Linen Obsessed

I'm one of those people who get obsessed with new ideas and have a hard time thinking about anything else. Even though I'm trying to finish work on the new pattern, I can't stop googling.... linen.

You might remember one of my last projects was a linen dress. It was the first time I had ever worked with the fabric and I LOVED sewing with it. Even though it was a heavyweight upholstery, there was something so organic and sensual about the feeling of it in my hands.

I've been in dire need of a new duvet cover for a while. I've got so much on my plate these days I came very close to pulling the trigger on one from Ikea, but I have a hard time buying things I suspect I should be making. I started thinking about how lovely a lightweight, warm grey linen duvet cover would be.... and thus fell down the linen rabbit hole. I hope I don't suck you into my vortex with the following images.

I haven't been this filled with longing for anything since I can remember (not counting my daily earning for Vitamin D). All the reading I've been doing about linen bedding isn't helping, either. Cool in the summer, warm in the winter, linen sheets get softer and cozier as they age and can last a lifetime. The naturally dyed tones are very appealing as well, as my love of monochrome seems to be taking over my life. And I can't get over how cozy and sexy those rumpled beds look. This may be my recent case of insomnia talking, but those beds look like a heaven I would never want to leave....

So, the sewist dilemma. To make or to buy? I figured out a standard duvet cover would take a minimum of 6 yards, plus more for matching shams. That, plus the cost of shipping, means somewhere in the neighborhood of $100. Sheets are trickier, since you don't want a seam running down the center. I've only found one source for 120" wide lightweight linen and at another 6-7 yards, it's going to be at least $150 for the material alone. *Sounds of me crying in my worthless cotton-sheeted bed*

On the other hand, there seem to be a number of high quality linen bedding suppliers on Etsy.... peep this gorgeousness....

HANDMADE LINEN BEDDING

Most of these sellers are operating out of Europe (primarily Eastern Europe) and are often much cheaper than what you'd get at Restoration Hardware, so if you do want to buy, at least you'd be supporting a small business.

I know it's the kind of luxury I'd enjoy for years but I'm having a hard time deciding whether to buy or make. On that note...

• Does anyone have any tips for sourcing high quality, reasonably priced linen? It seems difficult to find fabric wide enough to make sheets with. I don't mind seams on the duvet, but I'm not sure if it's better to go with a light or medium weight and I'm not sure what to be looking for to ensure it's the right weave and quality for bedding.

• Have you ever slept on linen? Are the tactile fantasies I am currently consumed with grossly unrealistic?

• Have you ever made your own sheets? Was it worth the effort?

Dish please!