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My Mom taught me that using large safety pins to pin the duvet on the bottom inside corners of the cover can be effective.

Hope it helps!

The only remedy, unfortunately, is to fluff it every day. My duvet doesn't get lumpy, it just gradually loses its loft. What gets lumpy is the feather bed. fiddledeedee.

What's a duvet?

What's it for and why do ineed one ?


Robert

A duvet virgin! Ohmy.

ANYway...

I think it also has to do with the duvet's "baffling" doesn't it? (the interior stitching that keeps the down in smaller compartments within the overall duvet, and keeps the feathers from all shifting to one corner of the whole friggin' thing)...?

I have had lumpy duvets where all the fill shifts around within the baffles. The last few I have bought I make sure have a window-pane baffle to prevent such shifts.

I'm afraid the best - most fun and perhaps expensive - solution is to fly to Iceland and get one of their excellent duvets. They are quite cheap there, speaking relatively of course, and they don't clump. The down is picked out of the bird's nests, which are on impossibly steep seaside cliffs - it's all very dramatic.

Don't forget to get a nice cover while you're there!

For the virgins...A duvet is like a giant pillowcase that covers your down quilt, so you don't have to wash the quilt, which is a pain. Instead you just take off the duvet and wash that.

Sarah, unless I am reading your question incorrectly, I believe you are actually asking about the duvet moving within the duvet cover itself, not necessarily the movement of the down within the duvet.

I don't know what method you've used to try tying the corners. But I do know that Martha sews buttons to the interior of the duvet covers and then ties the ends of the duvet to them.

Sorry, Sophie not Sarah.

This is similar to the button idea above, but if your duvet has those little fabric tags on the end, you can buy strips of velcro and sew them to the duvet cover, then clamp them over the little fabric hook things. T

ona--
Aren't you describing the duvet *cover*?

Here's what dictionary.com sez...

duvet (doo-vay) n.
A quilt, usually with a washable cover, that may be used in place of a bedspread and top sheet.

[French, down, from Old French, alteration of dumet, diminutive of dum, dun, from Old Norse dnn.]

Hola all,

I would love to find a good solution to this thorny issue. That, plus the lumpy feather bed problem. Since I got mine (feather bed), I leave home every morning annoyed by the bumps and the fact that my bed doesn’t look like the ones pictured in catalogs.

i also do the down comforter + duvet cover thing instead of fussing w/ a separate flat sheet. it's great in terms of comfort (light & airy & somehow almost always the right degree of warmth) but i've never been able to get it to look as smooth & sleek as i would like. for me the problem isn't shifting down or improperly fitting duvet cover; it's just that some areas "pouf up" more than others when i fluff it up to make the bed in the morning. the result is a bumpy, uneven-looking surface. anyone else have this problem? any suggestions?

My duvet is a Daniadown, twenty-five years old and handed down by my mother. It doesn't have baffles or waffles or boxes or ties or fasteners, but it almost always stays in place inside the duvet cover, and it always looks even. (Plus I'm a tosser and turner, and I usually wind up throwing it on and off many times during the night...I'm one of those people who needs a duvet AND a sheet. Of the partners I've had, only one wasn't driven completely mad by this.)

My mom says it was very expensive at the time she bought it. This leads me to wonder if the quality of the down and the covering it's made with has something to do with it....? Of course, they clearly last for a long, long time, so the price seems to be worth it!

I've invested in a fairly expensive duvet (Cuddledown's premium offering), and I still have trouble with tangling the cover with the duvet so it's all a big lump.

I think the very first post is right-on: Big safety pins on all four corners. It solves the problem. I don't think it has much to do with how expensive your comforter is.

OK, so am I one of the few that uses a sheet also????

for all i know, maybe more people use both a duvet cover AND a separate flat sheet. i don't, b/c making the bed is so much easier & faster that way. the catch, of course, is that you have to wash the duvet cover much more often, like you would a flat sheet, but for me this is still preferable to the hassle of making a bed w/ a flat sheet.

I agree with others that having the duvet cover the same size as the duvet is important.

As for Sooj's question - have you considered folding the duvet and putting it at the end of the bed every morning? I fold mine in thirds, and it works well for me.

