Lighting in my sewing room
 

My sewing room is 15x15 and my sewing room closet where I have all of my fabric stored on 84x48x14 chrome shelving units. After I moved everything out a couple of years ago, I painted the room a very light beige. In my sewing room closet, my husband hung two 4 ft. LED strip lights that I purchased from Home Depot for $129.00 each. That made all the difference in the world in my closet.

For natural lighting in my sewing room, I have very large windows that cover most of one wall and one window on the other wall - all of which works good during the daytime. I have several stand-alone OTT lights, several table top OTT lights and several other various lights plus a big clamp-on light with a magnifier. In addition I have a celing fan that has two bulbs inside the globe and 2 wall sconces. There was not enough light to sew at night (for me). I like lots of light - all the time. But - I really did not want to spend a fortune of fixtures (like I have in the closet - 8 would cost me well over $1,000 more)!

I finally told my husband that I am tired of worrying about what looks good rather than what works for me. I needed to remind myself - it's a sewing room, not a show room! I have been studying lighting, reading up on lighting, looking at lighting - until I was blue in the face! Decision time! Day before yesterday, we went to Costco and purchased 8 - 4ft. LED shop lights that can be installed in parallel. Each one puts out 3,700 lumens. Since there are no ballasts or bulbs to go out or replace, there will not be any humming, and they come on immediately when turned on. And, the price was right - $19.99 each on sale. My husband is installing them in a square configuration (with the ceiling fan in the center). So far, he has 3 installed and it already makes a world of difference! I can hardly wait until he has them all installed. To heck with beauty and design - I'm sticking to practicality!

I think you're brilliant (no pun intended). Without proper lighting, I can't sew at night either. I have noticed that LED bulbs are starting to come to the market at a price point that works well for consumers and your project supports this as well. Happy sewing.

That's going to be great!
Another thing that really helps me is an LED strip of lights that goes under the harp of my sewing machine so it illuminates exactly what you're sewing. Couldn't do without it!

Watson

I am surprised at many people think that LED light bulbs are the same as the swirly bulbs. They are not and it's hard to get many to try them especially at $12 or more for one 75/100 watt bulb. (You can use a 100 watt equivalent LED in a 40 watt rated socket) I have them in every light in my home. One insider decorator trick I learned is to put one regular bulb in with a group of LED bulbs and the light has a softening glow.

I have absolutely no decor in my sewing room. It's a plain functional room but that's what I wanted. Shop lights give awesome light. I have them in my kitchen for years (they were there when we bought the house). I got so used to them that when I remodeled the kitchen, I replaced them with a prettier version. Lowe's had some that had pretty decoration on them so they didn't look quite so industrial. They work just fine and the price was right.

I've found that as I age, I need more and more light to be able to really see what I'm doing. So far in my sewing room, I've just kept adding Ott Lites. I have quite a collection now :D

shoot, i have an LED strip to go under my kitchen counter and am still waiting on my son to install it! Good for you!!

I agree! LED's are the best! I rent, so installing light fixtures wasn't an option. Instead, I bought a tree lamp & put 19wt LED's in the 3 fixtures. I paid $20 for the lamp & $20 each for the 3 light bulbs. Best $80 I ever spent. It's light daylight at the equator in my sewing studio. And, best of all, I can easily move the aluminum lamp by the couch for when I work on my needle turn. A 19wt LED is equivalent light to a 120wt incandescent, but it is safe to put in a 60wt fixture provided there is enough space (it's the size of a flood light).

Smart decision. I bet they will look perfect when done.

I immediately went to look! They have gone to $39.99 and are out of stock right now! But great idea and I will keep checking!

OK, forgot to note the price I found was for a pkg of 2, so is very reasonable! I used my old friend Google who found me several vendors for them!

Just had an LED light installed in my sewing room this morning. I now have as much light as an operating room!

I hung an LED shop light from a coat rack with wheels so I can easily move it where I want it.

We put a tract of LED lights in my sewing room last Christmas (can yon guess what I asked for? better lighting) but I still work in shadow at my cutting table and ironing board. DH said we will have to redo everything since the tract does not do what we wanted. I use a lamp on the cutting table to see better.

I have LED bulbs in the ceiling fan (4) and a floor lamp (5). I need some over my cutting table. I have 3 equal to 100W regular bulbs over my dining room table. I sometimes use the glass topped table for sewing too. First time Daughter and Son in law came, they asked me why the third degree lights.
I'm like everyone else, no such thing as too much light.

