light box
 

Anyone have a small, thin light box they like? I want something I can use to trace applique patterns. I found several different ones on Amazon -- not expensive -- but wonder about how good they are.

I have the crayola one works great and is cheap too !

I got a light box for Christmas a couple of years ago and I love it for appliques and tracing FMQing designs. It is an LED light box, 9" ×12".

I use my dining room table. Open it as if I was going to insert the leaf, then I put a large piece of glass over the opening and a small bedside lamp underneath. Ta-da, instant light box.
My LQS offers a lightbox for sale, I can't remember the name brand, but holy cow it was $129 before the pandemic, who knows what they're going for now. Sorry, I'd rather use my homemade light box and spend that money on fabric, thread, and batting!

I have the Crayola one. Works fine for me

I use a window...just tape pattern on , then fabric over.🙂

I use my acrylic insert around my sewing machine and the flashlight on my phone.

I bought one from amazon in 2019 which is no longer available, but it was less than $20 and it has worked out fine for me. I use on occasion not everyday. It is 9x12 and plugs into a usb port on your computer. Works great, has adjustable brightness, and I can trace onto card stock as well as fabric, if that helps. I see that now they are about $21 and there are a couple that have a very high rating. Sometimes amazon will have one listed in the daily deals or maybe wait until they have a prime day and save a bit then. Either way, amazon does have a very generous return policy and if you don't like it, or it is not what you want, return it.
Murphy

I have a light box (unknown brand right now) that I purchased at Joann's with a 50% off coupon a couple years ago. Found it on the bottom shelf in the arts department. It's very seldom used, but at least it's available when needed.

I bought my light box from Amazon. Love it for sewing, but I originally bought it for making stained glass windows. I use it when I make t shirt quilts to see the design because I fuse the already cut interfacing over the backside of the shirt. It is way handier than taped to window tracing, and I'm finding other applications now that I have it!

I have the Crayola one and it works for small tracings but hard to see some of them because it is not that bright. I have the Cutterpiller Glow light mat. It's great. Different levels of brightness and a gridded or non gridded cutting mat for it too.

Why didn't I think of that? Brilliant! I've been using the window, but this would be even easier.

I have one that I purchased at Michaels with a coupon 20+ years ago and works great. The one I have is called “The light box”. I don’t use it as often as I use to but every time I plug it in it works. Yes it is a plug in are the new ones battery operated or plug in?

Yes!!! Easy Trace Light Box by Lori Holt. I love it and everyone I know who has one says it's the best they have ever used. I bought mine online but bought one for my daughter at my local quilt store.

Light box
 

I have the cheap one from Amazon and use it for paper piecing and to take to classes etc. and it works great

Light Box
 

I took a clear storage tote & glued a small bar light to the inside of the lid. Put the lid back on the tote as you normally would & flip it upside down so the lid is on the bottom-wall la instant lightbox. There is a sight called artnews.com that gives reviews on several lights, a great site.

I took a clear storage tote & glued a small bar light to the inside of the lid.

The storage totes I have looked at do not have a flat bottom and usually something in the middle to make it bumpy. What brand of bin do you use?

I bought one from Amazon and it is really nice. You plug it into the usb on your laptop and it has a couple of levels of intensity.
It also came in various sizes.
I've used it more than I thought I would.
I've also used my patio door!

Private message me, I have one sitting on my shelf I''m not usiing.

I have one to downsize. Private msg. me for price. I can take a picture for you. I've had it for years, used a bit. I now use a light under my acrylic extension table when I need a light box.

I use the acrylic extension table for one of my machines and one of those little round battery powered lights that you push and it comes on. I can use it anywhere. Works great.

It is a very old Sterlite tote but its large enough and the imprinted name on the bottom is small & high enough up on the tote I easily can work around it, Mind when I was looking to purchase one was approx 20 years ago and they were very expensive for a single mom raising 3 kiddos.

20 years ago and they were very expensive

light boxes use to be very expensive and I wouldn't buy one then either.

Run down to Dollar Tree and pick up a 9 x 11 clear plastic tub, about 3 inches tall. Pick up a push button battery operated light and you have a light box for 2.50. I've had mine for years.