Textile construction

Abstract

A fitted sheet for a mattress comprises a rectangular panel of knit material having a central rectangular area extending from one end of said panel to the other end thereof. Side margins flank the central area, and folded under said central area and joined thereto by seams extending across each end of the central rectangular area. The sheet is characterized in that the seams at each end of said central rectangular area are arcuate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fitted sheet for a mattress comprising a rectangular panel of knit material having a central rectangular area extending from one end of said panel to the other end thereof, and side margins flanking said central area, said side margins being folded under said central area and joined thereto by seams extending across each end of said central rectangular area, characterized in that said seams at each end of said central rectangular area are arcuate.  
     
     
         2 . The sheet of  claim 1 , further characterized in that said seams are symmetrical about a mid-line of said central area that runs from end to end thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The sheet of  claim 2 , further characterized in that on each side of said mid-line of said central area, at each end of said sheet, said seam curves downwardly toward a folded side edge of said sheet.  
     
     
         4 . The sheet of  claim 3 , further characterized in that said seam is flatter near said mid-line, and more convex near said folded side edge of said sheet.  
     
     
         5 . A fitted sheet for a mattress comprising a rectangular panel of knit material having a central rectangular area extending from one end of said panel to the other end thereof, and side margins flanking said central area, said side margins being folded under said central area and joined thereto by seams extending across each end of said central rectangular area, characterized in that said rectangular panel of knit material has side edges that are not finished, and at the end of said sheet, said seams are sewn directly over said unfinished edges.  
     
     
         6 . The sheet of  claim 5 , further characterized in that said unfinished edge is rolled into a curled edge prior to being sewn flat.  
     
     
         7 . The sheet of  claim 6 , further characterized in that said rectangular panel of knit material is fabricated from a tube of knit material that has been slit and opened to form a rectangle with cut edges.  
     
     
         8 . The sheet of  claim 7 , further characterized in that said cut edge, in a finished sheet, is curled under into itself.  
     
     
         9 . A sheet as claimed in  claim 1 , including a loop or length of material extending from the seam at one end of the sheet.  
     
     
         10 . A method of making a fitted sheet, comprising the steps of: 
 i) cutting a predetermined length of a tube of knit fabric;    ii) slitting said length of fabric along its length in a straight line from end to end;    iii) arranging said fabric so that the slit edges of said fabric are folded over onto the main body of said fabric; and    iv) sewing a seam across each end of the fabric, thereby to join the folded-over edges of the fabric to the main body thereof in a folded over state.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said slit edges are sewn to said main body in an unfinished state.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said slit edges are curled inwardly before being seamed to said main body of said fabric.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said seams are generally convexly arcuate.  
     
     
         14 . A method of making a fitted sheet comprising the steps of: 
 i) cutting a predetermined length of a tube of knit fabric;    ii) slitting said tube of fabric along an edge thereof, from end to end;    iii) cutting a shallow corner from each end of said tube of fabric, at the slit side thereof, from first points on the cut edge near the end, to second points on the end, near the folded-over mid-line of the slit tube of fabric;    iv) opening the fabric, and folding the side margins thereof inwardly so that at each corner thereof, the said first points are laid on top of the said second points; and    v) sewing a seam across the top and bottom ends of the fabric, to join the folded-over margins to the main body of the sheet.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein when said seam is sewn, the cut edge of said fabric is curled in, and sewn flat in the curled-in condition.  
     
     
         16 . A sheet as claimed in  claim 2 , including a loop or length of material extending from the seam at one end of the sheet.  
     
     
         17 . A sheet as claimed in  claim 3 , including a loop or length of material extending from the seam at one end of the sheet.  
     
     
         18 . A sheet as claimed in  claim 4 , including a loop or length of material extending from the seam at one end of the sheet.  
     
     
         19 . A sheet as claimed in  claim 5 , including a loop or length of material extending from the seam at one end of the sheet.  
     
     
         20 . A sheet as claimed in  claim 6 , including a loop or length of material extending from the seam at one end of the sheet.