How to make your bed with only three sheets... according to Aunt Mabel!
What I love more than anything else in my business is the relationships I have with my customers and the stories you share with me.
Last year I had a special request for 3 x flat sheets of each new design. Intrigued, I asked why so many flat sheets. The story she told was just so perfect in terms of what Oh Mabel is all about that I instantly told her I would make it happen. Family, bed sheets, memories, traditions and coincidently, an Aunt named Mabel.
It was meant to be.
Now be warned, this might have you re-thinking your whole linen cupboard and laundry way of life. And thus the three flat sheet method as Aunt Mabel used to do...
The Aunt Mabel Method
"...well bear in my mind my Aunt Mabel lived in a big old farm house and did her laundry by lighting a fire under a copper, on a Monday. Always on Monday. So, weekly, she would strip the bottom sheet off all the beds and they would go to the copper to be laundered and she would switch the top sheet to the bottom sheet because they were (fairly) clean and so it would go, the next week that sheet would be laundered. She trained as a nurse so she always did hospital corners when making the bed too. She also did all her cooking on a wood stove. Morning and afternoon teas for the shearers and anyone else who turned up. Rock cakes and scones mostly."
Perfect isn't it?
But then it got me thinking about hotel rooms and instead of using doona covers they just use two sheets plus a bottom sheet (another three sheet method!). Which got me thinking with great delight about not having to change the doona cover anymore. Which then got me thinking with sheer pleasure about how I could combine Aunt Mabel's three sheet method with the hotel industry's 'triple sheeting' method (yes, that's what they call it...).
The Triple Sheeting Method
(pin to try later!)
- Make your bottom sheet as per normal using a flat or fitted sheet.
- Lay a flat sheet, the middle sheet we'll call it, on the bed with the cuff/top hem pulled up to the top of the mattress.
- Lay down your doona or blanket but keep the top hem further down from the top of the mattress. Around 15-20 centimetres should do it.
- Then grab your third flat sheet and lay it down on top with the cuff/top hem along the top of the mattress matching the middle sheet.
- Fold the middle and top sheet down around 15-20 cms (just the sheets, not the blanket).
- Then fold both sheets and the doona/blanket around 15-20 cms so that the sheets are folded twice and the doona only once.
- Tuck both top sheets and the doona in the usual way with lovely hospital corners.
- And if they don't make any sense wait a couple of weeks as I make a video of the above!
Now what if you combined triple sheeting with Aunt Mabel's rotation system? But without having to use the old copper? But hopefully with scones? I know it would make my life easier plus a great way to change the look of your bedding with your sheets and doubling their use in the linen cupboard. Win win!
In honour of Aunt Mabel and her three flat sheet method Mabel now offers our sheets and pillowcases as separates. To mix and match, to have some as spares, to have fitted sheets only or flat sheets for hospital corners, we've got you covered. And hopefully no more doona cover struggles!
Separates available here.
4 Responses
Marian Kidd
YES!!! We girls were taught to make our beds the same way as Aunty Mabel, by our gorgeous Mum, and I continued it for years. Was it a case of not enough money to have spare sets, hence rotation of top sheet. And yes i continued it until fitted sheets came out, hence once you use a fitted sheet, how could you possibly go back to the flat sheet on the bottom…it kept coming out!!
Will wait for your video, cos,you have confused me with the doona in the middle setup!!
Maryann Keach
My beautiful little Mother used to put the top sheet to the bottom! How sensible were they!
Bloody doona covers nearly always cause weekly angst since my husband started helping change the sheets!!
Maria
Sounds good to me, look forward to seeing your video though!
Shirley
September 22, 2018
Would love to see the video, re middle sheet for doona protection please!