Sheet Dreams

Even infants can enjoy the pleasures of sheets as tender as their skin.

The Q Collection, which specializes in high-end and custom furniture, fabrics and accessories, is introducing a line of organic bedding for babies (available spring 2007).

A Q representative describes the line as "very high-quality, completely green and nontoxic."

Care and Feeding

The eight buyers lucky enough to secure a set of $15,000 Burano Lace sheets -- produced to commemorate Sferra's 115th anniversary -- most likely already have a professional at the ready to hand wash and iron them.

The rest of us should proceed gently with our fine bedding.

Choose a gentle detergent such as Woolite, Ivory Snow, Planet, LeBranc Linen Wash or SDH Fine Fabric Wash, and use less than the package recommends -- a half measure may be plenty.

Never use chlorine bleach on these fine-quality products.

Set the washer on the gentle cycle, and be sure there's plenty of room for the sheets to tumble freely.

Fabrics can rub against each other in an overloaded machine, causing abrasion that breaks down the fibers, causes pilling or both.

Use warm wash water and a cold rinse, and splurge on an extra rinse cycle.

The Sferra Web site recommends line-drying sheets outdoors to avoid the wear and tear of a dryer and to leverage the natural bleaching effects of the sun.

If the old-fashioned method isn't an option, shake out the sheets before drying them on a low setting.

Overdrying and high temperatures cause shrinking and wrinkles and may even shorten the life of the sheets.

Store fine bed linens in a well-ventilated space.

Don't use plastic storage bags or boxes, which can cause yellowing; the fabric needs to "breathe."

	Fern Sateen from Nancy Koltes
	Photo: Nancy Koltes at Home

Consider purchasing several sets of bedding and rotating them so that they'll last longer.

Reputable dealers should stand behind their products and permit returns or exchanges in case of pilling, shrinkage or other quality issues.

However, with proper washing and drying, luxury sheets may last long enough to become family heirlooms -- if you can bear to bequeath them.

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