Organizing Sheets

Keeping our sheet sets organized and together is a challenge when you have two children in twin beds and the hubs and I in our queen, and no linen closet in the house!  So I devised this way to combat the problem of keeping sheet sets from getting scattered in a kid's room, and as a bonus, my method also prevents the pillowcases from sliding off of the pillow in the night!

Each sheet set, with their matching fitted and flat and any extra pillowcases, are stored inside of one of the pillowcases.  To keep the pillows inside the pillowcase while they are on the bed, I've made it so that the pillowcases close off at the open end.  When I first came up with this, I sewed ribbons on the inside of the pillowcase and tied them together when it was in use.  But now I have a plastic KAM snap setter, and it looks so much more professional!  Plus I don't have to deal with knots when my 2-year old decided to try to untie it.

I absolutely LOVE my KAM snap pliers!  They were only $30 direct from KAMsnaps.com.  You can order plastic snaps to go with your pliers, including printed and engraved snaps!  It's easy to put these snaps on things, and I've used it so much already!  If you're a home crafter, it's one of those tools that's definitely worth the price.  Here's how to install a plastic snap with the hand pliers on a pillowcase:

Choose the location of your snap.

Push the awl through, being careful not to break any threads.  Wiggle it a little bit so that the awl spreads the threads.  This makes your fabric less likely to rip out.  If the fabric you are using is very fine or thin, you may have to add a backing layer to give it strength.  On the pillowcase, I put the awl both layers at once so that I am sure that it's lined up nicely.

Set out your snaps parts.  You need 2 caps, a socket (top left) and a stud (top right).

Gently remove the awl from one side of the pillowcase, and push the prong on one cap through the resultant hole.

Put your socket or stud on the prong.

Use your pliers to compress the prong, setting the snap.  Press hard!  The cap part goes on the die side of the pliers (under the fabric in this picture).

Repeat the process for the other half of the snap!

So that I know what size sheets I've got, I add a ribbon with the sheet set SIZE written on it with a permanent marker.  I flame the ends of the ribbon, and sew it onto the serged seam inside the pillow near the opening.  You could also do this if you are sending a pillowcase to camp, and need to mark your kid's name on it!