We know, it's so Martha to do this.. but having had duvets for years, we used to be no strangers to reaching up and inside the duvet cover each morning to straighten out the comforter which always got bunched up during the night. So a couple of years ago we made a simple modification that eliminated wrangling with this and now making the bed is a 5 second science.. (and yes, with Wes and Kayla's Tuck/Drape survey, this looks like duvet day on AT Boston!)
It can be easier to shake out a duvet with another person, but it's not always possible. Especially when you're teaching an 8-year old to "make the bed himself". So, on advice from the mom of a European friend, we stitched two pieces of twill tape to each of the corners of the duvet cover. When putting our duvet inside its cover, we take a second to tie the ribbons around the corners of the duvet. Because the duvet doesn't shift anymore, we can fluff it with a quick shake, and on days we crawl back into bed the comforter hasn't all migrated to the middle. (FYI, we love Laure's easy system on getting the comforter into its cover here).
If you're not one for a needle and thread, there are also easy-on/easy-off comforter clips that do the same trick. What about you, AT readers? Do you have any tips on keeping a duvet in place?
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Comments (21)
also we had a similar post yesterday. I think AT writers have duvet covers are on the brain! many of the comments yesterday advised a similar solution to yours, some saying they could buy some straps, while others like to climb in.
Safety pinning the comforter corners to the duvet cover from the inside simply does the trick for me. No need to buy these contraptions.
Metal binder clips from the office.
I've never actually had a problem with my comforter moving inside the cover, but I just found out that my West Elm cover had strings inside it to tie to the comforter!
My only issue, is then the corners of the cover get pulled inside of itself. Any suggestions?
I don't have this problem with my duvet at all. I tend to hold it by the corners of the top and shake it out on a regular basis and it falls right into place for me. I guess if I didn't shake it out often, it could get out of place, but a quick daily fluffing works for me.
I need to do this, mine is shifting quite badly!
I've not had good luck with the comforter clips. They always come loose and roll around inside the cover. I've considered this option you mention in your post, but by stitching one piece of ribbon to each corner of the duvet and duvet cover, and then tying them together.
Nice job!
pottery barn sells duvets with the ties already sewn in
A loop sewn into the comforter corner could also facilitate this! I'll be doing this over the weekend!
i got a duvet from target and it came with those. But then, I also had a duvet from Ikea that didn't, and it never shifted
I have no problems with my duvet either but do want to know where that birdie light on the wall came from. It is fabulous!
humm this sounds easy, could replace my Hose straps. Heres a tip; you know those old panty hose holders? The white things with clips? those work well. Mine broke, I have lump insted of a duvet LOL
It was a bit of work, but I sewed buttons to the corners inside the duvet, and buttonholes to match on the comforter itself (I looked up a buttonhole tutorial online, it's pretty easy!). It's small and has worked beautifully, and you can't tell there's anything there from just looking on the outside.
Duvets out here come with bias binding stitched across the corners and a loop in the middle on all four edges...duvet covers come with a pair of strings stitched into each corner and a pair in the middle on all four sides.
You tie the first two corners and the one in the middle (with the duvet cover inside out) then as you shake the cover right side out over the duvet, you accordingly tie the middle ones and then once its completely over the duvet, tie the remaining two corners and the middle. Simple..and nothing moves, no matter what side you grab to shake it out.
Garnet Hill's duvet covers also have the ties already inside. And Company Store comforters have loops of fabric on the corners for easy attachment.
I've used the corner clips from Bed, Bath, & Beyond with much success. It's so nice to have the duvet stay put!
I used velcro when I was in college. I still wanted it to be easy to get out so i sewed velcro dots into the corners (and along the top and bottom) so that it would stay in place like a second skin, but when someone puked on it, it was still easy enough to rip off without crawling inside to untie things.
How funny, I've been mulling over this very problem for the last week....I didn't want to do velcro or clips as I don't want little hard bits in the corners, so this sounds like a perfect solution.
All great ideas and here's another ... comforter/duvet clips at Handy Accents online. Great selection of colors and designs.
I sew one string to the inside corners of the duvet cover and one string to each corner of covet then tie little bows when I slip the duvet into the cover. Now everything stays in place perfectly!