How to soften new sheets?

[arcas]

Last week I decided it was time for a new mattress and figured that's as good a time as any to move up from a full size to a queen. Naturally this means I needed new sheets.

Now, I'll readily admit that I'm a n00b when it comes to linens. Until now, I'd pretty much stuck to buying cheap stuff on sale. I think the best sheets I owned were 220 thread count. So today I decided I'd splurge and get some 350 tc 100% cotton sheets. "Hey," I figured "my 100% cotton shirts are nice and comfy so the sheets should be too, right?" Wrong. Even after washing them 3 times they're not much softer than a paper towel and nowhere near as soft as my current very-used-but-much-lower-tc sheets (which, I've found, are all cotton/polyester blends).

While on the topic of comparing sheets with shirts...why is it that cotton sheets and pillowcases come out of the dryer so badly wrinkled when 100% cotton shirts have nary a wrinkle if you remove them before they cool?

So what's the trick? Is thread count just a gimmick?

 

[Bryophyte]

Downy in rinse cycle? Iron them.

 

[myusername]

You make a poor family sleep on the new sheets for a year, then you have the kitchen staff boil them thoroughly, scent them with lavender, and voila

 

[lobadobadingdong]

buy better sheets.

 

[Huma]

linens n things guide to sheets

high thread count is only one piece. The type of material is too. Egyptian cotton is particularly soft, linen / muslin can be soft yet still provide a very interesting texture (I use muslin now), flannel and jersey knit are extremely soft as well.

go to a good store that has samples out of all the different types and feel one you like.

 

[Howard]

Why didn't you get 1000tc?

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=108461