I use a sheet too. I have a little apartment-sized washer, and my king-size duvet cover is just a little too big to wash at home. By sleeping under a flat sheet under the duvet I can delay that trip to the laundromat or a friend's house (where there are larger washers) a little longer.

Could it be that some areas simply have less stuff in them than others? Of maybe the down is just clumped together from washing? When I wash my comforter, I make sure I put something else in the dryer like a tennis ball or towel to help the down get distributed. I pin it inside the comforter-all 4 corners plus at least 2 of the sides. Ideally you'd want the comforter as close to your skin as possible for maximum warmth. The last cover I had was a very thin cotton. It kind of bugged me at first, but it worked really well.

One other option is to use a duvet one size larger than the duvet cover. This should give it more of an overstuffed feel and perhaps help keep the down more uniform.

May I begin by saying that I'm so thrilled to be in a place where most people do not use "duvet" and "duvet cover" interchangeably?

My first down comforter (or duvet) was a cheapie, a $99 Ralph Lauren job from some warehouse store. It took about a year for all the feathers to migrate to the edges, and nothing brings them back. My second comforter was pretty much the most expensive one, or a step or so down from that, that Bed Bath & Beyond or Linens N Things was selling at the time. A world of difference. It doesn't shift at all.

However, to keep it in one spot in the cover? Ties in the corner of the cover AND shaking it out straight, so that it fills the cover properly, every day or so.

Down in the center of a pillow or comforter can take a long time to try, so if you wash it or it gets damp, run it in a large dryer until you're certain it's dry, taking it out and shifting it every half-hour or so. If it doesn't dry all the way, it will almost certainly get moldy.

Okay, THIS IS THE ANSWER:

"Duvet Tie

"To keep your duvet from shifting inside its cover while you sleep, secure it in place at the corners with twill ties.

"Start with eight 6-inch strips of narrow twill tape—four pieces of one color and four of another. Hand-sew a length of one color to each of the top corners of the duvet, and sew a length of the other color tape to each of the bottom corners.

"With your duvet cover turned inside out, sew a strip of twill tape onto each top corner of the cover, making sure the colors correspond with those of the sewn on the top corners of the comforter. Do the same on the bottom of the cover. Tie each of the cover’s corners to the matching corner on the duvet, then turn the cover right side out over the comforter."

BTW, I've done this with all my duvet covers. I put safety pins in each corner of my duvet, and tied the "duvet ties" to each corner. Works like a charm!

Since we are on comforter related questions, do you mind sharing, how often and what methods you employ to wash your down comforters?

I've had mine 3 years and never put it through the washer. I've fluffed it out in the sun frequently enough, and I am religious with my duvet maintenance. But I think it might be time for a wash. Comments?

I would like to respectfully submit that a "duvet" is a cover and that the thing that is covers is a comforter (usually down.) In other words, duvet means cover, so covering a duvet with a duvet cover means covering and cover cover. Good ideas though.
Thanks!

Bed Bath & Beyond sells sets of clips that you can put on the inside corners to keep the duvet in place. And they are padded, so you don't feel them inside the duvet cover.

My duvet and duvet cover were both gifts, and are different sizes, so I actually have 6/8 of those clips keeping things together in there!!

um, shumai--
not so much. the duvet is the thing, the duvet cover is the thing cover.

Sigh. This is all very educational and I love the look of all those lush duvet covers in displays and magazines, but my apartment is generally to hot to have a heavy duvet/comforter like that. On the rare occasion the heat is out I use an old fashion blanket or knit afgan my mother gave me. Still love the look though.

Thanks, For the Clarifcation

patrick

jimkk-

There is such a thing as a 'tropical weight' down comforter--they are lightweight and airy, not too hot at all (I had one in steamy Georgia, even in the summer) and you still get all the yummy comfort of down.

Only problem is, they are thinner than the usual, and always swam inside the duvet cover. Is it my imagination or are duvet covers also getting larger (to accomodate those larger-than-ever thick mattresses)?

jimkk--
(hey there!)
I actually have a lightweight (older) semi-quilted comforter inside my duvet cover, and the weight (temp-wise) works out well, partly because I don't also use a top sheet.

The "innards" inside the duvet cover do not have to necessarily be a down duvet...

