These are the kinds of sheets my grandmother would have appreciated –– richly patterned, scalloped and exquisitely soft. When my Mum got engaged, they flew to Madiera to choose her wedding linens, ivory, with butter yellow trim. Her initials, MM were embroidered into the sheets with the same pale yellow thread. My mother’s since given a full of set monogrammed linens to many a goddaughter and niece on the threshold of married life. It’s an old fashioned tradition, but a lovely one.