Fitted sheets for island bed

fran
fran Club Member Posts: 6
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we have bought a brand new Swift Sprite 4SB that has an island bed that you can move in and out so it has an extra 'bolster' piece at the top (under pillow end) that is not attached to the main mattress. I've just had a quote from Jonic for £54.99 for a fitted sheet for bed and bolster and a mattress protector for £59.99! very excessive I thought! Can anyone suggest where else I can buy the same a lot cheaper? Thats double the price of my Superking bed at home!

Comments

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,947
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    Luxury, hotel quality, plain white poly cotton double sheet, £8.98 from some firm on Amazon. Tuck it in.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,512
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    Easier still - use sleeping bags.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,763
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    I would try a stretchy sheet, tucked under at the bottom ends if necessary, and sew a separate cover for the loose piece. We have a mattress with a cutoff corner and stretchy sheets work well on that.

    Or buy a large flat sheet, or some sheeting, and sew ones to fit. No doubt there will be instructions on U tube of how to make fitted sheets.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,512
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  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 14,243
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    edited February 20 #7

    There is a specialist caravan/motorhome bed linen company called Jonic that make sheets to fit the different bed sizes. They are not cheap so I think the options are bespoke or buy standard and put up with a bit of inconvenience? Perhaps the prices you quote are from Jonic which whilst on the surface seem expensive you are getting something to fit.

    David

  • MikeyB
    MikeyB Forum Participant Posts: 7
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    I would have thought that sleeping bags are generally used for camping, caravanners tend to want to recreate the comforts of home. - Unless of course you do use sleeping bags at home!

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,512
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    Perhaps your thinking is askew? I’m all for simplicity and have used sleeping bags in caravans and MHs for 50+ years but never at home. Mind you, there isn’t a great deal of difference between a sleeping bag and a duvet. Each to their own, though, and there are no rules unless you’re making some🤪

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,797
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    I think you are trying to equate a product made in very low numbers with the sheets produced by large companies in millions. Quite simply the sheets for the caravan are made in very limited numbers and therefore cost more to produce, although to be fair the sheets we use at home are of a very similar price as my wife insists on quality rather than just cheap.

    The price quoted by Jonic looks very competitive given the background and if you get a quote seriously below that be careful.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,411
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    I would think it depends on if you have fixed beds or have to pack them away each day, when sleeping bags might be easier. We tented for over 30 years before buying our first caravan and had always used sleeping bags. However, all our RV’s have had fixed beds and the thought of using a sleeping bag in those circumstances was never a consideration. But each to their own.

  • TimboC
    TimboC Club Member Posts: 441
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    We bought some from the Caravan Show last year via leisurebedding.com, but we wouldnt again.

    The problem is that if you put the bed in daytime mode and flick the bolster forward, the sheet pops of, unless you pin it on with safety pins. (Our bolster is attached to the mattress)

    We now just use a standard double fitted sheet, and my Wife made elastic straps to keep it in place. It works really well

  • Hearnkat
    Hearnkat Club Member Posts: 1
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    you could try bedtimecomforts.co.uk. I have ordered from this company recently and have been very happy with their goods.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 14,243
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    edited February 21 #14

    We used sleeping bags from 1982 until 2009 when we changed to our first caravan with a fixed bed, our first motorhome was of similar design, where we could use a duvet. I would almost go as far as saying the difference in comfort was transformative. Even when we changed motorhomes to on with long settees they were the same size as a 2.6 bed so getting fitted sheets was easy and converting daytime to nighttime was quick and simple. Although we did buy slightly wider duvets so we could tuck one edge down the side of the cushion. In terms of storage is was easy enough. When we had fixed doubles we used those elastic clips to keep the fitted sheet in place.

    David

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,276
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    Those prices do not surprise me as you are looking at a bespoke product, in fact the "mark up" is not all that great.

    I used to do a lot of bespoke joinery work and the % price difference on what was available as a standard over the counter size was far greater. A customer wanting a nice wooden door could probably get one from a DIY shed for £200, but a bespoke could be £1,000.

    Colin

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,721
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    @KjellNN and @MikeyB we've used sleeping bags and still do. They are in our view far easier to use and to keep clean than bedding. Also far warmer but we do use high quality Rab ones (and probably overkill for a caravan) and they pack down to a very small size. We did try a sheet and duvet once but more faff all round in the morning and not warm or easier to regulate temperature. When wardens come round to make up the beds then maybe 🧐

    Each to their own and really there is right or wrong way or askew or perfect thinking?

