Where to find a reasonably-priced bedspread in a custom size — vintage style, preferred? A reader recently asked us this question. Specifically, she wanted two twin bedspreads, each with a 24″ drop (rather than today’s standard, 21″.) Pam said this was a much tougher question that she would ever have guessed — but was quite happy when the solution also included pom poms!
The usual suspects — Vermont Country Store and JC Penney came up zilch re: the 24″ drop. And unless you can do it yourself, we set aside the idea of getting custom bedspreads made: Very spendy.
Just $30 more for a custom size bedspread
But after additional, intense searching, we came up with the Bates Mill Store. It offers six styles of 100% cotton Matelasse bedspreads — traditionally woven by Maine Heritage Weavers — which can be made to custom sizes for a very reasonable upcharge of just $30. (Sizes larger than 120″ are $60 more.)
Each of the six customizable styles comes in six color options — Antique, French Blue, Linen, Sage, Wedgewood Blue, and White. And, there are five different fringe options, including pom poms! Prices are fundamentally affordable, ranging from $100 – $290 depending on size and style, plus they are all made in the USA at the company’s Lewistown, Maine, factory.
If you have a queen-sized bed, there are three additional styles that can be resized.
These Bates bedspreads are about as classic as you can get. Pam says she has one on her bed right now — no pom poms, though, and now she wants pom poms! From the Bates website:
Our Matelasse Bedspreads feature a beautiful array of cotton bedspreads with designs that consist of elaborate floral center medallion patterns like the Abigail Adams or Queen Elizabeth to classic all over patterns like the Heritage or Colonial Rose. With this style of weave, the design is woven directly into the bedspread. If you were to run your hand across the top of a Matelassé Bedspread, you would feel a smooth, soft surface. Made in USA, 100% cotton and machine washable.
Bates Mill has been producing quality textiles since it was founded in 1850. More on the company’s history from the website:
Original Retailers of America’s Bates Mill Bedspreads
Throughout the Civil War and both World Wars the Bates Manufacturing Company continued to weave its fine quality cloths, with bedspreads being the most rendered for the past 50 years. The Bates Manufacturing Company opened its doors when America was a farming community of only 23 million people and 30 states. Now the weaving company is called Maine Heritage Weavers, a new company birthed in 2002 by former Bates Mill employees. The Bates Mill Store originally opened in the 1950′s to offer discounted second quality bedspreads to Bates Mill employees, but now we sell elegant first quality Bates bedspreads woven by Maine Heritage Weavers the same way that Benjamin Bates designed.
You can read information about the history of Bates Mill Store on their website.
Link love:
toni says
Don’t forget ebay. That’s where all my chenille spreads came from. My very most favorite is getting thin and I contemplated “saving” it but decided to use it until it wore out. Why have it if I can’t enjoy it?
Jacki says
Had a fitted, antique satin spread made by J.C. Penney’s custom drapery dept. for $530 for a King bed.. If you look at the cost of the better Bates spreads I guess that isn’t too bad. The nice thing about it is the decorator measured my bed carefully so it is perfectly crisp all the way around and the perfect length. It is also very heavy weight so it should last a lifetime.
Jacki says
one more note on this spread, they make them in South Carolina of the good ol’ USA.
Chris says
Yes! You almost have to use a bedskirt with today’s bedcovers. We are currently using a nice puffy comforter, but between my hot flashes and my husband’s internal thermostat (which runs hot) we need something lighter. Thanks for doing the research for us, Pam! You make life easier! 🙂
Ree says
I bought a 100% cotton bedspread about 16 years ago from the local Wal Mart. It has fringe and before I bought a new mattress set, the edges went to the floor. The new mattress set is one of the very deep ones, so in order to keep the spread from looking skimpy, I put a bedskirt around the box spring. Now the spread looks like a coverlet, but still very pretty. I have washed it many, many, many times over the years and it looks the same as the day I bought it. Lately I have begun to look for something like it as a replacement for when this one is longer attractive. Glad to have this information. Pam, once again, you have provided a valuable service to those of us looking for the odd item.
Jackie says
If you are interested in vintage, and chenille (as opposed to matelasse), this is a great site: http://www.chenille-bedspread.com/bedspreads.html
Many of the pieces are very, very affordable. You do have to know the exact measurements you need, and it’s much easier to find covers for full and twin sizes, but it’s a great resource.
My Gramma always had a bedskirt, and it did show a bit even on her full bed, and my chenille spread on a full bed is the same.
This vendor also makes robes and other items out of badly damaged bedspreads that could not otherwise be used, cutting around holes, burns, etc. I have a terrific robe with a peacock on the back!
Nina462 says
oh wow! I’m not allowed to buy any more chenille bedspreads (I have 3). I love them!! except for the marks on your face after taking a nap 🙂
tamiam@socal.rr.com says
I used to have that shell pattern matelasse a few years ago that I think I found at tj maxx, or marshalls. It had a nice heavy weight & held up for a long time.
pam kueber says
Mine never wears out. Except for the scallop edge trim. May need to contact Bates and see if I can send it to them to re-edge in pom poms!
