Date: 12 November 2014. Warm Fuzzies (winter bedding)

As a southerner I hate being cold. The approach of November winds and frigid temperatures is looked toward with trepidation. A couple years back though I bought Skipper a fuzzy piece of fabric so she'd have a nice place to snuggle on the dinette seat next to me. Sitting on it a couple times myself sparked an idea for staying warm during the harsh winter weather.

The best idea though was shared by an old salt I once knew. He suggested:
If you're too cold, sail for the equator until the shivering stops.

The fabric I bought for my First Mate was $13 a yard as I recall at Hobby Lobby. It is wonderful stuff and washes well. One side is suede-like (hers has leopard spots) and the other feels like a woolly lamb. I knew it reflected heat after having sat on it during the summer so thought that something similar would be wonderful on my bunk in the winter.

Even though $26 would not be unreasonable in staying warm over the winter, I wanted to save money. When I visited my daughter we shopped at a couple of thrift stores and one had a blanket with a fuzzy side. The price was $4 and that met my budget criteria spot-on.

So I bought it.

Well, the upcoming forecast is for below freezing temperatures so I took out the blanket, removed the backing fabric and laid the fuzzy side over my bottom sheet. It doesn't look bad and will reflect heat so hopefully I'll be a bit warmer this year. Here's the fabric on my bunk:
 

The observant will notice I've again got my 12-volt electric blanket on the bunk. I made a duvet cover (it's actually an old sheet) and a bit more about that can be found in the As Winter Approaches article.

I've already tested it. Yes, I'm a wimp when it comes to getting into a cold bunk and by clicking 15 minutes before I'm ready to go to bed, it's toasty warm for me. The blanket works perfectly. I recommend the Comfy Cruise brand because it uses just 35 watts (3 amps) and many of these things use upwards of 7 amps.

I did notice that the fuzzy piece made the bunk seem warmer too. BUT it is not soft -- not like the nicer fabric I'd paid $$ for at Hobby Lobby. I should not have bought the rough blanket at the thrift store and would have been wiser to spend the money on something of better quality.

Anyway, that's my advice: add the fuzzy, but make sure yours is better than mine. The next time I am able to get to a Hobby Lobby I'll seek out the fabric I bought for Skipper and buy a large enough piece (two yards) for my bunk.

What I have is okay and this time that's not quite good enough -- not for the long term.
 

Have you ever tried adding fuzzy fabric to your winter bedding layers?
Are you staying warm in this cold snap the country is enduring?

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Categories: Comfort, Money, Recommendations, Vignettes

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