Ever wake up and feel like you were the filling in the burrito?
That was happening to us on a regular basis as the fitted sheet would decide to pop off in the middle of the night.
I think it’s a combination of slightly loose elastic in the sheet combined with slightly sweaty (and hence sticky) bodies. On Que Tal, it happened all the time in the V berth, with it’s strangely shaped mattress. Even on a regular queen mattress, we’ve had problems.
I first looked into some of the “sheet clips” that go diagonally at the corners, but there were two problems: they wouldn’t do much of anything on the v-berth’s odd shape (and even our mattress at home really needed something that went from side to side, not just at the corner) and reviewers kept complaining that the clips popped off the sheet.
But that gave me an idea for a solution that has worked very well and took less than 15 minutes to implement.
And while a sewing machine is helpful, you can easily do it by hand although it will take slightly longer . . . maybe 30 minutes?
I made two elastic straps that go under the mattress and hook onto loops I added to the fitted sheet at the edges.
I used women’s swimsuit hooks and they haven’t once slipped out. Yet it’s a simple matter to unhook them when I want to wash the sheets.
I leave the straps under the mattress and it’s a simple matter to re-hook them on the clean sheets. The two reasons for making them removable are (1) so they don’t tangle with the sheets in the washer or dryer and cause a big knot and (2) to avoid damage to the elastic from the heat of the dryer.
How-To
You’ll need:
- Swimsuit hooks — 1″ wide is best; get plastic as metal will rust; you need 2 per strap. I got mine on Amazon since there’s no local fabric store — see on Amazon.
- Elastic — 7/8″ wide is best (but hard to find), you can use 3/4″ or 1″ wide also. Get the “firmest” (hardest to stretch) you can find. Length will be determined by your mattress, but in general you can make the strap and loops out of an unstretched length of elastic equal to the width of the mattress where you want the strap. (I used a total of 52″ inches of elastic for each strap and loop set for a 60″ wide queen.) I got mine on Amazon — it’s a little stretchier than I’d like, but it works. See on Amazon (I was doing several sets, so 10 yards was good for me — you can get 3/4″ elastic in 3 yard packages, but for some reason there’s no 1″ white elastic in a 3 yard package).
- Thread — it’s won’t be visible so don’t worry if you can’t get a matching color.
- Marking device — pencil or permanent felt marker is best so it won’t run when you wash it.
NOTE: While you could use webbing for the straps, the elastic allows for some give as people move in bed and less chance of tearing the sheet. If you have a folding mattress (as we did in the V berth), using elastic means that you can fold the mattress to get to the locker under it without having to undo the straps.
Begin by figuring out where you need straps to pull. As you can see in the photos above, I made small marks with a permanent marker where they needed to go (these will be hidden under the mattress, so no one will see the marks).
On a tapered mattress, such as in a V berth, you may find it best to run the straps in an “X” formation rather than straight across.
Cut two pieces of elastic each 1-1/2″ long. Fold each in half crosswise and sew in place to the sheet. You can sew through the sheet elastic or just inside it, and you can use straight or zigzag; go over it several times.
The length of the strap will depend on how far the sheet goes under the mattress and how stretchy the elastic is. The easiest way to figure out the correct length is to begin with the uncut piece of elastic and sew a swimsuit hook onto one end of it: pull about 1/2″ elastic through the loop on the hook fold it over and sew it back on itself.
Put the sheet on the bed and hook the strap on one side. Pull the free end of the strap under the mattress. To judge how long the strap should be, pull the elastic to the loop in its “normal” position under the mattress but remember that while you want some tension on the elastic, you don’t want to pull it bone tight. Allow 1/2″ extra to fold the elastic around the loop of the hook and cut the elastic. If in doubt at all about the length, cut it too long, pin it in place and adjust from there.
Remove the strap from the sheet and sew the second hook on. Put the strap back in place. One done!
Repeat with as many straps as you need 🙂
Flatten the learning curve with practical how-to info that gives you the confidence to step into life aboard.
Start Learning Today
Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Rick Johnson says
Liz Johnson
tami says
This is a great idea!
Curious: are your sheets fitted to the mattress?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Yep! The prior owner on Que Tal made three sets and I never had to. On our new boat, it’s a standard queen mattress.
Cat Manning says
We have this problem all the time at home! So happy to read a solution. Now to find the time to implement.
Nigel Smith says
Just buy new sheets…
The Boat Galley says
This happens even with new sheets!
Barbara Turney says
I just buy fitted sheets one size larger than required and tuck the excess neatly under.
Diane Ericsson says
The swimsuit hook idea is brilliant!! For the sweaty issue…we use the 100% cotton knit sheets from Lands End. It’s like heavy t-shirt fabric. They were even comfortable in Mexico. They are very forgiving with the odd geometry of a V-berth. The Lands End ones are pricey, but very good quality and they last for years. We did go up a size so they are easy to put on, take off and they almost always stay in place.
Sue says
What a great idea. Would help with our strangely shaped bed on our boat just to keep the sheet tensioned. It is queen size at the top and about single size at the bottom.
The Seamless Sailor says
Clever idea!
Candy Ann Williams says
What a fantastic idea and simple fix!!! Wish I had know this when we were living onshore. We had a crazy sized mattress…larger than a queen and smaller than a king…I used the crazy corner clips but this would have been so much better! Again thanks for all of your great tips! (Have a great 4th by the way!)
