How to see better while hand sewing at night
 

Although we have good adjustable overhead lighting and lamps, when I hand sew at night it just seems like a different world. I wear my reading glasses but feels like I am almost guessing where my needle is. I REALLY enjoy this relaxing time at the end of the day for sewing on bindings but want to branch out into evening applique. Next morning, my eyes are tired from the workout. :( Any suggestions?

Ott lamps or "daylight" lamps. Get your 50 percent off coupon at Joanns and go shopping. They have many models.

Ott bulbs!

i love my ott lights for night sewing

Yes, the Ott lights are great--night or day !

Now my dummy question - can you use the bulbs in a regular lamp??? We just don't need another lamp.

I have an Ott Light also. Mine is a floor lamp. Another reason I like them is they don't put off a lot of heat. Its also the closest thing to natural light.

I got my otto floor lamp from Lowe's for only $59.00. That is the price all the time. Cheaper than Joanne's with a coupon.

I guess I am one of the few who do not care for the Ott Lamps. I bought an Ott floor lamp, thinking I could do hand sewing in the family room at night. Honestly, I find it just does not give enough light to make a difference.

My best lighting scenario is in my sewing room ... daylight fluorescent lights overhead.

Some Ott light bulbs can be used in regular lamps. Go to Amazon.com and enter "daylight light bulbs" in the search box. There are other brands and at Amazon you can read reviews from people who have used the various bulbs. Whatever way you go, get an adjustable lamp so you can put the light closer to your work, rather than just over your shoulder.

Love my Ott Light. I have several. For nighttime sewing I have a floor model that sits behind and to the right of my chair, right beside a table with a lamp. I really don't care what people think because I have this big, gray, ugly lamp in my living room. (Had a comment one time from a younger friend.) I would be lost without it. I also use it for reading. These old eyes need all the help they can get.

I agree, but an Ott like light [not made by the Ott company] would work just as well and cost way less than a 50% off Ott light at Joann's. Ott type bulbs are available cheaper at DIY stores.

love my ott floor lamp and I got it at Lowes for around $50.00 as well.

I bought a pair of reading glasses that have small, built-in LED lights on each side of the frame. I bought them at SteinMart for about $15. But, I have seen them elsewhere, too.

The name imprinted on the arm of the frame is "A J Morgan". Works well if you are not near a good light source.

I wear magnifying glasses when hand sewing. With my Ott floor lamp, I have no problem hand sewing at night. I do have problems at night with other lights.

Thank you for asking the question.. I struggle with this too. I will have to check out the Ott lights.. PAMAR those glasses sound awesome!! I will be checking them out too

Keep in mind that an Ott floor light is not really "another lamp" for a handquilter but a necessary tool just like your needle, threader, hoop, stencils and scissors. Think of it as other than a piece of furniture.:)

Jan in VA

I love my Ott lights! Yes, lights. At last count we have 5 in our house. Years ago I bought my first one to use in the den at night for hand sewing and my husband made fun of it. After he sat in my spot one evening and read, he wanted one of his own! I bought one a few years ago that has a magnifier that I find helpful if I'm sewing on black or if my eyes are tired and I need a bit of extra help.

I have a Dazor light, like the Ott and probably cost more. Good light is a must, use the daylight bulbs.

I haven't used them but have seen them - reading glasses with little lights on each side of your lenses (right & left).

I have a tall Ott light that stands behind the sofa. I bend it so I have the light shining exactly where I need it. Works like a charm.

I have a light that goes around my head, like a miner's lamp. It can be adjusted so I don't have to put my head way down for it to shine on the fabric. I got it in a sporting goods store, Cabella, I think; maybe Bass pro shop.

I love my Ott light have had a table one which I put in my sewing room when hubby got me a floor one. You need to have one like someone said so you can put down closer to you for especially night sewing. The regular lighting just doesn't work good at night. My hubby bought my at Michael's with a coup. Check around a little before you buy and see what you like best and how much you want to spend. Sue

I have three Ott floor lamps. I also have one small, transportable Ott that goes with me if I'm sewing in a room where there isn't one of the floor lamps. Can't sew without them!!

I had a similar problem. My eye doctor said that your eyes CAN get tired and strained, so by evening it is harder to focus your eyes. Stronger light wouldn't help as I still couldn't focus. He gave me a new prescription to use all day (I usually only use glasses for driving, and I still have to use my other glasses for that). These glasses are designed to decrease the strain all day, so hopefully by nighttime there is still something left to "see" with. Good luck, hope something works for you.

I purchased 4 desktop lamps from Home Depot, brand name, 'Lights of America'. I paid $20 for each lamp, one for each machine and one for the RV. I LOVE these lights and their bulbs resemble the OTT lights. I actually preferred them to the OTT light I had purchased.. JMHO

I can always tell when i need a new glasses 'script when i have a hard time doing my hand sewing. Cheaters work wonderful for that. Good light is also a must - a daylight bulb works the best, although, I'm really liking the bright white CFL bulbs that can be gotten at Home Depot. I put those in my kitchen and it is a bright white bulb - no yellow cast or anything like that.

I have had my ott light for several years and use it daily for sewing or reading got it at office depot for $89

I use a miner's lamp
 

My husband laughs when he comes into my sewing room and I am hunched over my sewing machine with a miner's lamp on my head. Sometimes it is the best way to see exactly where I need my seams.

100% ott lights

I bought one of those at Harbor Freight for about $3. It worked great in a dorm room in Lithuania where the light switch was across the room from the bed. I haven't tried it for sewing yet.

I have two Ott lamps and love them both. I use it day and night also.

Happened on one at a garage sale and one on clearance at Hobby Lobbby.

Linda

I love my OTT lamps. I got them before the energy saver bulbs. And they are bright and adjustable makes it easy to move where needed. I have three. One over machine, one over cutting table and one at sewing chair. Love, love, love them. Has anyone tried the new LED type?

I have 2 stand-type Ott lights plus 3 table top Ott lights, one of those little lights that sticks on my sewing machine PLUS 2 lights from IKEA. IMHO, you can't get too much light when it comes to sewing, close work or reading. On top of that, I have one of those miner type lights that has several settings which works great. When I paint a room or woodwork, I wear the miners light so that I can see any flaws. Call me anal retentive, or what....but I want to see as good as I can.

I have some problem with macular degeneration and good lighting is essential. My husband has set up a draft table light with a circular bulb for my sewing table. It is affixed to the sewing desk in front of my machine and the extension arm comes forward. There are no shadows and it is like daylight. I do all of my hand work in this area as well as my machine work. Floor lamps, even with bendable arms and Ott lights do not work as well for me. I will look into the headlamp idea in the future as that sounds like a nice idea that would be more portable.

There's a small, portable Ott light. You just open the cover and it goes on. Of course, it has to be plugged in.

I bought a genuine Otto light bulb at Lowe's and it fit right into the lamp I have over the sewing machine. It made a huge difference, so when I saw an Otto light at BJs for $19.99, (table lamp) I jumped on it. I move it downstairs when I need extra lighting for sewing bindings at night. I also use "cheaters" to read, but use a higher power for sewing. That seems to help, too.

I have (Ithink its called a mother and child lamp) - popped in daylight bulbs and is brilliant for handsewing which I do every evening - one tip, don't look at the light takes ages for your eyes to re-adjust ha ha ha

If I'm not around mu ott light, I use one of those head lamps that campers/hikers use. I stole my first one from my husband!. You can find them in any sports store, walmart, target, etc.

The ott lights are great, I also use a pair of drug store reading glasses over my glasses to see better, it works good.