Repectfully submitted:

Main Entry: du·vet
Etymology: French
see: COMFORTER 2b

Main Entry: com·fort·er
2b : a thick bed covering made of two layers of cloth containing a filling (as down)

-Merriam-Webster online

lori 2 - thanks for the suggestion about folding the duvet/comforter/whatever at the foot of the bed. unfortunately, that would expose the fitted sheet, which doesn't fit very snugly (alas, these days they're all designed to fit supersized McMattresses) so it looks all wrinkly & messy. i guess i'll just have to stick w/ the unevenly puffy look. thanks again anyway, though!

d - sorry i don't have any authoritative advice on washing a down comforter; i'm actually facing this issue myself. i can tell you that i've heard some people say they've machine washed/dried theirs w/ fine results. down bedding manufacturers seem to give conflicting advice--some say machine wash (i think Pacific Coast Feather says this) & others say professionally clean. i'm leaning toward going the machine-wash route myself. if you decide to do this as well, i'd recommend using a front-loading washer, which i think will cause less wear & tear on the comforter fabric & construction than a top-loading agitator style machine. maybe someone else out there can weigh in on this?

I guess I consider the refluffing and resituating of my down comforter and duvet something of a morning exercise routine (at least I try to convince myself of that as I wrestle around with it and scare the cat). I gave up trying to wash big comforters (down or poly) and rely on the local "green" dry cleaner place to handle it.

I have used the Bed Bath and Beyond clips with great success for 5 years now. Lay the duvet cover on top, inside out, clip the corners, and turn the duvet right-side out. Mine never ever shifts.

This tip about the Bed Bath and Beyond clips has rocked my world

Ponytail holders. I tie the bottom corners with ponytail holders (rubber bands would likely work as well) then I shake the duvet into the cover, tie the other corners with pony tail holders. You won't have to worry about pin holes, perhaps corner wrinkles, but it works great for me. Plus, if the ponytail holders match the cover, leaving them on gives it a different look with the corners tied up.

Sooj, I just washed my down comforter about a month ago. I tossed it in the washing machine and once the feather's got wet, I thought it was just so "fowl" smelling that I must've washed it 4 times before I gave up, rinsed it really well to make sure no soap was left in it then attempted to dry it, all in my building's reg. washer/dryer. I was so fed up with washing it and it still smelling that I didn't put fabric softener in it, which is good because when I went back to research how to get rid of the smell, I found out that 1) It's almost impossible to get it to completely dry in a dryer, so take it out and let it air dry. I layed mine over my StairMaster, desk and big tv hoping to get air flow underneath as well. 2) Once it's dry, that stinky fowl musty wet feather smell goes completely away and it smells way fresh and clean, since I ran it through so many washed trying to eliminate the impossible.

I would just make sure to flip it and shake it out as it's air drying. Especially, if you can hang it outside anywhere and need to lay it over tables and chairs to let it dry.

Doug and I must have been raised by the same mom. I have a kingsize comforter in a queensize duvet for a full/queen size bed. Excellent. My four queensized feather pillows are encased in standardsized pillow covers that are in queensized pillow cases. Excellent.

Now if I could only remember how mom kept the bottom sheet tucked in....

I'm with Maxwell on this in that I no longer have the problem of the duvet shifting within the cover without having to use any ties or pins. I used to have this problem with a satin cover that I got from Portico but don't have the problem with cotton covers. The contact between the cotton of the duvet and the cotton of the cover is key here and there must be different combinations that work better than others because cotton can have different tactile levels depending on how it's finished. Get the most "tacky" or sticky duvets and covers you can find would be my advice.

WRT washing duvets, I was a bit wary of doing so but found that sticking in the front loader washer and dryer worked like a charm. As Raven found out, the smell was very forboding when it wet and I was concerned that I had screwed up. However, as Raven said, as soon as the duvet was dry it smelled fresh and clean.

Re; Washing down comforters,

I did a google search a couple of years ago and this is what I recall; First, you need a large washer, so that typically means going to the laundromat. Next, I remember running it through the large laudromat dryer on low heat probably 6 to 10 times along with 2 new tennis balls. It helped that the dryers were free at this laundromat.

And yes, the smell goes away when it's dry.

Sooj-

You’ve gotta let your bed linens know who has the upper hand! You are going to win this one.

