Vermont Country Store Clothesline Crisp Cotton SHEETS

Lost in a big pile of mediocre bed linens -- I found two sets of Queen-Size sheets. They were excellent, heavy, 100% cotton sheets from the Vermont Country Store. On the first day (when I was there with Sue), they were $2 each. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I found two fitted sheets (very deep pockets -- just AWESOME), four pillowcases, and one flat sheet.

One reason the sheets were underpriced was that they were dingy...I think they had been laundered with a pair of blue jeans...and then stuck in the clothes dryer (DEATH for white sheets).

But I knew with the proper laundering -- and a TURN OUT ON THE CLOTHESLINE IN THE WINTER SUN -- these sheets would once gain be white and crisp.

But first --, I had to shovel a path to my clothesline.  AGAIN.

I've been doing this for months now..!!

White sheets hanging on the line never look like much...

So, I tried to get a little artsy-fartsy with my shadow...

The pictures might be boring -- But, trust me -- THESE SHEETS WERE EXCITING..

On that first day at the estate sale -- I looked EVERYWHERE for the second flat sheet that would complete my two sets of sheets.  But it wasn't in any of the bedrooms, or in any of the baskets of linens, tableclothes, pillowcases, etc.  It was disappointing, but hey -- I was still DELIGHTED with the linens I did find...

Bert and I went to the same estate sale on Day Two. Everything was 25% off.  As I was checking out, I saw the second flat sheet.  EUREKA...!!  It was being used as a tablecloth to protect the large buffet in the dining room.

But -- my heart sank when I realized they had about 60 pieces of crystal sitting on top of it...and the employees were all busy waiting on customers. There was a long line of people checking out.  I knew nobody was going to move all that stuff so I could buy the sheet...

I went home. But I woke up the next morning REALLY bothered that I didn't get the second flat sheet. And now, I KNEW where it was. So, on Day #3 (everything is 50% off), I went back -- and IT WAS STILL THERE on the buffet.   Thankfully, most of the fancy dishes had been sold...and the crowd was light. So they happily took my beautiful, perfect 100% cotton sheet off the buffet and I bought it for $1.

There are many joyful things in my daily life. And the fresh scent of winter line-dried sheets is one of my BEST things. I could hardly wait to wash these sheets and put them on my bed. I soaked them overnight, then did a regular wash cycle with detergent, then soaked them overnight AGAIN, with Oxi-clean...a second laundering...then a double rinse...

THEN -- even though it was below zero AGAIN -- OUT THEY WENT...TO THE CLOTHESLINE.  They were so heavy, I had to hang them between the two lines so they didn't drag on the snow drift...

In 1981, my Dad put these lines up for me...

I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO SLEEP ON THESE SHEETS!!

The Vermont Country Store calls these wonderful sheets "Clothesline Crisp Sheets" and you can still buy them.  $100 for a Queen set is a huge bargain.  The sheets are 250 thread count, 100% long-staple cotton, in a true Percale weave.  (Sateen is a wimpy rip off -- don't ever buy them!).