My Three Sheets

Of ALL THE TREASURE I have purchased over the years -- nothing will ever beat My Three Sheets.

Here's how it happened.

It was a typical Saturday -- and Bert and I had our catch-up breakfast, then we hit a local estate sale. It was the third day -- so everything was 50% off.  But, of course, by that time -- it's very slim pickins...Remember -- at this point in our lives -- our real hope is that we DO NOT BUY ANYTHING...lol...

Sometimes, we run into Frank or Mike from the American Pickers!

We NEVER know what we're going to find. On this Saturday, there was an estate sale at a 100+ year old mansion in Davenport, Iowa. The kitchen was tiny -- more of a hallway, really. Stacked in a windowsill was a huge pile of discolored damask tablecloths. The hand-written sign scotch-taped to the wall said $2 each. (remember -- it is half-price day). I noticed the embroidery and I thought there was a good chance these were SHEETS, not tablecloths. But it wasn't possible to open them up...the room was small and there were too many people. THEN I REMEMBERED THEY WERE ONLY ONE DOLLAR...so I bought all three of them.

At that point, I really had no idea what I purchased.  But the minute I got home, I opened them up and they took my breath away.  THEY ARE EXQUISITE antique embroidered sheets that measured 7' x 9'. HOLY COW.  Two linen and one a fine long-staple cotton.  One flat sheet this size (French embroidered linen) sells at ABC Rugs in New York City for $2200.   I found a similar sheet on ebay (with two mends) that sold for $648.

My three sheets are PERFECT.   Most likely, never used.  I put them in warm water to soak overnight. The next day, I washed them and hung them on the line. They went from dull tan to bright white...GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS...

Seriously -- I take the WORST pictures...

I tried to capture the beauty of the embroidery...but white on white is way beyond my capability....

The embroidery is very different on each sheet...

And these sheets were obviously made BEFORE there were standard mattress sizes. They are HUGE...

I took them to breakfast club for "sew and tell" -- and we ended up at Aunt Adda's house. Sandy is making the bed, Linda is complaining about my camera.  I am ignoring her...

The "foldback" on these sheets is 24"....

with a purple towel underneath -- you can see the drawn thread work...

Bert told me I should sell them. I told her she was crazy. I have NEVER, IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, enjoyed anything I've purchased more than I've enjoyed these three sheets. Every Monday, I hang one of them out on the line...and getting into bed with a freshly laundered, line-dried vintage embroidered linen sheet....well -- it is HAPPINESS people...

Today is John's birthday -- and he understands that clean, fresh beautiful line-dried sheets is one of the MANY WAYS I show love for him.  (granted -- it's not his favorite thing I do...)

I'm just sayin' -- life just doesn't get any better than this....