If your fitted sheet is too big for the mattress, would it be possible to get a different fitted sheet that isn’t as large/deep? Or have you already invested in the particular sheets you are using now? Could you put something over the mattress to add more volume, so the sheet fits more snuggly (like a foam topper, etc)?

I have one more idea, not sure if it will be too fussy/high maintenance for you, since you don’t want a top sheet: would it be possible to fold the duvet at the end of the bed, keep the same fitted sheet you have, but then put something more rigid over the fitted sheet when you make your bed? I am thinking along the lines of blanket or quilt or quilt cover that would be almost the same size as the mattress. It would hide the ill-fitting fitted sheet, but be easy to deal with (unlike a flat top sheet) - just a shake and it will fall correctly on the bed.

lori 2 - i had to laugh at your mini pep-talk! maybe you're right & it's high time i put those bed linens in their place. thanks for your great suggestions--i will definitely consider them as i continue to wrestle w/ this issue!

raven, jamie pup, & jon b -
thanks for your tips about machine washing down comforters, especially about the possible odor & not to freak out about it--good to know. thanks guys!

The only way I know is to a) have the correct size duvet cover to start with and b) shake it every night.

Just bought a new down comforter in Denmark last week at a fabulous, old, weaving/down store, link attached. It's so soft, fluffy, and warm, and the one I got is made with long channels with a wall in between each channel so that it wraps more naturally around the body. Better yet, we got 2 twins, one for me, one for hubby, for our king size bed, a common way to sleep over there. Been doing that for years. Best of both worlds!

They'd send the comforters to the U.S. and take off the 20% VAT tax too. This is one of the very best sources for down, at least in Denmark.

do the ties on a duvet cover go on the bottom of the bed or near the pillows?

You absolutely should wash down in a front-loader. The agitators in a top-loader will smash feathers and won't do down any good either.

My laundry room has top-loaders, my friends' amazing whiz-bang info-age front loader is too small, so I take my queen-size down comforter to the cleaners. It's been there since Spring; I need to get it. (It was $2.00 at a yard sale -- wretchedly stained, but perfectly intact and serviceable.)

I got a new featherbed a couple of months ago -- a down-top one. Bliss! Gotta live large somehow in a small place ...

I have been fighting with the duvet clips. I DO tend to feel them even though they are padded. They are available at HomeOutfitters (in Canada) and Beddington's (in the Ottawa, Ontario area).

I am endeavouring to solve my problem of the duvet shifting within the cover by sewing on snaps that are preworked into a ribbon available at my local fabric and notions shop. It is working perfectly but has been a time consuming task. But that duvet is never, ever going to shift! Unless I choose!

It's been interesting to read the different responses and solutions on this topic.

Hi, Can you please tell me what it is the best way to prevent the feathers from sticking out of the featherbed?. I bought a good quality featherbed, I put the cover and the feather are coming out I do not know what to do, there is anything to prevent this . carmen

We just spent a ton of money on a queen and two twin size duvets with covers for each. The covers are much larger than the duvets even though they were packaged as queen and twin size. I'm attempting to attach duvet/comforter clips but the instructions show the duvet and cover being the same size. What am I doing wrong. This is really frustrating. Please help me before I ditch the duvet and go back to wool blankets. Thanks.

Lay the down comforter on a flat surface (bed) place your inside out duvet cover on top. Use clean shoelaces and tie each corner, comforter and duvet cover together. Reach inside from opening end, grasp far corners and turn inside out. Now it is right side out. My hubby and I are toss and turn sleepers and the cover stays secure.

I have the same question as Carmen... how do you keep the feathers from sticking out of the duvet cover? Does this have anything to do with the thread-count? I have feathers sticking out of my body every morning and they are all over my room. Please help me!
Thanks:~)

Has anyone put a king size duvet in a full/queen duvet cover? Does it work?

Has anyone ever re stuffed a duvet cover adding feathers from another duvet cover. If so,what would the easiest way to do this be without having feathers everywhere.

I have been a plain old comforter person all my life, and recently got a duvet and cover (or whateve you want to call them) for a gift. I'm allergic to down, so it's one of those down alternative ones. There are windowpane baffles, but I guess they're not small enough to do any good, because there are whole sections with no stuffing in them now, and the duvet just isn't very warm...and it's super lumpy, which drives me crazy. I'm thinking of just going back to a regular quilt/comforter, because it's so annoying. Will shaking it around shift it back at all, or is it just one of those things where you have to spend a lot of money not to get crap?

