Fitted sheet goes on the mattress. You sleep on the fitted sheet. The flat sheet is between you and a comforter, quilt, or other bedspread (though some go without the flat sheet altogether.)

Watching Martha make a bed one time, she used two flat sheets. My mom used flat on both the mattress and for the top sheet the entire time I grew up.

No way, I'm going to try and get that flat sheet to stay on the bottom. I love fitted sheets.

Gloria

Why bother? LOL Not like there is a fitted sheet shortage around! LOL

I learned to make beds with only flat sheets in nursing school. It's doable, but I don't see the point!

I had a set of flat sheets once. I learned to make proper hospital corners, actually not too hard. But they constantly popped off. I threw them away, and have used fitted sheets ever since.

Fitted sheet goes over the electric mattress pad (oooooo -- lovely warm and toasty toes at night!!!!) then the flat sheet -- and then the duvet (with its own cover for the season) plus a couple of satin comforters.

LOL!!!!!! :)

top down:

-extra blanket (optional)
-blanket (usually thermal)
-flat sheet
-person sleeping
-fitted sheet
-electric mattress pad (if using)
-mattress pad (waterproof, preferrably)
-dust-mite or plastic mattress cover (if mattress pad isn't waterproof)
-foam "egg crate" pad for relieving pressure points (optional)
mattress

thanks guys!!

Same as what Talley Sue said. :)

We don't have the electric mattress pad (I would love one, my husband wouldn't) or the foam pad. My son uses one of the memory foam pads now and says it's great.

P.S. If you're buying new sheets, make sure the depth of the fitted corners are deep enough to fit the corners of your mattress. There's nothing worse than having an elastic corner pop off while you're sleeping.

I'm not crazy about the idea of electrical current running under us. Here in Alaska it's a tad nippy, so under the mattress pad, I put a wool blanket on everyone's bed. Works great.

Gloria

Julie, You can buy an electric mattress pad with dual control, we have one. So my husband hardly ever or never turns his on, mine is on a lot, and I love it.
I am originally from Europe, where they're still behind with the fitted sheet thing. When my SIL and brother come here, they buy up the store with fitted sheets. Life is so much easier with them.
Bianchi

I am so old that I never saw a fitted sheet until well into my (first) marriage. Like others, I learned to make the square corners - but would never do it again unless there were no other options.

Mattress, foam, feather mattress cover, fitted sheet, me, flat sheet, feather comforter in a duvet - happy girl!!!!!!!

Bianchi,

Yes, we COULD buy a dual control electric blanket or matress pad, but my husband is convinced that he would be electrocuted in the night. LOL

The new electric mattress pads are LOW voltage--they have a transformer attached, so there is just a tiny bit of non-dangerous current running through the pad.

Maybe that will change his mind?

InfoDivaMary,

Trust me... my husband doesn't believe in "new fangled" electrical things, and is convinced that he will fry in the night.

Have I ever mentioned how many years it took before he would talk on our cordless telephone? LOL As funny as that sounds, I'm not kidding. He doesn't believe in ATM's credit cards or debit cards either. I think he was dropped on his head once too often as a child.

Now that we are on the question of bed making, when you put the flat sheet on the bed (on top of the fitted sheet), do you put the pattern side up(so you see the pattern when you make the bed) or down (so you see the pattern when you are lying in bed under the covers)?

Our sheets now are solid.

In the past, I have put the patterned top sheet on upside down, so that when I turned down the lace-edged top over the blanket, it was right side out. The the comforter went on over everything, so you couldn't tell how the sheet was positioned until turning back the comforter.

Years ago, some top sheets were available fitted at the bottom only, so top and bottom fitted sheets stayed put. Now there's a concept! Sadly, they disappeared.

I didn't know you're supposed to put a mattress pad ON TOP of the egg crate foam! DUH! That probably explains why my bed feels so hot in the summer. Thanks Talley Sue! One dumb question though, if you put the mattress pad over it do you still get the same wallowy softness of the foam or is it diminished?

Ok, I'll add my bed making since it's a bit different - bottom up:
Mattress, terrycloth fitted sheet as mattress cover, fitted or flat sheet, me, 1 wool blanket in winter or flat sheet and 1 cotton blanket in spring/fall or flat sheet in summer.

We do have a dawn comforter (thickness supposedly for Greece's climate) but we have only used it maybe 3 nights in our 8 years of marriage.

NOW there is something bulky I could declutter... only it was rather expensive and perhaps we will need it someday with the climate changing, or if they turn the heating on less in the building (it's central - we have no control over when it's on). And I have the space to store it for the moment and if something has to to go it will sooner be the 4 lace covered decorative pillows that Mom gave me with my trousseau (along with all other bed and table linen she thought I had to have those too) that I never used and doubt I'll ever will...

Maria

I have the same problem w/ a down comforter, Maria. We use it about 3 to 5 nights a year, in that time period when the weather it too cold for comfort, but not cold enough to trigger the steam heat.

The rest of the time, the steam heat is so high, we don't need it.

And, we're probably going to live in the building next door, w/ the same heating set-up, so we probably still won't *really* use it much.

But they're so expensive, I hate to get rid of it. And when we want it, it IS nice.