterns might work.
posted by kittydelsol at 4:04 AM on August 31, 2014
posted by kittydelsol at 4:04 AM on August 31, 2014
Best answer: Preppy brands definitely might be the way to go. My folks found whale sheets at L.L. Bean a couple of years ago.
I've seen Tommy Hilfiger sheets with dinosaurs, etc. on them at discount stores like TJ Maxx or Marshalls. And the Vermont Country Store, which is otherwise boring stodge-land, has novelty sheets with Snoopy, the Peanuts gang, or sock monkeys on them. The patterns on those are definitely large and noticeable, though.
posted by topoisomerase at 6:26 AM on August 31, 2014
I've seen Tommy Hilfiger sheets with dinosaurs, etc. on them at discount stores like TJ Maxx or Marshalls. And the Vermont Country Store, which is otherwise boring stodge-land, has novelty sheets with Snoopy, the Peanuts gang, or sock monkeys on them. The patterns on those are definitely large and noticeable, though.
posted by topoisomerase at 6:26 AM on August 31, 2014
yohko mentioned Spoonflower and I'd like to note that they have a sample fabric swatch where you can pay a tiny sum to get a sampler of all their fabrics. However, how-to-guides I've looked up are talking about around 17 yards of fabric needed (for a queen size flat, fitted, with pillowcases) and that is going to get majorly expensive for a set of sheets, especially from a print on demand place like Spoonflower!
posted by foxfirefey at 8:52 AM on August 31, 2014
posted by foxfirefey at 8:52 AM on August 31, 2014
Best answer: Definitely look at various kids furniture & decor places like Land of Nod, PB Teen, PB Kids, etc. Sign up for their newsletters to get frequent 15-25% off. Some places tend to stock these patterns more in the spring/summer so if you don't find anything right away, look again in February/March/April.
posted by barnone at 11:02 AM on August 31, 2014
posted by barnone at 11:02 AM on August 31, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks guys, you're the best! Garnet Hill had some of my favorites for now, but I'm glad to have more suggestions for where to look in the future. May need to save up, because, wow, some of these are pricy!
Best of all, you all inspired me to keep looking, and I found these awesome shell/starfish sheets on sale.
Don't think I can handle seams in the middle of sheets, but if anybody knows of a fabric shop like Spoonflower that stocks the extra wide stuff, I'd be tickled to hear it. I don't do much sewing myself (no patience for details like ironing and pinning), but I do have some friends who could whip stuff up for me if properly bribed.
I might have just pillowcases made from some favorite prints I can only find in regular widths.
posted by ktkt at 11:36 AM on August 31, 2014
Best of all, you all inspired me to keep looking, and I found these awesome shell/starfish sheets on sale.
Don't think I can handle seams in the middle of sheets, but if anybody knows of a fabric shop like Spoonflower that stocks the extra wide stuff, I'd be tickled to hear it. I don't do much sewing myself (no patience for details like ironing and pinning), but I do have some friends who could whip stuff up for me if properly bribed.
I might have just pillowcases made from some favorite prints I can only find in regular widths.
posted by ktkt at 11:36 AM on August 31, 2014
I was at Ross today and saw some Nautica sheets with a small anchor pattern. I would take a peek at your local discount stores, and also search out Tommy Hillfiger and Nautica. I found these Nautica flannel sheets with penguins on Overstock.
posted by radioamy at 3:26 PM on August 31, 2014
posted by radioamy at 3:26 PM on August 31, 2014
Best answer: I came here to recommend the L.L. bean whale sheets - I have them and loooove them.
Anthropologie has pretty sheets - including these with woodland creatures.
No animals but some nice patterns at West Elm.
posted by Squeak Attack at 9:57 AM on September 2, 2014
Anthropologie has pretty sheets - including these with woodland creatures.
No animals but some nice patterns at West Elm.
posted by Squeak Attack at 9:57 AM on September 2, 2014
Response by poster: Also found a fantastic (for me) winner at Land of Nod -- Deep Blue Sea Animals. Can you tell I love the ocean?
posted by ktkt at 5:58 PM on September 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by ktkt at 5:58 PM on September 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Super cute! In case you want to accessorize your room, the print is based on their super popular (and amazing) print of marine animals. It comes in lots of versions (including the Atlantic marine animals and the Gulf Coast marine animals) and they are really nice in person.
posted by barnone at 6:19 AM on September 5, 2014
posted by barnone at 6:19 AM on September 5, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sulaine at 9:23 PM on August 30, 2014 [1 favorite]