You might be wondering, why would I turn a flat sheet into a fitted sheet when I can just buy it fitted? The answer might surprise you. Fitted sheets are often more expensive than flat sheets, sometimes even double the price. Plus, not every brand sells fitted sheets, which means the bedding set you fell in love with might not even work for your bed. Or, maybe you have an extra deep mattress or other unusual measurements, and you simply can’t find a fitted sheet to use. Luckily, there’s an easy, ten-minute solution for you plus you get to hone your DIY skills. Follow these simple steps to turn your beautiful new flat sheet into a fitted sheet in less time than it takes to drive to the linen store.
- Measure
Measure the width, length, and height of your bed so you know how to trim your sheet. Remember to lay the measuring tape flat on a stripped mattress and bring it right to the crease of the mattress (where a sheet edge would normally rest). And, because none of us are perfect, throw on an extra inch on every measurement to give you some room for error. - Pre-Wash
If your sheets are new, make sure you give them around in the washing machine and dryer to eliminate the possibility of shrinkage after all your hard work. Trust us on this one—we’ve all stood in front of a dryer holding a shrunken item and cursed the heavens above.
- Trim
To get the shape of a fitted sheet, it’s time to trim your sheet. To calculate the measurements to trim, take the height of the mattress and add 3 inches. Form a square on each corner of the sheet with this new measurement. Cut out the squares from the sheet. You’ll be left with a strangely shaped sheet but have faith! You’re almost done.
- Sew
Fold the open corners together and sew each of the four edges of the sheet to create a fitted sheet. Your new sheet should fit snugly on your mattress. If you want, you can add an elastic to each of the four corners, but this will require you to be a little niftier with the sewing machine. Find a tutorial for this step here.