What is a Featherbed?
Featherbeds are a piece of bedding made with feathers that goes on top of the mattress to provide extra softness, warmth and comfort. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Feathers have been used in bed-making for centuries. They are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. They also are lightweight and provide a good deal of support while molding to fit your body. As early as the 14th century featherbeds were considered a luxury item for the rich. By the 19th century, however, they were common and an item that, with a little help from an employer, a servant could afford. Isabella Beeton, a domestic management historian and author of the 19th century, wrote a history of household items and indicates that featherbeds probably originated in Europe and were brought over to America as people began to emigrate here.
Features
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Featherbed manufacturers sew a pocket or bag the size of the bed, usually out of 100% cotton ticking. Ticking is a closely woven fabric that prevent the quill of the feather from poking through and keeps down from escaping. This bag is filled with feathers and down, usually from a goose, but sometimes from swans or ducks. Then the featherbed is usually sewn into channels or squares to keep the feathers evenly spaced and to prevent shifting. This is called baffling or channeling.
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Using a Featherbed
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The featherbed is commonly laid on top of the mattress and covered with a fitted sheet that goes over both the featherbed and the mattress. Sometimes, however, standard sized fitted sheets are not deep enough to cover both the mattress and the featherbed. In this case, try moving up to the next size sheet. Or you can purchase a washable cover for your featherbed and just sleep on top of the featherbed with no sheet over it.
Caring for a Featherbed
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Always make sure that you fluff and air a featherbed before using for the first time, Make sure that you fluff your featherbed whenever you change your sheets to keep it soft, and frequently air it to prevent odors. You should also rotate your featherbed to make sure that the feathers don't clump. It is best to make sure that your featherbed is covered in some way. If small spills occur, spot clean the featherbed gently. If anything large happens, consult a dry cleaner immediately! Also, if your featherbed gets wet you must make sure that it is thoroughly dried and aired to prevent mildew.
Warning
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People who are allergic to feathers, eggs, or poultry should avoid sleeping on a featherbed since this can trigger allergic reactions.
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