American - British Translation please ?
 

Queen complete bed ensemble includes:

comforter :confused:
two standard shams :confused:
one dust ruffle :confused:
fitted sheet - OK, but why a fitted one & a flat one
flat sheet - see above
two standard pillowcases - got that one ! :thumbsup:

Just the first of many daft questions methinks :blink:

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

Think back to your gran's bedroom and linen closet -- that'll help you understand.

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

From my rudimentary understanding.

comforter = quilt
dust ruffle = trim around the bottom of your bed. Fits under the matress and hides the gap under the bed
sham = decorative pillow case

Remember, the majority of Americans don't use duvets, the fitted sheet would go on the mattress and you use the flat sheet to sleep under. The comforter and shams are normally decorative but you can use them should you want to.

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

Comforter = similar to a duvet; used as a decorator cover on the bed

dust ruffle = goes between top and bottom mattress with a ruffle skirt covering the bottom mattress

fitted and flat sheet = Americans make in a bed with a fitted sheet on the mattress and the flat sheet over it that you sleep under

shams = decorative pillow coverings matching the comforter so a complete designer look

standard pillow cases/shams = will fit a standard size pillow but not a king size and/or queen size pillow.

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

So can I stuff the comforter with a quilt ?

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

It is a quilt. Imagine a duvet with a permanent cover.

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

NO

It is not a cover such as a duvet cover. It is made of material with a substance between the top and bottom layers of material and then "quilted" "stitched" to make it stay in place.

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

If you really want to blow your mind, you could stuff a comforter into an (American) duvet.

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

If you pop along to Ikea, you can get normal bedding stuff instead.

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

Thanks guys I think I have cracked it:

comforter - what we would call a throw
two standard shams - fancy pillowcases
one dust ruffle - US equivalent of a valance sheet
fitted sheet - for over the mattress
flat sheet - for over me !
two standard pillowcases - 'normal' pillowcases

Gosh - to think we are speaking the same language. 9 year old still thinks a fanny pack and wearing pants are hilarious. He looked on his new school website today and found out his teachers were all doing skits at assembly - much sniggering.

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

To my mind a comforter is more like the old British eiderdown that I grew up with.
A quilt - think something like the Amish make - patchwork, out of cotton pieces. A big hobby round here - lots of fabric stores dedicated to this hobby selling the cottons and providing classes.
A dust ruffle = bed skirt.
"Shams" = like a pillow cases with extra edge material on, either ruffled or straight.

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

I have no clue, that's all woman stuff.;)

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

Not just Americans, I've been making my bed this way for years!

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

Allrighty, now someone explain "Eurosham".

Re: American - British Translation please ?
 

So many jokes, so little time