I do iron my linen sheets, but only the edges so that they are not scrunched up, as lascatex says.

I would never have flannel, but then I do not live in a cold climate. It cools down in the desert in the winter, but not enough to need flannel sheets, and it is warm during the day. I do use heat from December through February, however, although very little.

I don't like sleeping on linen sheets. They are wrinkly and neither cool in summer nor warm in winter to me. I have a linen blanket that I love, but I don't like the feel of linen next to my skin when sleeping. I use 100% cotton flannel sheets in the coldest months but use percale pillow cases because I don't like flannel next to my face. My favorite sheets are vintage 100% long staple cotton. They come out of the dryer almost wrinkle-free and are smooth against my skin. I've been pretty happy with Pottery Barn's organic cotton sheets, too, but I have to iron those.

Toby, I would suggest that you try a pair of good quality linen pillow cases to see if you like the way they launder and how they feel when you sleep on them.

Thank you all for the responses.

I should probably get pillowcases as you suggest, Fun2BHere, because linen sheets aren't cheap and I'd feel awful if I didn't like them. I've never owned anything made of linen.

Have you never had a linen shirt before? If not, don't get linen sheets!

No. Why does not having had a linen shirt mean I shouldn't buy linen sheets?

'Cause if you're used to the feel and look of linen as you wear it you know what to expect of sheets?

I thought I was just going to buy sheets. Now I have to buy linen pillowcases and a linen shirt first. ;)

People usually love or hate linen and the supreme wrinkley-ness can bother some types, like me. It also has a distinct feel. I have always loved a beautifully pressed linen shirt and even a slightly rumpled one, at the beach for instance, but other than that, no. I would hate linen sheets. And I've had dozens of linen clothing items.

That's good to know. I thought it was a generally-loved fabric.

I absolutely love the velvet flannel sheets at Company store. I use them year round, with a duvet and cover in winter, with a thin down blanket inside the flannel cover in the spring and fall, using the down blanket and a velvet flannel top sheet on cool summer nights and just the top sheet on warmer summer nights (it always cools enough to need something). They don't pill and really do feel a bit velvety.

I, too, would never have linen. While I might like the feel if they were super soft/worn feeling, I've had linen clothes that were too stiff to want to sleep with and the wrinkles would drive me crazy.

I cannot imagine sleeping without flannel sheets in the winter! I have used them for nearly 70 years so why change now?

I have a lot of linen shirts and have made linen shirts for myself as well, but I do not have any flannel shirts, nor would I ever wear one.

The linen that I bought for making shirts is a lot softer than the linen that is used for sheets, but linen sheets do get softer after multiple washings. I don't think you can really judge linen sheets from linen shirts. The linen shirts that I make are also softer than the ones that you can buy.

I never took my flannels off the bed this year, oly. But they're three or four years old and have lost a lot of their cotton fluff so they're almost like regular sheets.

I can't picture you in a flannel shirt, Lars.

Even less expensive than pillowcases or most linen shirts, you could buy a yard or two of linen fabric in a medium weight plain weave. It might not be the same weight as the sheets you wind up buying, but it will give you a feel for linen. You can use it like a throw and lay it over you, put it across your pillow or wrap yourself in it and see what you think. Then you can use it to make pillowcases, kitchen towels, a shirt or whatever. If you don't sew, anyone who knows how to do a finished seam and a hem can make pillowcases and kitchen towels.

I just went ahead and bought The Company Store's Legend Velvet sheets. They're having a 25% off bedding sale.

I appreciate all the help. :)

The velvet flannel sheets will probably be best for your climate, and it's difficult to resist a 25% off sale.

I do not waste any linen scraps that I have. If they are large enough, I make napkins, but otherwise I make kitchen towels (which can be patchwork) or masks. The soft linen that I have makes a very comfortable lining for masks. A lot of times I make linen masks with silk lining, as I read that the combination of silk with cotton or linen is more protective. I made one mask that was all silk (for formal wear), but that did not work that well.