Yall who sew, I have a question. I have some old bedsheets (I keep them forever)

[raccoon]

and the elastic on the corners of the fitted sheet has lost its mojo. So the corners, especially the upper corners, don't always stay put on the mattress.

I could just sew some elastic over the old elastic, or next to it, but how do I know how to measure it? Do I measure the old elastic and add or subtract X inches?

[cpamomfromtexas]

1. Take off old elastic. 9-10 inches new would be starting

Point for each corner. Pull it and measure how long it expands. See if that corresponds to corner measurement you need to cover. Adjust to match. Pull elastic as you zigzag it on.

[shraby]

2. put a piece of elastic on the corner from one end of a strip that's there to the other end.

That will help it stay. You don't have to bother taking the old off.

[Zoonart]

3. Here you go....

Straight pin the corner down on a pillow with the elastic stretched to the max. Take new elastic and stretch it out over the old. Pin that in plcae.
Securely stitch the ends of the elastic and baste it down with a running stitch- take it off the pillow and then use overcast on your machine. Does this help?

[procon]

4. Forget the sewing, just buy some bed sheet clips.

These are adjustable elastic triangles with clips on the ends. They slip under the corners of the mattress and then you attach the clips to your sheets or blankets to hold them in place. My whole family, from mom to grandma, has always used them, and they even work to keep flat sheets used as a bottom sheet in place. In the winter months I use a second set on the bottom corners to hold my duvet or blankets in place





They are cheap and available at in the notions department Walmart and Amazon.

[Laffy Kat]

6. I never got these things to work for me.

They came off.

[procon]

7. There are many different styles and configurations available, but I like the

ones that have a plastic insert built into the metal snaps that have little gripper teeth that hold onto the sheets. Honest, I've never had a sheet slip out of the snaps that have those teeth in them.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. I use those garter-looking things they sell in the linens section of dept stores, or...

in dollar stores.

One set for the mattress cover and another set for the fitted sheet.

(Ya really miss Woolworth for things like this)

[raccoon]

8. Thanks, everyone, for your responses! I'll try either the elastic or the clips. nt