Flannel

I have a love/hate relationship with flannel sheets. I love that they're toasty warm when I first slide under the covers, and that the top sheet is like a lightweight blanket. But I miss those cool spots under the covers, the ones you can stick your feet into if you get too warm. With flannel sheets, once you heat up the bed, it stays that way all night long. Each winter, I wait until the nights are good and cold before I pack away the cotton sheets, and can hardly wait until the nights warm up again, and I can sleep in smooth, cool cotton once again.

The bed in the cabin draped in flannel sheets year-round, though. Our rustic cabin is unheated, except by a wood stove in the main living area downstairs, and we sleep in the cozy upstairs, with a big window looking out toward the lake. I love the exposed collar beams, and the wood tongue-in-groove ceiling. The roof isn't insulated, which makes the bedroom a perfect place to listen to the rain falling on the metal roof. But it's chilly in the bedroom most of the year, and flannel sheets make the bed cozy and warm.