It can be really hard to find good quality fabric at a reasonable price, especially if you are looking for the extra-wide widths needed for bedding. Bedding companies get wholesale/ bulk discounts on the fabric from the suppliers and pay textile workers in third world countries peanuts. I'd say you probably aren't going to do better on retail fabric than the prices for the finished product.

Good question! I have been thinking about this myself. One source you might want to check out is Gray Line Linens in the garment district. They have a great selection of beautiful linens at good prices. Not sure if they have any extra wide rolls, does anyone know?

Threads Magazine april/May 2002 had directions on how to make fitted sheets and sources for fabric - sorry, I recycled my copy.

Try searching for prima cotton in wide widths from quilting shops.

Good luck!

this is all nonsense. go to century 21.

In my many 20+ years of shopping at Century 21, I have never seen sheets of the caliber the op is looking for.

If you're looking for linen, shop eBay, I bought two complete sets of pure linen sheets for a total of $180 and the quality is as high as the antique linen topsheets I inherited from my grandmother (Germany). Yes you're buying from outside the U.S. (mine came from Egypt and I bought them about 18 months ago), but eBay's buyer protection program offers protection, just make certain that the delivery time is within eBay's time to challenge if there's a problem with delivery. If so then 100% of your money is protected. Instead of buying to fit my bed I bought the largest size available, then cut them down to fit, with the excess yardage I made pillows and home accessories to match.

BTW, I couldn't think of a yardage source, I do buy Belgian linen on eBay for upholstery projects but that's upholstery weight linen and only about 60" wide. There are some sources for lighter weight pure linen on eBay, and elsewhere online, but I've not yet spied the wide widths required for bedding.

For what it's worth, just in case this projects gets to be too difficult or pricey to tackle, I was astounded by how well-priced the CB2 linen sheets are. (I think Re-Nest linked to them in some "cheap organic bedding sources" piece.) I haven't tried them myself, but I've always coveted linen sheets and I hope to buy us a set eventually. The reviews seem promising, and they have a decent return policy.

Gray Line Linen is AMAZING! Such beautiful fabric... But I have to say: I have never seen any fabric stores in my many trips through the garment district selling fabric wide enough to make sheets out of one panel. And I'm super diy-everything: I make my own clothes, I make my own duvets and light weight quilts. I usually end up using quality vintage sheets to get the width I need for bedding.

There's a reason sheets are made commercially--they're woven in the right widths. If you don't mind a seam down the center--sure, feel free to make your own.

In one of the Little House on the Prairie books, Laura has to sew muslin into sheets. There was a special method to the sewing, so that the seam down the middle of the sheet would lie as flat as possible.

If you can find fabric that is as wide as the top of your bed, you can always sew more fabric on the sides to tuck in--what you want to avoid is a seam down the center or side of the bed where someone would be sleeping on it. But a seam right at the edge of the mattress shouldn't be a problem.

That's a good suggestion about the pima cotton from quilting shops--you can get some in pretty wide widths if you look.

And I'm not sure how comfortable rough linen would be to sleep on.

i wish i could help with the wide with fabric source, but don't have anything, unfortunately. i do, however, have a link for a great tutorial on making a duvet cover from standard-width fabric a Design Sponge: http://www.designsponge.com/2010/03/sewing-101-making-a-duvet-cover.html

I don't have a specific resource, but you can try looking for "quilt backing". It comes in extra wide rolls. Also check places that specialize in home and upholstery fabrics, which come in extra widths.

If you can only find regular width fabric, you could try making a duvet and shams instead of sheets for a luxury effect. It looks nicer if, instead of sewing two pieces together, you split one piece and put the other piece in the middle of the two split halves (that's a quilter's trick). This website has some beautiful linen fabrics:
http://www.nyfashioncenterfabrics.com

Unfortunately cotton has increased over 300% in the last (2) years as well, the great textiles you are referring to typically come from Europe and the US dollars has not performed well against the Euro. You may find textile to make your self – you need either 108” or 120” depending if you’re looking for king or queen. All luxury linen manufactures including Matteo sell through retailers that typically have a 250% plus markup. Go to www.verloinens.com – they sell direct so you save about 60% from retail. This is the real deal 100% made in Italy and Egyptian cotton. Hope this helps – Steve

actually stevatverolinen, your sheet is $5 more than Rough Linen, which is handmade.

Thanks for all the resources - I'm going to check Grey Linen & perhaps the ubiquitous Mood Fabrics. Otherwise maybe I can just make some flat sheets work.

Am I the only one who's in a battle with fitted sheets?

Sandy - Thanks for the reply, In Europe many use a flat sheet for the fitted (if you will) as well as most hotels. It works but can come undone. I am not familiar with Rough Linen - my sheets are hand made with the finests grades of cotton, none the less, compared to other name brands such as Anichini or Frette you would find them a good deal. As a side note; Many of the name brands also sell yardage but you would likley spend more with this approach than buying a finished product - and sorry for the miss type on my site www.verolinens.com on 1st post

We should all be aware of what we're supporting, right?

Interesting read (or listen), for those who care. For those who choose to live in denial, just keep moving, nothing to see here :-)

Children keep Egypt's cotton spinning:
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/07/07/pm-children-keep-egypt-cotton-spinning/

I've often toyed with the notion of making my own duvet, especially after I saw the tutorial from Prudent Baby (http://www.prudentbaby.com/2010/05/diy-duvet-cover-tutorial.html). She also has sister posts for shams and pillows. I was half inspired by the choice of fabric, as well as the indept tutorial. She used common fabric you can find on the Etsy or searching the internet, which is 100% cotton. At least in theory and in the pictures, the fabric looks confortable.

This inspired me to find out exactly what other companies, I respect and buy from, use for their sheets. Most websites will include the type of fabric in the specs. You can easily use the information to use in a search engine to find a store carrying that item.

As for non-internet stores, I'm not sure, sorry.

I bought a beautiful antique linen sheet with white art deco embroidery from a French eBay seller vintageco last year for $50. Completely in love with how it feels and looks, and how wonderfully long it is--enough to fold over the blanket, with plenty to spare at the foot. So I looked up the seller to see if I could get another that I could make into a fitted sheet, and they're no longer shipping to the US because of last fall's changes to regulations! I've run afoul of this problem a few times with eBay sellers and others--I wish they'd get things sorted out...
So ebay vintage goods are a good bet, but watch out for changing policies.

@joh - yes, definitely, got it thanks.

The irony here is that the duvet cover I was thinking of is super cheap, but that's the thing that most people seem to have made. Fabric in wide widths is very close to buying expensive sheets, I just didn't want to spend $100 or more on two sheets....
Maybe I'll just deal with the seam. Can't be that bad, right?

Worthfabrics.com usually has sales and you tend to get a better price if you order more. They sell both wholesale and to the public.

Also, you can get luxe (for target anyway) sheets and bedding in the Target reclaimation section of some Goodwills. I got a Thomas O'Brien duvet for $10 that was $80 at the store.

Good quality bedding can last you 20 years; just swallow hard, and budget for it.

That's what the Europeans do.

(oh, and have you checked Libeco Home?)