the haystack needle

flannel sheets

When I was sixteen, I swore off doing a few things in the most arbitrary way you decide things are not for you (and never will be) when you're a teenager. A few things on my list back then: I vowed to never

+ have bangs again. (I was still recovering from the awful look in the early '90s to create a wave with your bangs and a ton of hairspray. Or maybe this was just popular in New Jersey.)

+ wear tapered jeans. (Bootcut was all the rage back then, and I was loyal to the trend.)

+ eat beets. (I loathed beets back then and couldn't imagine why grownups willingly ate them.)

+ sleep on flannel sheets. I can't even offer a clear rationale of what I was thinking. I vaguely remember thinking that flannel sheets felt too hot and stuffy to sleep on (though I used to have an electric blanket on my bed when I was a kid, which was probably the problem.)

As of last week, I've now officially broken all of these silly rules. I've had bangs for 5+ years (and now can't imagine not having bangs.) I have two pairs of skinny jeans that I love (mostly because they nicely tuck inside my clog boots.) If there's a salad on the menu with beets and goat cheese, I'll more than likely order it — pickled beets are one of my favorites.

And now we sleep on flannel sheets. Dan and I scored a free set of flannel sheets during his family's Chinese auction at Christmas. I love our cream flannel sheets (they were an incredible find from Sears — thank you, Connie!). I never realized how soft and cozy sleeping under flannel would be. And I can't believe I've deprived myself of flannel sheets all these years. I'd love to treat myself to one extra set of flannel sheets so I'm stocked for chilly nights next year — maybe a patterned set. I adore these striped organic flannel sheets from Toast. L.L. Bean has a more affordable take on flannel ticking stripe. It's hard to resist a classic buffalo plaid. I spotted some plaid Woolrich flannel sheets (above) from Target. And polka dot flannel sheets could be fun.

My only complaint with my flannel sheets: they make me want to linger longer in bed, especially on mornings where there's snow piling up outside my window.

{top photograph via toast}

patterned sheets

Do you have one favorite thing in your closet that always gets picked first? We have one patterned John Robshaw flatsheet that I scored at a sample sale. I'm always sad when it's out of rotation with laundry, as I love seeing some pattern under our quilt. My white sheets are just not as exciting. I spotted these colorful, patterned sheets by Kerry Cassill — love their bohemian style. We have a neutral quilt, so I like the idea of adding in color with your sheets.

On a side note, I'm making our bed these days in a very un-Martha way. That dreaded fitted sheet. I even did my share of reporting on how to handle fitted sheets when I worked at Real Simple. I may know the right way to make a bed, but I'm totally lazy when it comes to doing it. So I've skipped a step altogether. We have a featherbed on our mattress that inevitably makes it 10x harder to make the bed with a fitted sheet, even the "extra-deep pocket" ones. I gave up a while ago, and I'm so much happier for it. This wouldn't work for every bed, but we have a platform bed — so no boxspring. Here's the new way I layer our bed:

mattress, featherbed, mattress cover, flat sheet, flat sheet, blankets, quilt

It's best to use a king-size sheet as the fitted sheet replacement — that makes it easier to tuck the corners under your mattress.

Dear fitted sheets, I've entered you into an early retirement.

bolivian blankets

Even in the summertime, I love a good blanket. In fact, I have a hard time sleeping with just a sheet over me. I spent one chilly night in San Francisco snuggled underneath a Bolivian blanket at my friend's apartment. Terah lived in Bolivia for a couple years while doing Peace Corps, and she brought back a few gorgeous striped Bolivian blankets in vibrant colors. So when I spotted these handwoven Bolivian blankets on Twine, the blankets went straight to the top of my wishlist. Looks like they only get better with age. Swoon.

{discovered twine via abby goes design scouting}

green swap: organic cotton bedding

I used to think buying organic cotton bedding was simply an eco-luxe treat. I knew about the pesticides used with producing standard cotton, but I didn't think too much of it (especially because my wardrobe consists entirely of non-organic cotton pieces.) And as my mom would say, we've lived all these years without organic cotton and turned out fine. What I now know: buying organic cotton is more of a human rights issue. There's an ugly side to cotton, just like the human suffering connected with winter tomatoes that I discovered after talking to Slow Food's Josh Viertel. I had a nice long chat with Carrie, the designer behind Raksha Bella Organic bedding, and she shared an honest look at why she went the route of organic cotton for her lovely bedding line.

What helped compel you to go organic with your bedding line?
Vandana Shiva is the mother of eco-feminism. She’s the reason we buy organic cotton. She was the one that started stepping out and fighting against Bt cotton seeds. It’s about basic human rights. The movement that she generated helped support organic farming in India.

