Friday 13 March 2009

Spring bedding



Thank you for all your well wishes. I have had to spend this week doing things at a much slower pace than usual but am beginning to feel as normal as I ever will. One of the things I really miss about being younger was those days off school when you were poorly. I was always allowed to spend the days in my mum and dad's bed. Their bed seemed huge to me and was always so much more comforting than mine when I was ill.



When I was very young we didn't have duvets, just crisp clean sheets, that always smelled of being outside on the washing line, blankets and bedspreads. Candy stripe pillowcases or pure white cotton sheets that my mum washed every Monday. The blankets on my bed were pink and the ones on my parents' were a soft shade of aqua. I remember that they all had a satin ribbon trim, were incredibly soft and were the best thing, apart from my mum, to cuddle into.



All these memories came back to me this week when I was ill and cuddled on the sofa with these lovely old blankets. Beautiful soft shades of old wool, looking lovely across my bed. They're used more as the icing on the cake these days rather than the basic ingredients of bed making. Whilst I think I will not resort to giving up my duvets and eiderdowns in favour of blankets and sheets I do remember loving the ritual as a very young child of watching my mum make the beds. These days it's a quick shake and smooth of the sheets, plump up the pillows and on with the duvet, done in minutes.



Bed making seemed to go on forever when I was little, sheets neatly tucked in at the corners, another sheet added with huge wafts in the air as my mum threw it over the bed and then the pile of blankets began, each neatly tucked and turned back. I can't remember what I found the best bit, the smell of the linen, the safety I felt at being so tightly tucked in or the cosiness of the piles of fabric on top of me.



We used to live opposite my primary school. A huge field separating my house from the school. What made days off even better for me when I was sick was lying in that bed, rereading "Heidi" for the nth time, listening to my mum chattering on downstairs. smelling the days meals as they were slowly cooking away and hearing the school bell being rung by the teacher, signalling the end of playtime and knowing that, for me, there were no lessons that day ...

26 comments:

Sal said...

Oh the smell of freshly laundered sheets! I remember those blankets with the satin trim, too.
It was almost nice being ill,wasn't it?!!
I so adored the book 'Heidi';-)

A time to dance said...

one of my favourite things is getting into clean sheets....I loved reading your post and looking at all your lovely blankets...hope you are feeling better and have a lovely weekend...polly and I read Heidi last year its a wonderful book isnt it.....

Hen said...

I remember all that folding and tucking in well as my parents ran a B&B when I was younger and there were no duvets in sight, it was all traditional sheets and blankets with a bedspread on top. We do the duvet thing at home now though I have an eiderdown on top because I'm always cold, my other half is always too hot! At the cottage, we have sheets, a satin trimmed blanket and eiderdowns. I do love them but it is a faff to make the bed so it's perfect that I don't have to do it every day! Now my real passion is candlewicks, just love that furry feeling!
Have a great weekend.
Hen x

Sue said...

What a lovely evocative post, it brings back so many lovely memories. Gorgeous pictures too.

Sue xx

April said...

Goodness, that brought back some memories, I remember being allowed to be in mum and dad's bed when I was ill as well. I love Heidi too!

Feel better soon

April xx

Jess said...

"the safety I felt at being so tightly tucked in or the cosiness of the piles of fabric on top of me." Aaaah I still feel like that now. That sentence makes me feel warm and comforted just reading it. Specially as currently my house is freezing!! thanks to large drafty windows. I do hope you feel better soon. Those wool blankets reminds me of my parents home. *content sigh*

Unknown said...

How strange, I was only thinking of being off school myself this morning, do you remember when you had to come out of school early to visit the dentist or what ever just how very quiet it was when there were no children except you about? Oh and being in mums bed when you were poorly with a pile Rupert books and 12 volumes of Arthur Mee, oh and ribena or Lucozade that you only had when you were poorly! Lovely memories!
Rosie x

Simone said...

I do remember the candy striped sheets but my Mum went all fashionable and bought brushed nylon sheets, bright orange at that! I remember catching my toe nails on them!!! I much prefer going to bed nowadays.

