Love the room! Lots of space. May I move in?

Since I have Lupus, florescent is out of the question. Florescent puts off UV rays. I can not even shop for more than 30 minutes because most stores use florescent. We have put in 1 large floor lamp with regular bulbs and the overhead lights in the bedroom. Works great. We are not getting ready to move my "studio" into another part of the house and we are planning on putting in camn lights. It will be interesteing to hear what you decide.

I am curious as to WHY we will have to buy the halogen bulbs. Is this supposed to save energy? Sooooooo we turn on the light and the light get HOT, then we turn on the fan to cool us because the light is HOT. We will not have a choice of what light bulb we prefer to use to save WHAT. Does anyone notice the "circle around the bush (no not George). Sometimes I think the creators of these idiotic ideas stay awake nights and think of ways to make life here more difficult AND expensive. Also, the halogen bulbs do not last the so called 5 years and are TOO expensive.

Okay I'm off my soap box for now. I just wish someone could would explain to me the logical, money saving, energy saving reasons AND tell the truth in advertising.

Wishing Everyone a New Year of Blessings, Good Health, closure to problems, love and of course peace. Gosh I love this quilting community. Thank you for being with me at my coffee cache.

I have a table Ott light behind my sewing machine. It came with a weighted base or a screw to attach to the edge of a table. I use the base. I can adjust it up and around to shine on my design wall behind my table or up higher if I'm cutting. I've a floor Ott light over my ironing table. That one sits on a box to make it be high enough above the ironing board. I just bought a 25 w HD lamp to go in a lamp in my living room. It says it's to replace a 100 w bulb. It's not bright enough to read by, so that's going back to the store.

Sure! You can see the rest of it in another posting, "Quick, Look, before it gets messed up."

I love my Ott lights - but did not know they were going to quit making them - darn! So, need to find out what size bulbs to get and lay in a supply - but they seem to last forever - I have 3 in my sewing area - and love the light - great for seeing actual colors as they really are - like sunlight shining on the fabrics... I go this route also because of the onset of macular degeneration - my Dr. told me to use Ott lights as much as possible for reading and fancy work or sewing - so got a "supply of lights".

I LOVE the Ott lights, have several! We travel a lot & take a small Janome travel machine along always with a small table Ott light. I've given up on the ceiling light set-up .... I use an Ott floor lamp on the right front side of my machine, have a wonderful little (portable) shelf with two LED lights behind the maching & a regular floor lamp positioned on the Left side ..... in my space this works & gives me the light where I need it .... AND wasn't all that expensive, & can move my lighting when I decide to move my sewing station.

I do not care for florescent lights. They make a buse sounds and unless you purchases the natural light bulbs, they don't give you true colors. I have 4 of the circle bulbs in my over head lights since my room is 18 X 28, and I still feel I'm in the dark.
I like a LED light that is mounted on to my sewing cabinet, it doesn't get hot and cost about 80% less to run. They do cost about $60. per light to purchases, but will pay for themself in a couple years.
I have two Ott Lights and they do give a person true color, but I don't find them giving me enough light to sew.
I also have a track light over my sewing machine and it does give me some light, but I find when I bend over he machine, it cuts the light off.
Virgini in TX

I have a ceiling fan with 4 bulbs in it. I replaced them with the energy saving bulbs. I also have two table Ott lights on my cutting table. I have a Ott floor lamp by my machine. I have a floresent light above the ironing station. I also have a bendable light but I don't really need it with all the lights I have in there. I love the Ott lights.

Check out the "See and Sew LED Light" you can find info about it on line. A bit expensive but for me was a wonderful addition to my "wish list" for birthday/Christmas, etc.

OMG, how can you not have tried OTT lights. I own 3 floor styles, 2 desk styles, and one travel size. They are the best. We replaced our light in our den with on OTT and my husband has one in his man room for reading the newspaper. They are the wonderful. You have got to buy at least one and try it yourself. You won't be sorry.

Ditto!! They are very awesome!!!

I have fluorescent lights--the double bulb kind with cool white bulbs. Also have an ott floor lamp and an ott desk lamp and a portable ott for when we will travel. Motels just do not have enough light to see to sew. I have heard that some people cannot tolerate the fluorescent light though. Have a friend who gets headaches when she works with that lighting.

I have a floresent (sp) shop light. Works Great!!

We planned our retirement home start to finish, and lighting was THE critical element for both my quilting room and Bill's workshop (he does miniature clipper ship modeling, woodworking and general tooling around). We selected 4' "day light" tube lighting - this is different from "full spectrum" in that I actually got sunburned using full spectrum lighting; we have "day lighting" inall our light fixtures; these 4' tubes cost about $4/$5 each at Home Depot.

Each of our workrooms has plenty of full southern exposure natural light coming in from one wall and each is just a few feet under 300 sq.ft., so we installed two ceiling mount units of two tubes each. There is NO cover of any sort over the tube lighting so as not to distort colors or strain my eyes; covers themselves discolor over time and thus distort the colors of my materials; patterned clear colors refracts light "oddly" and also influences color perception. It may not look sexy or "finished" but my eyes are sooooo happy when we work in these properly lit spaces.

For what it's worth, our selection was endorsed by several other professional (long arm) quilters who have the same installation. Of course, the number of tubes lighting your room will depend on total square footage AND the height of the celing - our ceilings are 10ft. for reference.

