Bed sheet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A bed sheet (also known as a "flat bed sheet") is a type of bedding— a large rectangular piece of cotton or linen cloth bed cover. It is this sheet that one typically lies on. They were traditionally white, but now various colors and patterns are used. They are larger than the bed, so they can be tucked under the mattress in order to be kept in place. The quality of bed sheets is often conveyed by the thread count - the number of threads per square inch of material. The higher the thread count, the softer the sheet.
A "fitted" bed sheet is not a simple flat cloth, but is sewn to match the shape of the mattress. The corners are fitted with elastic so they can be stretched over the mattress, and then the edges can be tucked under the mattress. Sometimes confused with a comforter, it is usually found under a comforter, but over the mattress cover.
In some Asian countries the Ralli quilt is used as a bed sheet. It is a local traditional handicraft of the Indian subcontinent.
In many areas of the world a second flat bed sheet is lain on top of the sheet covering the mattress. This is known as a "top sheet." One sleeps between the two bed sheets. Comforters and other bed covers are then placed on top of the second bed sheet.
In fiction, bed sheets are often knotted together by prisoners in order to be used as a rope, to escape by climbing out the window.
Usually a bed sheet is overlocked around the edges to form four seams. One of the seams is wider than the other three and helps with orienting the sheet correctly on the mattress. The wider seam goes at the head end of the mattress.
