Bed sheet

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A bed sheet is a large piece of cotton or linen cloth used to cover a mattress. It is this sheet that one typically lies on. Bed sheets come in two main varieties--flat or fitted. A flat bed sheet is simply a rectangular sheet of cloth, while a fitted bed sheet has its four corners sewn fitted with elastic.

Bed sheets were traditionally white, but now various colors and patterns are used. The quality of bed sheets is often conveyed by the thread count - the number of threads per square inch of material. The higher the thread count, the softer the sheet.

In many areas of the world a second flat bed sheet is laid on top of the sheet covering the mattress. This is known as a top sheet. One sleeps between the two bed sheets. Blankets, comforters, and other bed covers are then placed on top of the second bed sheet.

Usually a flat bed sheet is overlocked around the edges to form four seams. One of the seams is wider than the other three and helps with orienting the sheet correctly on the mattress. The wider seam goes at the head end of the mattress.