Whatever you do, DON'T GO CHEAP ON THE TYPE OF LIGHT (bulb) YOU BUY. Husbands typically like to "go cheap" on such things, but remember that it's YOUR space, YOUR craft and ... YOUR eyes. Buy what makes YOUR EYES happy and nothing else. Also, I have a small tabletop OTT light (~$80 usually, half-price at JoAnns with special coupons) that helps me more carefully gauge colors and, when focused on the sewing area of the machine, helps me finish projects during occasional late night sewing.

What ever kind of light you decide on, get the coolest temperatured ones and make sure they are "NATURAL LIGHT"!

My hubby put a 48" fluorescent shop light over my cutting table and it's absolutely wonderful!! If you're concerned about looks it may not be for you, but the function is great - I can see! My next request is for two of them over my quilt frame. I also have two Ott Lights that I move around as needed, one with a magnifying glass attached to the pole for hand stitching.

Amazing what happens when you look up ...! I notices I also have a centrally placed ceiling fan - with 3 40-watt day light light bulbs, too. Here's a photo in case this helps.

My sewing room is in the basement (a.k.a. dungeon) so good added light is essential. I have 2 shop-light type flourescents and also some track lighting. I like both systems--the flourescents for best sewing/cutting area lighting, and the track lights are great for when I need to have extra lighting in a different place because they are moveable. :thumbup: good luck on your project!

S D G
Would you send a picture, please? Thanks,
Cynthia

Gran of 6
Beautiful room. How tidy, too.

Cynthia

love your avatar block.
Sharon

Thanks everyone about the warning about the halogen lights being hot. I want to put in some track lighting in my sewing room. Right now I have a bank of four big lights over my sewing machines. I have one of the little lights stuck on the side of my sewing machine aimed a the needle. I have a floor lamp with three lights next to my iron. I try to put in true color lights whenever possible.

I have trac lighting and a large Ott light over my sewing machine. During the day I have tons of natural light, which I like the best. But other than that my lighting is really good.

Boo-Hissss!!!! I have a swing arm ott light on my cutting table, a swing arm clamped to a bookcase that swings from books to over sewing area, a floor ott light to the left of my machine which doubles as an area to put on make up and one of the little desk ott lights by my chair. I also have two of the folding ones. One travels when needed, the other is mounted on the pegboard over my ironing board as I have trouble seeing with the overhead light at night (my body blocks the light). ALL of my ott lights are probably 8 to 15 years old!

Peggy

I have on Ott style light(2 of em) I Rely on them for my sewing and cutting table.

Now from what I have seen and used the led lighting it much brighter. I have a battery operated one stuck on the side of my sewing machine and WOW it is great. I used to work in a place that was all florescent bulbs would come home with headaches. If you check online there are websites that will tell you the proper lighting ergonomics

I love the Ott lights. You can order them at JoAnns - Online, watch for deals and or coupons.

My sewing room is 19' x 19' ( ex garage) and I have 5 florescent fixtures with four 4' bulbs in each one. It is like taking the roof off on a very bright sunny day. I love it!! I don't need Ott lights or floor lamps...The only way to go.

I use a standup (about 4 ft) with gooseneck so I can direct it using a Full Spectrum light bulb. Am blind in one eye so need to really be able to "see" and this works for me. Didn't cost much at Big Lots.

I have both a floor lamp and a floor ott lamp. This seems to satisfy my needs. :thumbup:

I have six foot flourescents. I also have ott lights.

lots of great ideas out there

I would not use track lighting. I put this up and it was a nightmare. The shadowing was horrible let alone the heat from the lights. I did put up florescent. I like this much better. It lights up the room greatly without the extra heat. I was like you and thought I would hate the florescent. I was wrong.

I have a Philips florescent light, 40 watt, 48 inches long. It is classed as a T12 (economical to run). It will last 20,000 hours and gives off a cool, bright white light. Color temperature is 6,500K. The higher the color temperature is, the brighter the light. My sewing room is in the basement and only has one small window. When I flick the switch you would not believe the amount of light I get. I am more than pleased with the result. bea cda

ditto

I like florescent lights over halogen, but I also have a couple of Ott lights that I use. I wonder if the new LED bulbs will be as "true" to colors?

Ott or their generic counterpart are fantastic. My mother, had alzheimers & came to live with us for 2 yrs before she passed - She also had macular degeneration. She loved to sew, knit, do hand work, crossword puzzles, etc - although she stopped being able to do them after a while - I got an Ott light after she was with us for about 3 months - The the lamp is bright -but it is only 27 watts - It really helped my mom see what she was doing and enbled her to read the newspaper, etc.

I love them - fabulous

I can see much better and suffer no eye strain using fluorescent lighting. I have a 2-bulb fluorescent shop light over (and slightly to the rear of) my sewing machine and a 4-bulb ceiling fluorescent light over my cutting table. As long as all bulbs are functioning, the lighting is excellent. I have the shop light hooked to the very lowest links in the attached chains so that the lights are only about 1 yard above my machine bed.

I have fluorescent ceiling lights over my cutting table and fabric shelves. I have a floor Ott light next to my machine..it has a bendable neck, so can position it anywhere I choose. This works the best for me...even at night.

Fluorescent lights won't buzz if you get the ones with a better ballast. Halogen is too hot - had them in track lights over the kitchen counter and could feel them burning my scalp! And we have nine foot high ceilings!