apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I prefer the European ones. I think all of Ikea's pillowcases are that style - anyone have opinions on their sheet quality?

I just bought two sets of regular pillowcases and I wish I'd thought to buy the European ones instead. Oh well.

I agree. I grew up with these in Europe and the American version of having the one end of the pillow potentially sticking out always baffled me. But don't get me wrong, I love where I live...Go U.S.! : )

http://www.modernests.com

European. They are everywhere in Canada. British influence I suppose! Which I much prefer... (:

Since growing up I've come to love the European variety!

There's nothing worse than waking up with a scratchy tag in your face or the pillowcase half off.

I think you're right, Liana, but Ikea's sheets aren't great quality, they're pretty rough.

Another solution is buying extra long pillowcases (like king sized pillowcases for normal pillows) and tucking the ends inside the pillowcase. I accidentally bought my pillowcases too long and made do with tucking the ends in... now I prefer it that way!

Buy king-sized pillow cases and just tuck the ends in.

Even easier: use king size pillowcases on standard pillows and then just fold the ends back into the case (one end folded over the pillow, creating a kind of pocket).

I definitely prefer the Euro version--much neater-looking. Between these and duvets, I think Europeans have a much saner approach to bedclothes than Americans.

European all the way. My family is hispanic so we tend to gravitate toward european styles for most things. Must be that Spanish influence.

European - tho I also enjoy pillowcases with buttons on the ends that close the cases like oversized shirt cuffs.

I tend to pull these first from my linen closet and wish all my pillow cases are this style.

Liana- I will put a good plug in for Ikea duvets and cases like these. I have really expensive sheets that have not lasted as long like a year as my Ikea ones. I have two styles of the white duvet covers, pillow case sets.

I am looking for pale almost ice pink sheets anyone know where I can find a nice soft pink? Looked at Garnet Hill, The Company Store, Target, and Macy's not finding it.

Most shams come like that. At my work we have "basic" shams without any elaborate design or materials- just plain 200 threat count colours. I prefer them to pillowcases too. Feels like they're less likely to slip out.

Once again, something that the rest of the world has had for years that Americans think is new and exotic (cf. the post about foldable outdoor clotheslines).

I didn't know there was any other kind!!

I'm with tropicalcyclone: every now and then you guys give me the biggest culture shock! :P

I would prefer these kind - but every time I see them, they are more expensive than the other kind.

Funny, being French, the (mild) "culture shock" is for me. Pillows sticking out of pillowcases ? Never heard of that.

The thing I can't understand about American bedding, is all the decorative pillows. I personnally find them quite ugly and fussy, plus, how do you get the time to organize them every day ?

Love the tuck in. I am not much of a 'sewer' but I have made a ton of these for my home. They are so (sew!) easy.

my mum has always made the european kind...it just makes more sense.

Envelope style pillow shams are very expensive if you buy them at Macy's ($100 for ONE Calvin Klein standard sham) or BB&B, but they are relatively inexpensive if you buy them on eBay. That same Calvin Klein sham, new and in package, would go for $9.99 - $30 on eBay, depending on style and demand.

I know because that is where I have purchased all of mine.

Wow, I'm in New Zealand and I never knew a pillowcase existed without the tuck-in bit!

I'm with tropicalcyclone too, I honestly thought that post about the clotheshorse/foldable clothes line was a joke at first...