Here's a related quote I love. It's from rulesofthumb.org.

"Never go cheap on your bed or your shoes. You will be in one or the other your entire life."

It's true. Feel around and establish your comfort threshold. Then maintain it no matter what. Don't let any pattern sway you, and be especially wary of bedding for college age on down. They tend to always be lower threadcount.

(Take time to learn about towels too. It matters.)

Read this funny rant about a thread-count class-action lawsuit! http://www.burbia.com/node/1554

I hate the wrinkles of the high T.C. sheets. Or am I missing something. I am not ironing them, that's for sure.

I love my high tc sheets for snoozing in the winter, but on a hot, muggy summer night, there is nothing better than my grandmother's old Springfield percale sheets that were obviously purchased in the '60s or '70s. They're wonderfully smooth and cool, have lasted almost 40 years, and there are NO PILLS! Yet I have no earthly idea how or where to find sheets like that. Do I have to wait another 20 years for them to come back into style, or what?

Speaking of bedding - I had a dream the other day of a burnt orange rushed duvet cover. I searched and found a white pin-tucked duvet cover, which is close but not the same thing. Any suggestions?

am i the only one who likes the crispness of a 250 cotton sheet? my forays into 400 have resulted in sheets that stay in the closet and never get used - they're too "soft" in an icky cloying way. i think parhelia might be on to something...maybe it's the humidity levels in the places we were raised that do us in. 80% relative humidity is no place for silken thread count sheets!

A high quality 200 count is smoother, crisper, and softer than a cheap 400 count. It turns out a lot of cheaper sheets that have a higher thread count are actually half or a third of what it says -- they cheat by using a two or three-ply yarn and multiplying the number. High quality cotton generally means a higher price, and it means a whole lot more than the advertised thread count.

I love the bedding on the picture. Does anyone have any details on what brand they are????

We absolutely love Area bedding and it has only 200 tc. Soft, comfortable, and of course the design is gorgeous. It is as nice or nicer than our 400 tc sheets so I guess the finishing really does make as much of a difference as thread count. Judie, have you seen the Wallter bedspreads? Not a duvet but they do have burnt orange spreads with brown or white stitching. While magnificent, though, they are quite expensive.