bedding makeover

Many of us have gotten nasty reminders during the last few weeks that much of winter's ice and snow remains. So there's no time better than now to think about warding off winter's chill by upgrading your bedding.
I've found that it can be a bit confusing when we get down to the business of selecting the proper materials and weights of sheets, blankets and comforters among the wide selections available.
Cotton sheets with high thread counts are prized for their softness. But blankets are available in fleece, wool, chenille, cotton or even alpaca, to name just a few. And comforters and featherbeds can be stuffed with anything from polyester fiber to buckwheat shells (though the warmest and highest quality fillers are still closer to nature: down, feathers or a combination of the two).
Feathers have a stiff and resistant quill shaft - that is, the main "spine" of the feather. They are better for support, which is why you're likely to find them in featherbed mattresses or pillows. Down, which are the fluffy feathers from the undersides of waterfowl, is softer and rises to trap air and retains heat better. Today, many manufacturers put feathers through a variety of processes, including rendering them hypoallergenic for those of us with allergies.
When choosing sheets for warmth, flannel is a particularly good choice. If purchasing them, however, look for a set that is preshrunk. If not, you may have unexpected shrinkage and your sheets may no longer fit your bed properly. You might also select sheets that are 14 to 17 inches larger than normal to accommodate pillow tops.
Blankets are the next layer of your bedding, and merino wool is often the best quality and warmest for colder months. For a more lightweight option in warmer climates like Florida or California, thermal or cotton blankets that allow air to flow through them are good choices. And if allergies are an issue for you, remember that synthetic materials are easier to wash frequently and they offer protection from dust mites.
But one of the most important selections is that of a comforter, coverlet or bedspread that suits you and your climate. Think about the temperature of your bedroom at night. Do you turn your thermostat higher so you may sleep under lighter bedding, or do your prefer to turn the heat down and snuggle under deep covers? That should also help determine your cold-weather bedding choices.
When you go shopping, comforters are often labeled by their filling weight and higher the weight, the warmer the comforter. For example, the warmest queen-size down comforter might have 50 ounces of filling while a lighter style would have only 32 ounces inside it. Yet, fill power, or "loft," is actually the more important measurement. A down comforter with good loft has clusters of the down that fills the comforter with less ounces than inferior types of down. If there is a higher fill power listed on the package, it will be lighter and warmer.
Here are a few more toasty tips as you shop for warm bedding:
- Look at comforter construction as it relates to warmth. A channel, or baffle, design with narrow compartments sewn into the piece not only keeps down from shifting, but also gives down the most room to trap warm air.
A stitched-down comforter design might be better for a moderate winter climate. The pattern, like a series of boxes, lets down shift around more, and traps less heat.
In terms of fabric care for blankets, wool should be dry-cleaned while cotton and synthetic blends can be machine-washed.