Sounds like you have a sewing room quilters dream about. I have 2 tables along one wall of my bedroom, but it's all th e space I have since we downsized from a 3 bedroom home with a sewing room in 1/4 of the basement, to a 2 bedroom apartment. I have health issues and was finding it too hard to climb stairs inside and outside our home. The hardest part of moving was having to purge my stash, but i managed to save about half. Since we are both on Social Security, and a limited fixed income, it's been great using up my stash, although i do order online and am able to go to JoAnn's when I need to replenish my fabric. I was able to have a great result from a craft fair in early Nov., so now I have some "mad money" to spend as I like.

Kitsie, that's the same lights, but the ad is for two, so they are $19.99 for each 2-light fixture. Today is the last day of the sale. If you have a Costco anywhere around, call them and give them the Item# to see if they have any left, then make a bee-line after them. Our local Costco had pallets of them and they were selling like hotcakes. When I called to see if they had more, they were out but had 1,000 on order that were to arrive today - the last day of the sale.

That sounds amazing. I can't sew in my sewing room at night either. I only have a ceiling fan light and a pendant light over my cutting table. I have an ott light next to my machine, but if I'm sewing on dark fabric it's hard to see. I'm getting ready to move so on my wish list for the new house is a sewing room on the 1st floor and lots of windows for light. We are moving to Charlotte the end of January and haven't found a house yet. We have packers coming and I plan on packing my sewing room and taking my sewing machine with me in the car. I don't trust them with it. If there are any Charlotte ladies out there that might have some tips on living in and around there I would appreciate it.
I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas.

"To heck with beauty and design - I'm sticking to practicality!" me too!!

When Costco had these on sale during the summer, we bought 3 for our garage-hubby does all our car maintenance and needs light like we do-they have been great for him. He's been aware of my poorly lit sewing room so he suggested the same LEDs for my room, so we got some but haven't hung them yet. I'm glad to see how happy you are with yours-I should have some good light once they are up.

Would you mind posting some pics? I'd love to see what you've done & see if they're in stock at my Costco. Thanks!

I have 3 of the small goose neck LED clamp on lights that Lowes sells for $19.99. They are small and therefore fit next to my sewing machines without getting in the way when I'm sewing. They put out a huge Amount of light.

Rob

I love the lights at Daylight company. They are great, even have one that fits onto the side of your machine.

OK, I'm definitely going to make a trip to Sam's Club and see what's there (don't have a Costco membership, nor a store near enough to warrant one).

The lights in my sewing room are all the CFL (aka "twirly") lights. Our local power company was GIVING them (the CFLs) away to all their customers, so I got a box (of about 36 bulbs), and my dad got a box. Then when he passed away, I got all the ones he didn't use. THEN when we moved, the power company sent us some MORE, so I'll be using those elsewhere in the house until we run out.

But, just like everyone else here, I desperately need decent lighting in my sewing room. My daylight sewing is terrific, but once it's night.... eh, not so much. Hubby said he didn't feel like he had given me enough for Christmas, so perhaps the LED's would make him feel better... and me too, right? :D

I love my led lights in my sewing room! Hubby installed them in October when ballasts went out of my fluorescent ones. Love that I can see to sew at night now

I got LEDs installed in my sewing room a while back & it's like being on the surface of the sun!!! Lol plus they are supposed to last practically forever!! Never regretted having plenty of light!

Hello All! this thread made me register for this forum. Have been a lurker for a month or so. Anyway, THANKS to all of you for sharing your experiences with lighting your sewing room. As I am getting older, my sewing room seemed darker and darker. I had forgotten all about LED lights till this thread. I went to Lowes and bought 4 Sylvania 60wt equivalent LED daylight bulbs. Installed 3 of them in the ceiling fan in my sewing room....holy cow! The difference is amazing. Took the 3rd one and put it in the ceiling fixture in my stash closet. The four bulbs only cost 18.00. Best use of that Christmas money ever.
Had I not read this thread, I may never have thought of checking out or using LED bulbs! Still be lurking around in the dark. hahaha
Thanks so much to all of you who shared. I am now busy planning where the rest of the Christmas money will go.....bedrooms, bath, closets. I am gonna light up my house till it is like "I'm unwound" says: "its like being on the surface of the sun!!!"