  • Graydjames
    Graydjames Forum Participant Posts: 453
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    edited February 23 #17

    I remember buying bespoke sheets for the French bed in my Swift. I cannot remember how much they were, but I do remember that they were pricey; but you'd expect a high price if you are buying tailor made, bespoke bed linen to a specific size. After a while, I replaced them with ordinary double fitted sheets and I found they worked just as well, although they tended to ride up a bit. I never used sleeping bags in 37 years of motorhoming, but I've always had fixed beds, albeit a luton in my early days. I would certainly consider sleeping bags if I had to make up day seats into a bed. Otherwise, definitely not; sleeping bags are nothing like a duvet on top of proper cotton sheets, in my view, and I do like my home comforts!

  • LLM
    LLM Forum Participant Posts: 1,594
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    edited February 23 #18

    We use Jersey Cotton Fitted Sheets. They stretch and fit snuggly and are widely available in many colours. We have found that those from M&S have a nice feel and seem to be good value. We did try the ones from Lidl, they had a rather coarse feel but did fit well. Sleeping bags are okay for short trips, certainly less than a week, but are hard to keep clean and fresh and wash and dry. We did try them with liners but found them uncomfortable. Each to their own but we like our sheets and wool duvet with a nice poly cotton cover.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,512
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    There is nothing to beat the simplicity of using sleeping bags in a caravan whether the beds are fixed or need to be made up each night. Those of you who’ve never tried it are missing out on the easy way of doing it - in my opinion, of course, and we all make our choices.

  • TimboC
    TimboC Club Member Posts: 441
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    We don't use sleeping bags at home, and see no reason to use them in the caravan. We have an end bedroom, and just fold the Duvet in half in the morning, and shut the door. We have a duvet for summer, and a thicker one for winter, never had a problem.

    I can see the advantage of sleeping bags in smaller outfits though, especially where you need to make the bed up each night, but that isn't the OP's situation.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,411
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    I can’t really see sleeping bags working for a six week tour. Unless of course you use liners, which in our experience, using them when tenting, was not good. We have two sets of bedding, enabling it to be changed even if it’s uncertain about getting the other washed and dried. I suppose in France where they have the big washers and driers in the Supermakets it would be possible to wash and dry both sleeping bags simultaneously. They are not as common here however.

  • TimboC
    TimboC Club Member Posts: 441
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    Yes, were the same. Club site washers are big enough for sheets and duvet covers

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,230
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    We make up the bed each night as we have a two berth caravan. We use a bed liner on top of the cushions then instead of sheets sleep in a duvet cover, and then a duvet on top. We are often away for weeks at a time and wash the "sheet sleeping bag" on a weekly basis having a second one to alternate with it. I find it no problem at all making up the bed every night.

  • MikeyB
    MikeyB Forum Participant Posts: 7
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    Our method is slightly different in our 2 berth. We use a mattress topper which fits inside a duvet cover ( velcro used to make it a tight fit). This is then simply rolled out to create the base with pillows and duvet added on top. The whole bed making process from start to finish takes around 3 mins, all completed why the OH is cleaning her teeth etc.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,763
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    That is very similar to what we eventually did in our previous van, where we had to make up the bed every night.

    When we started out we used sleeping bags as trips were much shorter, so time to have them dry cleaned as required, they are far too bulky to fit in our washing machine. But when we started taking longer trips we realised we needed to be able to wash bedding more easily, we cannot stand those sleeping bag liners either.

    We found a single duvet cover with a thin washable duvet in it fitted well on the assembled double bed base , and remained comfortably in place without restraint, then a king size one for on top.

    When we changed to a fixed bed, we used the stretchy fitted sheets. The thin bottom duvet still gets used occasionally, when we have the grandchildren along, folded in half to protect the upholstery below a sleeping bag.

  • j stevenson
    j stevenson Club Member Posts: 3
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    I bought a caravan fitted sheet from here: https://www.musburyfabrics.co.uk/bedroom/caravan-bedding.html. They are much cheaper.

    It does wrinkle up a bit, I was thinking of purchasing some elastic straps with clips to hold it tighter.

    I just use a standard mattress protector and duvet - I just just tick them in at the bottom

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 14,230
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    Our mattress protector has elasstic straps across the corners which tuck nicely around the corners of the top and bottom cushions holding it in place so that it doesn't move during the night.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,797
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    We use a mattress protector without problem although the non standard sizes of caravan beds can be a problem. They are needed as if you try to sell a caravan with a stained mattress you will lose far more than the cost of the protector.