Mary Elizabeth says
I have cats, so no pom-pom or fringe on bedspreads, rugs, etc. is safe at my house. 🙂
Janet in Me says
I love the pom poms too except when it comes to washing the item. When I first got married in 1972, I had curtains with them everywhere but the pom poms got all flattened out and didn’t look very pom-pommy any more. Then my mother-in-law gave me a tip. Take an old stiff toothbrush to them! It is time consuming and sure would be on a bedspread, but they look SO much better.
pam kueber says
Maybe I’ll rethink the pom poms on the bedspread…. but then again, you must suffer to be beautiful, as my mother always said!
chutti says
One more place to find proper vintage style bedspreads:
http://www.brylanehome.com
There is a lot of junky junk there, but always a few old style keepers. We got a Fringed Mattlasse King bedspread there a couple of years ago, and it’s great. As long as you make sure you get items that are all cotton, the quality is good.
I’ve also had luck finding properly pastel towels and bath mats to go with my pink and light blue bath.
They always have a few woven bedspreads in amongst the chaff:
http://www.brylanehome.com/decor/Folklore-Bedspread-Collection.aspx?PfId=22000&DeptId=19903&ProductTypeId=2&ppos=78&Splt=0#.VVtWpZPdnYg
http://www.brylanehome.com/decor/Cotton-Chenille-Bedspread-and-More.aspx?PfId=11967&DeptId=19903&ProductTypeId=2&ppos=102&Splt=0#.VVtWxpPdnYg
Also just a good old fashioned quilted spread:
http://www.brylanehome.com/decor/BrylaneHome-Studio-Quilted-Reversible-Bedspread-and-More.aspx?PfId=20619&DeptId=19903&ProductTypeId=2&ppos=111&Splt=0#.VVtXKJPdnYg
How’s this for vintage looking?
http://www.brylanehome.com/decor/Genevieve-Cotton-Chenille-Bedspread.aspx?PfId=21989&DeptId=19903&ProductTypeId=2&ppos=120&Splt=0#.VVtXYZPdnYg
Anyway. You may find some winners here if you keep a close watch.
Glad to hear others still like the bedspread look. Makes a difference!
pam kueber says
I hear ya, Chutti — but how about Custom Size — 24″ drop? That’s what we were trying to hunt — and which proved quite difficult….
chutti says
Absolutely.
There wasn’t anything today on Brylane specifically, but there are some there marked as ‘extra long’ that probably will work.
They also have the fitted style that are longer, like the green chenille one. Looks to be full floor length and not the goofy fussy short one. Worth a quick call to their Customer Service for measurements.
Who wants to see the bedskirt? Hmph.
I do love the Bates quality, and especially that they are American made. And probably far better made than what’s on the other site. and……….PURTY.
Shawna says
I can second the recommendation of Brylane Home for bed covers, with the caveat to read the material descriptions and measurements carefully! I’ve purchased quilts and bedspread over the years, always opting for 100% cotton content.
Karin says
Thank you for this! So lovely. And just in time for summer.
Sarah says
Thank you for this! I’m so done with sharing a comforter with my husband that we’ve actually been using two separate twin comforters the past week. Though we’re sleeping a bit better it just looks ridiculous. What I really wanted was a classic bedspread. I think we’ll get the paisley pattern with the pom pom fringe. Perfect!
lisa in Seattle says
Sarah, apparently having a separate twin-size duvet for each person in the double bed is normal in Denmark. When I found out, I thought I might move there! I love having my own blanket even when I share the bed. Here’s a picture of a typical bed set-up: http://manostiles.com/product/dots-powder-yellow-bedding-in-100-organic-cotton-822/
It’s never going to look retro-American, but Danish-modern certainly fits that mid-century look many of us enjoy.
Mary Elizabeth says
It is also normal in Iceland to have a queen or king bed with two duvets. That was the set-up in the apartment we borrowed last month when we went there.
Mary Elizabeth says
Lovely bedspreads, similar to the chenille ones I grew up with only don’t leave marks on your face when you get up from your nap. 🙂 Seriously, my grandma and aunties all had these beautiful spreads in their homes.
This article reminded me that I have used matelasse spreads and coverlets many times but in spite of six years of French and a summer university course in France, I’ve never known how to pronounce it correctly! It isn’t in my Oxford Abridged or Webster’s Collegiate dictionaries. So I looked it up online, and I found out the is pronounced “MAHT-luh-say,” and it derives from the French word for quilting. I was close, but I was putting the accent on the wrong “Syl-AB-ul.”
Speaking of the sizing of vintage bedding, I wonder if anyone else is having trouble getting fitted sheets that are way too big for their mattresses. We have a European style platform bed with an 8-inch mattress, and all the new sheets boast on their packages that they fit “up to an 18″ mattress.” We have one set of old sheets from our trailer that fit, and I’ve recently managed to find some gently used vintage Vera Neumann ones. When I put them on the bed, I suddenly realized that they were the same print as a set I got as a gift in 1969, only a different color way. They disappeared in one of my seven moves since then. With decorating my mid-century ranch, I find myself buying back almost the same things I gave away years ago.
Laura says
Regularly shop Estate Sales! I’m sure you’ll be rewarded for your time. I find 1950s-70s sheets and pillow cases quite often.
Nina462 says
I concur – shop at estate sales to get your sheets, plus they are usually a lovely cotton percale – which you just can’t seem to find in the store nowadays (every thing seems to be microfiber). Give me cotton percales any day!
Shawna says
I’ve found some excellent vintage sheets at local Goodwill stores near high-end housing areas, as well as estate sales. Take along a measuring tape, as often tags are missing. Give me good old vintage percale, and none of that microfiber stuff – it is the pits.
pam kueber says
Yes, vintage sheets and towels rock!