Emma Herian said...

When ever we go to Mr Sewrecycleds grandmas, I love changing the bed linen for just before we leave. Flat sheet, blanket, corners tucked in, electric blanket, eiderdown and then a fancy decorative top cover! Turning those corners under just does it for me every time!

YES YES YES to coffee, I will dig up those plants for you and drop them round.
Have a good weekend.
XX To all
Emx

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

Golden memories M..
I join you in reminiscing about crisp linen sheets and being tucked in so tightly .. feeling almost mummified but so secure and cosy..
Be gone sniffles!

Dx

Anonymous said...

Sorry you've been poorly and yes wouldn't it be wonderful at such times to be a child again with no responsiblities.
I still hanker after blankets and sheets, properly made beds, but if truth be known the first thing I always did when I got into bed as a child was to untuck it. I hate being tucked in so duvets are better for me, but I love the weight of blankets. Oh dear now you'be gotten me pontificating!

Andylynne said...

Oh my I love this post, I remember being in my moms bed when I had the measles.(you can tell how old I am ) The windows were dark and the room was cool. I know I recoverd much faster being there.
I recently found four wonderful wool blankets at a jumble sale. They are pink and cream & blue and cream. Your blankets instantly reminded me of mine. Aren't finds like that wonderful.

Thimbleanna said...

What a lovely post Kim! You've brought the romance to bed making. We haven't made the switch to duvets yet in our house. I'm so tempted because they're so cozy and comfortable, but whatever would I do with all my quilts???

LissyLou said...

It is lovely getting into clean pressed sheets. And Heidi is one of my favourite books, i also remember a television series when i was a girl that was beautiful.

Beautiful flower brooch x

Unknown said...

Hi there,
Sassy site! Just want to invite you to join a new social networking
community...it's global...mainly women from Australia & USA right now but wanting more from UK, Europe & Asia...join us at
http://www.sassy-mamas.com/ Get sassy today! I will also send yu an email invite!

French Knots said...

Hope you continue to feel better. I used to love staying at my Grandparents when I was little, the bed piled high with blankets, eiderdown and feather pillows seemed such an adventure, so different to being at home.

MelMel said...

Lovely memories and sweet pictures!xx

Rowan said...

Lovely post - I have similar memories as I was always put into my parent's bed when I was ill with chicken pox and similar childhood ailments, mum lit the fire in the bedroom and once I was over the worst being ill was a very pleasant experience indeed. Happy memories:)

Tinyholder said...

You've just brought back memories of when I stayed at my grandparents. They used to have blankets and sheets rather than duvets. :-)

Poppy said...

You always seem too take me right back to when I was a child , I remember staying with my Nan when I was not well, and being surrounded by lovely blankets and hearing the children in the playground as my Nan lived next to a school.
Thank you for taking me back to some lovely memories Kim.
Love Lou xxx

Betty said...

I'm so sorry you're not feeling well Kim! Hopefully spring is here to say and will chase away that sore throat!

A Thrifty Mrs said...

Beautiful spring like post, lovely.

Suzy's Vintage Attic said...

Hi Have just discovered your beautiful blog. I love old blankets. Have enjoyed reading your posts. Will be back again.
Isabelle x

Garden Girl said...

Oh how I loved those blankets-my Mum had a dark purple one and a fuschia pink one, both with satin trim. I do so love my snuggly duvet, but like you, enjoy piling up pretty blankets, eiderdowns and patchwork quilts on the top to make the beds all pretty! We have started putting a King size duvet on our standard double bed. Largely because we don't have room for a King sized bed in our room, but don't want to compromise on snuggliness. It is BLISS! and highly recommended for when you're feeling yucky.
Glad you're starting to feel better, and hope you've had the same sunshine today that we have xxx

Louise said...

Bedmaking was exactly the same in our household, an undersheet and oversheet tucked in, a blanket, eiderdown and bedspread. In later years mum did progress to continental quilts, with sheets! x

Sam said...

Wow - that reminds me soooo much of when I was little too xx