FITTED MATTRESS COVER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

A fitted mattress cover for enveloping the top surface side and end surfaces of a mattress constructed to drastically minimize the shifting of the cover relative to the mattress. The fitted mattress cover includes a top panel for fitting in overlaying relationship to the top surface of the mattress and a peripheral skirt depending from the peripheral edge of the top panel for fitting in overlaying relationship to the sides and ends of the mattress. The depending skirt includes a layer of fabric material and a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart elastic cords stitched into the skirt fabric to gather the fabric material into folds perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elastic cords. Also, a method of making the fitted mattress cover includes forming a top panel of fabric material for the top panel, forming a flat layer of fabric material for the skirt, longitudinally straining a plurality of parallel spaced apart elastic cords, concurrently stitching the cords into the flat layer of skirt fabric material, allowing the elastic cords to relax forming gathers in the layer of skirt material with the axis of the folds of the gathers perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elastic cords.