Make a Featherbed
A featherbed, also known as a feather tick, rests on top of your regular mattress. It makes for a warm, comfortable night's sleep, especially with the addition of a down comforter as a blanket. The beds are made from the feathers of geese or ducks. A higher proportion of down, or the fluffy layer under a bird's feathers, makes for a more luxurious topper. Modest skills with a sewing machine, a needle and thread and basic materials are all you need to make a featherbed.
Instructions
1. Buy two flat sheets the size of your bed or enough fabric to make a large "pillow" that will cover your mattress. Determine the amount of fabric by measuring the length and width of the bed and doubling the length measurement. Look for fabric in a width that's close to the width of the bed.
2. Pin the sheets together along three sides, leaving one side open, or fold the fabric in half and pin the two sides together, leaving the end opposite the fold open. Pin the fabric or sheets together with the right sides facing each other. This will make a large inside-out sack. Sew the pinned sides together and remove the pins.
3. Pin most of the open side together, leaving about an 8- to-12-inch gap. Sew along the pins. Remove the pins and turn the sack right-side-out through the gap in the seam.
4. Stuff the sack with loose feathers and down through the gap. Use enough stuffing to make a featherbed at least 4 inches thick. Add more stuffing for a thicker, firmer bed.
5. Stitch the gap closed once you've added the feathers and down. Turn the raw side of the fabric in and iron a hem. Use a small slip stitch and matching thread color to close the gap.
6. Shake the featherbed to distribute the feathers and lay the featherbed on a flat surface.
7. Use straight pins to make baffles on the featherbed to keep the feathers from clumping. Pin squares about 1 foot on each side in a regular pattern on the featherbed. Sew straight seams along the pinned lines. This step is optional.
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