The Tin Shed in NZ

The Ostheimers mentioned The Tin Shed Sheepskin Shop (Rangitata 22 RD, Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand; phone +64 3 693 9416 or, free within N.Z., 0508 504 006, fax 693 9531 or visit www.thetinshed.co.nz) on the South Island of New Zealand (Dec. ’05, pg. 103). I’ll second their recommendation. The place is literally a tin shed, but they have a great selection of New Zealand woolen products.

When I stopped there in July of 1998, I found out what a “mattress overlay” was. They are made in Christchurch of sheep fleece sewn through a stretchy backing with great big pockets in the corners. One was available in the size I needed and I purchased it. They took care of packaging and mailing. It arrived two weeks after I got home and we have been sleeping on it ever since.

The way we use our Woolpak 100% Mattress Overlay is to put a quilted mattress pad on our McCroskey Cal-King mattress, then the overlay over that. Early on, we found that you have to have something over the overlay. My wife figured out that a king-size sheet does the job admirably and adds a layer of protection for the overlay. The overlay is essentially sandwiched between two other covers, and over the sandwiched overlay go our sheets and, of course, blankets.

The care instruction label says that the overlay can be safely washed or dry-cleaned. We take ours off the bed every week and give it six gentle shakes outdoors, then hang it over a clothes rack for several hours to air out. After 7½ years, I can detect no signs of wear.

RICHARD LYNAM
Vancouver, WA