Pam Harwood says
What we recently used were tarp clips from the local hardware store and nylon heading twine from the sailbag. Not elastic, but the sheets stay put!
Jody Pountain says
Great idea!! Luckily I already had some elastic clips, but I’ll definitely keep this in mind!
Jen says
what an amazing but so simple idea. thank you! my pop off sheets in the v-berth are crying out for this. . . can’t wait to fix them 🙂
Nancy says
Carolyn,
This is a perfect solution to the custom sheets I made for our master stateroom aboard Tranquility. My husbands sheets are always in a state of disarray(a restored classic boat that has two beds in the stateroom) although I use the typical corner sheet straps
that really don’t work and are work putting on and taking off each time I wash our sheets. A real pain for sure.
Thanks for a great idea!!! I can’t wait to try it!!!
Thanks,
Nancy
Jo Dunsmoor Gilstrap says
Brilliant. Thank you for sharing!
Martha Warner says
I concur! Thanks. My hubby pops the sheets on every bed he sleeps in. I never do. Nice to know I can create a permanent fix.
Anita M Noyes-Akin says
Outstanding Post!!! Ty:)
Evelyn Anderson says
Very clever!
Maje Brennan says
Going to read now. My husband pops off fitted sheets.
Jennifer Starkey Augspurger says
Terrific idea!
kmmckeenan says
I do a lot of sewing, particularly for cushions etc…This is definitely going to be my new way of doing it! Brilliant thank you!
Ernie Lorimer says
I did something similar, but using velcro sewn onto the elastic tape and up the corners of the fitted sheet.
At the same time I velcroed the top sheet to the bottom sheet, and the fleece blanket to the top sheet, because that end of the berth is tough to get to and things are tough to tuck and stay tucked way back there.
Carolyn Shearlock says
That’s similar to what I did for our Thermarest camping — I put the hook part of Velcro on the bottom side of the Thermarest, and then long tabs of loop Velcro on the end of the sheets and blanket and its keeps everything in its place — no more cold feet in the middle of the night!
tami says
How I was taught to make custom fitted sheets:
Buy a set of regular bedsheets, making sure that the size is a bit larger than the berth mattress you’re making sheets for.
Take the fitted sheet, and cut off the elasticized boxing, about 6-7″ in from the elastic edge. Don’t cut through the elastic. It’ll be a circle of elasticized fabric, that is to say. You’ll also have now a flat panel of fabric.
Take that flat panel of fabric and lay it over your cushion/mattress. Trace out the shape of the mattress, leaving a seam allowance, I like 1/2 inch for mine.
Now, sew the boxing (right sides together!) back to the shaped flat part. You should have some extra boxing left. Seam that up and cut off the excess, being either sure to sew over the elastic and tack it down, or leave the casing ends open, at which juncture you can use the elastic as a drawstring, hanging a cord lock on the elastic. Cord locks are available at amazon for something like five bucks for a bag of fifty of ’em.
Dan Thomas says
We use the next ßize up sheets. Fold over about an inch of fabric and sew a little chanel all around the sheet. Leaving a few inches between start and finish ends. Then feed 1/6″ or parachute cord thru the Chanel. Use a cord tensioner from any sewing department of Walmart. Think was in the cord around you foul weather jacket hood. This will cinch down to fit any odd shape size bed.
We then sew the top sheet to the fitted sheet across the foot of the sheet on the Bottom side of the sheet. This must be measured and marked while the fitted sheet is chinched to the mattress. The top sheet will not come off aaaaand it will stay tucked in.
We ha e done three sets of sheets this way. They are stored in a large.zip lock bag clean ready for use. Fitted, top sheet, aand pillow cases. Use different colors so you will know which sets are clean.
Miranda Mundell says
Great idea.
Kathy Belanger-Barber says
Omg this is genius!
Deb Wilson says
Brilliant!!
Tanja says
That’s genieus!
Thank you so much for this post!
Paula Vail says
When I grew up, my Mom’s sheets had the 2 bottom corners of the top sheet fitted just like the bottom sheet was. The only reason I can think now this is not done is it is cheaper not to do it. But I now have sewn all my bottom sheets (home as weel) this way and the bed so much easier to make as there is no question about the positioning of the bottom sheet. It is not hard to do and doesn’t even require elastic. Though I have not done it, I think you could even “fit” a V-berth or other odd-shaped bed this way. For a rectangular mattress, just cut out a “box” from the corner of the sheet according to your mattress depth and sew the 2 newly-cut sides right sides together. For more info, see any of these 3 links:
https://craftingagreenworld.com/articles/turn-a-flat-sheet-into-a-fitted-sheet-in-ten-minutes-flat/
https://www.mybluprint.com/project/diy-fitted-sheets
https://www.homedit.com/sew-fitted-sheet-flat-sheet/
Debbie Jones says
Our new-to-us boat came with regular, not customized sheets for the v-berth and they were always shifting and coming loose. I tried the elastic but my bed making yoga was a struggle. I then made a channel and cinched the sheets with parachute cord. The sheets stayed in place but there was still the bed making yoga and an abundance of cord that would get tangled in the wash no matter how I tried to contain it. I finally found a good solution for me. I took two sheets and made a large “pillow case” for my heavy mattress topper. Now I just slip it on and I’m done. When it’s time to change the sheets I just flip the mattress pad to the second side. Twice the time between re-making the bed!