I am beginning to want more light when I am sewing. I'm not equating this with advancing age, mind you. I just used to be stupid.
It seems like someone was always bugging me about reading and sewing in better light. Now I need to take that advice.
Sewing machines, old or new, never have enough light. Either my old Singer Featherweight or the newish Genome, it's still the same. I like the LED lighting on the new machines, but there is too little of it and it never seems to illuminate what I am doing.
I usually end up placing my tabletop Ott light near my sewing machine. I have tried a couple of those little lights that attach to the machine, but they are inadequate as well.
I have also stopped putting up with an inadequate light box. I use this piece of equipment a lot, and it must be bright and must be flat...and must be larger.
I have found ...and love...the Huion brand, sold on Amazon. Their price tends to fluctuate for some reason.
My personal lighting solution is my Beam 'n' Read...a light that hangs around my neck. Some come with 4 LED lights. I like the one with 6 LED lights.
It allows me to hand stitch anywhere and not disturb the other people in the room. I always have something to stitch with me while waiting for car maintenance or other long "public" waits away from home.
I also use it while repairing things or looking for something in a dark area. Hands free light...just awesome.
I look like a stupid, bobbing bird when I try to use one of those head lamps that fit like a sweat band.
I ordered my first one through the company (phone number above), but I have also found them on Amazon. I love Amazon Prime free and fast shipping...so worth it when you live a long way from retail stores.
It seems like all the places that are convenient for a sewing area in this house are inconvenient for good lighting. I have a number of table lamp options, and I need them!
Steve has been out of town for a couple of weeks, so naturally I have taken the opportunity to do weird things that I probably wouldn't do if he was here...things like just rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher without starting it, drinking out of a measuring cup (because all the glasses were rinsed and sitting in the dishwasher), sleeping with a Ginsu knife under the bed (for security, of course), and sometimes wearing my jammies all day (you can get away with that when you work from home).
But my best bit of quirkiness on his recent trip was sitting on the couch stitching, straddling my floor Ott light. That way the light is totally focused on my work area. I can easily adjust it to sitting back or sitting on the edge of the couch, whatever feels comfortable at the time..
And Steve was not here to snigger at me.
I can peek around it to watch TV. Awesome.
I love the bendy neck and the long light...it really allows me to sit in any position and have the best light. I do have to move it when I get up, but that is not a big deal.
Good lighting is required for hand stitching tiny potato chips. Darkness is better for eating the larger ones...
In stitches,
Teresa :o)
Agree! We sound more like our parents every day, don't we?
ReplyDeleteI think Alex Andersen said as we age for every ten years we require 20% more light to see properly. Not sure how accurate that is, but it makes sense. Chris
ReplyDeleteAs you were talking about light around your machine I was thinking of my floor otto light that is placed from the back of the table to light the left side of the machine/needle. And you already have a floor otto light..... try it at the machine..... you might like it.
ReplyDeleteI have several of the lights that you show - some I like and some I don't and then I have a lot stored in a drawer that I tried and didn't like (small ones of course) and in the work shop are those that lasted less than a year and hubby keeps saying he will fix and hasn't - need to toss them I guess - a perfect light is sometimes hard to find!
ReplyDeleteI guess we can be geezers together, LOL...as I appreciate more light now for my stitching too!
ReplyDeleteThere are now LED bulbs for the Singer Featherweight machines. I have not tried one. I would like to read a review by a quilter who has. I see they are available from Amazon.
ReplyDeleteMy SIL bought the LED light for her Featherweight and loves it so much she gifted me with one. I haven't tried it yet but know I'll love it from her comments on it.
ReplyDeleteThe day I turned 45 I needed extra light and more powerful glasses. I don't mind aging, I just hope they keep making stronger lights and stronger magnifiers to keep up!
ReplyDeleteBetter lighting makes such better productivity. I bought a few clamp lights and then the Ott bulbs at the hardware store. I clip one where ever I need it and the bendable neck , I position to best use of light.
ReplyDeleteThe daylight brand lights are great. I bought my husband one that can be a table or clip on light. It's very bright. I bought a pole lamp that has two bulbs that you can reposition and the upper part can be bent and used where you need it. It also has four brightness settings.
ReplyDeleteI'm always saying, "Isn't it too dark in here? We need more light" and I switch on a lamp or overhead light. My husband has gone to wearing one of those sleep masks when I'm stitching in the bedroom. Hooray for my Ott lights!!!
ReplyDeleteHaha! Your comment on chips is so true! Of course, I have never tried to sew a potato chip, but I'm sure you are right on.
ReplyDeleteAnd light. Oh, yes! Let there be light. And lots of it in all the right places.
You featherweight must be a sister of my featherweight! Very pretty!
ReplyDeleteSo interesting that I am also writing a blog post about lighting challenges ... must be the time of year to reassess our lighting requirements!
You are singing to the choir.. You GOTTA have good light! I like my studio FILLED with Light. And it hasn't got anything to do with age. (cough cough)
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. The right lighting makes all the difference in the world, and the older you get - the more you know it!
ReplyDeleteLighting is so important. I love my OTT lights. Try the Stella lishts, too. I bought an LED light bulb for my sewing machine but haven't used it yet. Wait until you start buying eyeglasses at the Dollar store on each visit so you can have glasses throughout the house. I think you have a few years before that happens. Keep sewing and blogging. I kove your posts.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about straddling the floor light, I'll have to give it a try next time my usual over the left shoulder position isn't cutting it. I have one of the OTT LED lamps with the magnifier in the center in the sewing room. Of my current lamps & magnifiers, it's my favorite for ripping seams. I've never heard of the Beam & Read, I have a little USB powered LED light for stitching at work, but nothing for when there's no where to plug in. How long do the batteries last? I do have a little LED clip-on but the batteries in it wear down amazingly fast. And it is heavy, so it doesn't always work to clip on my clothing.
ReplyDeleteHehe :) Love the Ott light straddle approach! I do really appreciate that Beam 'n Read light - learned about it from you some time ago, and it's super handy. So glad I got one.
ReplyDeleteLaughing out Loud! I love reading your dilemma and truly sympathize; I need more and more light and better and stronger reader glasses. ( Eye doctor appointment not for another month and I even made it in September.)
ReplyDelete🤣🤣🤣
ReplyDeleteHa ha. You are absolutely right about needing more light as you get older. I'm also in the same boat. I do some of those quirky things all the time because my DH goes to bed real early and I'm a night owl.
ReplyDeleteGuurrrll...you are too funny! I never thought about straddling my floor lighting! Since cotton harvest has been in full swing around here and hubby doesn't come in at night till around 9, I've spent a couple of days stitching in my jammies all day! (tehe)
ReplyDeleteI bought one of the Janso lamps from Ikea. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90214214/
ReplyDeleteIt's perfect for hand sewing in front of the tv. I have it sitting beside or behind my chair and just adjust the neck so it shines on my work. It's cheap but the bulb is not replaceable so you have to throw it out when it burns out. I have several table lights of the same kind too. They are great.