Hi AT,
What is the average lifespan of a duvet before I have to throw it out and get a new one?
How often should I buy NEW duvet covers, pillow cases and sheets?

Just bought a calvin klein down comforter...what end of the bed do the buttons go.

Thx,
Stacey

Does anyone know where I can find a duvet cover without buttons or zipper? I would like one with the foldover closure, kind of like a non-Ziploc sandwich baggie.

I'm trying to decide between buying a regular comforter or a down comforter that needs a duvet. Can anyone tell me which they think is better? Down is so comfortable, but I've been reading all these posts about problems with the down lumping and getting lost in the duvet. I'm wondering if I should just get a regular comforter. What do you think?

Will a 98 x 90 duvet shiftmuch in a 102 x 90 cover? Or will this cover fit ok?

I have this problem and have had it for years. Can anyone help ?
I have a single bed but use a double duvet. Every night my duvet moves off the bed - or almost - two or three times. I have to get out of bed and re-set it or try to kick it over so that it covers me again. It isn't that I move around too much. I ask about it among friends but I have found no one who has a similar problem. I can't believe that a single bed with a single duvet is the answer. I chose the size differrence for better coverage.

I have just read some disgusting things about duvets and dust mites. Short of washing the duvet every month does anyone know if putting it in a hot dryer every week will help reduce dust mites???
The articles say that duvets have thousands of mites, most people only wash the covers, and the mites are allowed to live and multiply, and invade your mattress and carpeting.

Most people who own a duvet live in a relatively cool climate, especially in winter time. In Denmark, people open their bedroom windows in the morning and hang the duvets out the window for as long as possible. The freezing cold is good for keeping those dust mites in check.

I've experienced the same problem, and had been looking for a solution when I opened up my old button can today I found it! It is exactly what we need for these slippery problems, anyone interested in obtaining these, probably less than $5?

Hi H,
You are 1000% correct that down comforters(and featherbeds and down pillows and down coats) are absolute MAGNETS for dustmites! I found this out the hard way after continually getting sick with sinus infections for over a year. I finally visited an allergy doctor who tested me for numerous things and of course dust mites were at the top of the list. After quizzing me about my living environment, he told me I was literally sleeping with "the enemy" (dustmites). Since I was having so many sinus infections I was also using a humidifier next to my bed, which the doctor said was also creating an environment that dustmites love (high humidity). Along with the humidifier, he told me to throw out all the down stuff and my carpeting. I also had to make sure I wash all my bedding and blankets at least once a week in VERY HOT water. If you have allergies, Dacron pillows work well along with Vellux blankets, which can take getting laundered that frequently in hot water. There are also allergen sprays and powders that you can use on your bedding and furniture which will also help to kill the dustmites. By the way, EVERY single apartment and house has dustmites in it. It has very little to do with how clean you are. The problem comes in when you are highly allergic to dustmites such as I am, then you have to do your best to "allergy proof" your house. Hope this helps someone out there. I miss my down comforter and featherbed, but I don't miss getting sick all the time... Sleep well and stay healthy! -WDK

H,
By the way, one of the least expensive and best ways to get rid of dustmites is to put the comforter or pillow or mattress, etc. out into the sun for several hours (turning every hour).
Blessings! -WDK

My aunt suffers from allergies too. I found this great pillow at
ShopDownLite for her. If you check out this site they have lots of bedding that is made with Primaloft, tencel lyocell and Poly fills. The actual pillow i got is at

this link shopdownlite.com and I have never heard her complain since. They also sell Down Pillows if you don't have an issue (like me)but I would recommend this Kensington pillow. Also do you know where your pillows were made?

As for the duvet issue way above I think I heard Martha Stewart say something about putting fabric tape inside the duvet. Has anyone heard anything on this or know if this is true? Thanks.

Enough with the dustmites-they are everywhere in everything!
As a down comforter user of many years the only solution to the duvet situation is don't use a duvet. That works.
If you have to have one try IKEA. They have light weight, attractive covers that don't nail you to the bed.

Duvet clips if all else fails!! Decorative/functional clips from duvetcoverclips.com and functional ones from bedbathandbeyond.com.

Mazie