How do you define bedding that’s green?
The green word has been stretched. If it’s certified organic [GOTS], then it has my alignment. And you want to know where the cotton is grown and where it is from.

Does it cost more to make organic bedding?
Absolutely. It’s my number one problem. But it’s turning a corner. We’re at this edge where there’s going to be enough of a demand, and that’s going to help bring the costs down. When the big-box companies buy big minimums, costs will go down. When it goes to the masses, that will help the little guys because it’s generating awareness. The smaller organic bedding companies are not necessarily just putting out simple white plain sheets either — they can be more creative. Because we’re small enough, we can offer hand-blocked organic cotton that’s custom made. And my company employs women coming out of poverty. We bring it to the human level with sustainability — not just organic this, that, and the other, but how do we support the human system. The movement that we saw with Slow Food asked what about fair trade and what about workers. You want to look beyond the fabric to the cutting and sewing. Certified organic fabric is cut and sewn and printed through the GOTS certification.

When it comes to peaches, people choose organic to avoid the pesticides. Why splurge on organic sheets?
The chemicals used to finish commercial cotton are intense — they're harder on the environment but create a soft finish. You're sleeping with pesticides. Choosing organic cotton bedding means you're choosing to sleep on a sounder investment. Many people working cotton fields develop cancer — the production of cotton affects workers and water systems. Our cotton is organic from field to barrel. That means that through the process of harvesting and milling cotton, everyone’s paid a fair wage. Our bedding is made in India.

What’s greener, organic cotton or bamboo?
The process of creating bamboo and softening it into fibers takes a lot of energy. I just know that it takes a lot more energy and takes a lot more solvents so there's a larger carbon footprint. I have not seen certified organic bamboo processing.

A special thanks to Carrie for talking organic cotton with me. Be sure to check out the Raksha Bella Organic bedding line. It's organic cotton bedding you can feel good about — and the patterns are gorgeous to boot.

And here a few other organic cotton bedding lines that I love.

Les Indiennes
Plover Organic
Rubie Green

{top photographs courtesy of raksha bella organic}
{green swap photograph by charlotte jenks lewis}
what's green swap? find out more here

matteo plaid bedding

I absolutely adore this plaid bedding that's part of the spring collection for Matteo. I love their fresh and modern take on plaid — especially accenting the crisp white linens. I know I've been on a plaid kick, but this may be my favorite take on plaid. The modern plaid is much more Steven Alan than lodge in style. Aren't these plaid pillow shams the best?!

And check out the cute plaid crib bedding for a little bambino.

 

You can contact Matteo at 888.Matteo.1 about their plaid bedding — and it will be on their site soon!

q + a: christiane lemieux of dwellstudio

I'm thrilled to share a special Q + A today with DwellStudio's founder, Christiane Lemieux. Before Dwell jump-started a trend in modern crib bedding and became a fixture in Target, the 10-year company created its name for stylish modern textiles in the bedroom. With DwellStudio's new Abstractions line (above), you see a fresh take on pattern for bedding. So I talked to Christiane to find out the inspiration for the collection:

How do you land on the concept for a DwellStudio collection?
It is pretty spontaneous. Something will be in the air – signs from various places and we will draw on them. The concept usually comes together organically.
{a photo of Christiane's inspiration bits for the Abstractions line}

Did you tap a different source of inspiration to develop this new line?
No, it really came to me on a trip to Paris.  Everything I was seeing was fluid, handmade, and looked very fresh. From the windows at Yves St Laurent to an art show at the Musee D’Orsay – people were sort of over computer artwork.

Is fashion a big influence on your home designs for DwellStudio?
Fashion is a very big influence. The textures and prints in fashion lend themselves very well to home.  Fashion takes big color risks that we can apply to our designs. It’s exciting. 

Do you feel that people are as willing to take risks in decorating as they are in fashion?
Yes, but mostly in accessories. You can add a forward pillow or napkins to your mix and update easily.

What's your advice to people who feel "stuck" when it comes to decorating a space?
Mix it up. There are no rules. Your personality will make for the best space.

Do you have a personal favorite DwellStudio collection or piece?
Each thing in the collection tells a story for me.  I am attached to all of them, but from our newest collection, I am loving the Collage duvet set. It really updated my bedroom.

Check out Dwell's Abstractions line here. A special thanks to Christiane for taking time to share her inspiration!

boho bedding: handmade pillow

There are so many handmade details in this bohemian chic pillow, I don't know where to begin. French crafter Apol of the Etsy shop, La Pomme, layered many amazing touches on this pillow cover. She created the pattern using Indian wood blocks, the bird is a vintage stamp, and she printed "fly" using old letterpress. Machine embroidery adds a handmade modern style. The pillow cover is made of vintage white cotton. J'adore — says sweet dreams to me.