Problems With Duvet Covers

Problems With Down Bunching up

• If your duvet has the problem of the down feathers bunching up inside, you may need to get a duvet with windowpane quilting. This pattern of quilting forms a grid that keeps the feathers spread evenly in 1-square foot areas and prevents them from all shifting to one corner. You may even find that the bunched up feathers drag the duvet off the bed completely. Unfortunately, changing the quilting pattern is difficult once the duvet has been purchased. If you have invested significantly in a duvet with long quilted columns, check with an alterations shop. The duvet might be altered to a windowpane quilting pattern that will solve the down-shifting problem.

Problems Putting the Duvet Cover on the Duvet

• You may have difficulty slipping the cover on the duvet. This task is similar to putting a pillowcase on a king size down pillow, but the duvet and cover are much larger. The easiest way to do this is to gather the sides of the duvet up until you can slide the corners of the duvet into the deepest corners of the cover. Grabbing the corners, one in each hand, shake the duvet cover down over the duvet. Standing on a step-stool sometimes helps so that you can lift the corners higher off the floor, and gravity can assist in slipping the cover over the duvet.

Problems Keeping the Duvet in Place Inside the Cover

• When you sleep with a duvet inside its cover, sometimes the duvet slides down to the foot of the bed, leaving you covered with the cover only, which would approximate losing your blankets and waking up shivering with only the sheet. One solution to this is to safety pin the duvet to the cover on the inside; place three or four safety pins along each edge. You may not like the idea of puncturing the duvet, however, and for good reason. Quality duvets feature a high thread count so that feathers cannot wiggle their way through the fibers. Pin-holes defeat this purpose. The best recommendation for this problem is to stitch seam binding, hem tape or ribbon into the hem of the duvet on the outer edge of the portion of fabric holding the feathers inside. Place 3 to 4 ribbons along each side. Stitch ribbons to the inside of the duvet cover as well, and tie the duvet to the cover on the inside.

Miss-sized Cover and Duvet

• When you purchase your duvet cover, make a note of the dimensions on the packaging, and place this note in your wallet. Whenever you find a pretty duvet that you think will be ideal for your decor, you can check the dimensions to ensure there will be a good fit. Some duvet covers may be labeled king size or queen size but may not be the same dimensions of your king size or queen size duvet. Verifying a good fit before purchase can save you intense frustration later.