Sewing Machine Light
 

The light on my sewing machine seems to have dimmed over the years (that's my story and I'm sticking to it), and I was wondering what others are using to supplement the sewing machine light. I tried the Bendable Bright Light, but went through two of them in about 6 months. The cords shorted out. I see there's a new one for half the price that's battery powered called Mighty Bright. Has anyone tried this? I've tried an Ott light desk lamp that bends every which way, but it isn't much help and it gets in the way. Thanks!

I have the Ott floor lamp and my machine has 2 lights. If I try to sew when it is dark I also have a florescent bar along the wall to my right that I put on.

I bought the Mighty Bright light about 10 days ago. I really like it!

I have an old cheapie that I bought at walmart. It clamps on the sewing table and I bend it the way I want it. I have 3 or 4 of them.

Have you tried replacing the bulb? It may have dimmed with age.

I use the bendable-neck lights that clamp onto a shelf above my machines (Walmart.) I have three, one over the machine and one on either side of the machine. Love them, can get light in any direction I choose. Can use one, two or all.

I have several Ott lites, both floor and table types. I also bought an LED clamp-on when an Office Depot here was going out of business in one of their locations. In general, I have at least four lamps, the overhead light, and the sewing machine light on when I'm working....can you say "older eyes"?

I bought a led strip of lights that stick under the throat of my machine. I bought them at a quilt show. They are not cheap but boy are they great.

I do not see well at all so I have an Ott floor lamp by my machine and another by my ironing board. I have a very bright floor lamp by my cutting table and keep the overhead light on. With all of those lights on in the daytime, plus the fact that I have one wall that is almost all windows, I can see much better. I no longer try to sew at night.

I have the battery operated bendable light. I really like it a lot, also I got a light at Harbor Freight that clamps to my sewing table. It also has a large magnify glass on it.

I have the strip light too. It's great. If you had two lights short out, I hope you have your electrical outlet tested. It could be a hazard.

Here is the strip light I bought. http://www.ecoluxlighting.com/

I used double sided tape and did not use the adhesive on the strip. I move it from machine to machine.

I love my Ott Lights. I have several so I don't have to move them from machine to machine and chair to chair for hand work. I also have one by cutting table and in the living room for hand work and grading papers. I hope you find a style/light that works well for you.

I love my Bendable Bright Light. I thought I had enough light on my Bernina, but after putting on the bendable one, I can't sew without it. Mine is a plug-in one and I haven't had any trouble with it.

I've got a floor lamp that I move near my table sometimes. I've also got a small bendable lamp that I put a bright white squiggly bulb in. I point it at the needle area.

The light bulb in one of my machines dimmed too, and it was really frustrating because the repair guy told me you can't replace the LED bulb in that machine. It's designed to be thrown out when the bulb dims. :mad: So I bought a couple of those bendable lights that you attach with velcro or sticky tape, but they kept falling off, they wouldn't stay where I aimed them, and they were really quite expensive. Then I found the perfect lamp at IKEA. It has a bendable arm that stays where you put it. It comes in both a clip-on model and a weighted-base model. It was $15.00 and I liked it so much I went back and bought another one.

Looks like a great idea but at that price I guess I'll have to stick with my Ott lights. One of the instructors re precision piecing showed opening her table Ott light and laying it on its side in the throat area of the machine. I might try that on the vintage machines as I'm not too keen on the idea of sticking anything to the finish.

I have a bendable light that sits on my sewing machine table. It was situated too close to my Baby Lock & melted the clear plastic thingy that covers the top part of the machine where the thread sits. Not good! Machine still functions properly just doesn't look as pretty as it used to. DAH!

I have two (one for each table) long arm goose lights, that clamp to the table, the arm is about 4 feet long and bends in the middle, I have a 100 watt bulb in it , and can aim it right at the sewing area of my machine (I have some kind of a blue bulb in it for like color correct something) These two have served me well for many years, can pivot it if need when I am doing hand work or fussy cutting. I would guess this type of lamp would be available at a Staples like store, especially at this time of year (back-to-school) I have gone thru three bendable lights, and find they jump around too much for me.....

Have you contacted the company about the Bendable lights shorting out? If you bought them at the same place, perhaps they were part of a defective batch. I had a problem with mine, and when I wrote to them, they sent me a new one. The Bendable Bright Light is a wonderful product, one that has helped me immensely with my sewing with my newly "old" eyes (also my story!). Don't give up on them yet!

Bellaboo has a point about your power source. If you don't have the light and your sewing machine(!) on a surge protector, that might be a good first move. Many places have some fluctuation in power, especially during air conditioning season. Also, some homes built during the Vietnam war period have aluminum wiring, which is notorious for causing problems.

I have swing arm lamps of the type that clamp on, but my main sewing table did not have an edge that anything could clamp onto. I drilled a half-inch hole that just fits the post of the lamp that would usually go into the clamp. It works well for me, but I have to say those LED strips that fasten in the throat area of the machine certainly look effective. I may have to try one. LED are cool and energy wise, and the bulbs last a long time.

I use the IKEA clip-on lamp too and I love it.

I found some bendable book lights at the dollar store and used Velcro to mount it to my sewing machine---an if it craps out, I'm only out a buck!

I have a Mighty Bright that I can position where I want, but my main help is a phalanx of OTT lights - desk and one floor lamp - some are harder to position than others. The "Tulip Lamp" by OTT is one I can NOT recommend for task lighting because the light glares right through the shade no matter what. That one I gave away. Yes, isn't it odd how those pesky light get dimmer with the age of the "machine." ;)

I bought a Bendable Bright Light a few months ago and I love it. I can position the light just where I need it. It makes sewing on dark fabric easier. I also have a floor OTT light, but that just makes my workspace brighter - great for during the winter.

I watched a free video on line by Sally Collins called precision piecing, it was amazing and I learned so many things about getting my piecing better. I was so impressed I ended up ordering the video from Amazon. Anyway, one of her tips was she uses a small ott light, one of those that flips open and is about 12 inches high. She opens it up and places the lighted part in the throat space so that the light shines right on the presser foot. It gives you wonderful light and does not get in the way. I doubt you could use it if you were quilting a large quilt and needed to use all the throat space, but for piecing it is perfect. I got my light on Amazon also, only about $20.

feffertim, can you tell us where you found the video? I have her books and would love to watch her in action. TIA

Don't know what the brand is but mine is a full spectrum floor lamp that top bends pretty good, so have it right over my sewing area.

I tried one battery operated light, but it wasn't nearly bright enough. My hubby gave me one of those LED book reading lights, I hooked it up to the top of my machine and I just love it!!

The video was free for a short time on the quiltshow.com website but now you have to be a member to watch it. It costs $40 to join. I found the video on Amazon for $19. She is an awesome teacher and had some tips that I had never heard of before. I have completely changed my piecing techniques and the results are astonishing. I did not realize what I was doing wrong before.

Tks, feffertim, I'm off to Amazon!

I use Ott lamps.

Thanks for all the tips! You guys are the best. I ordered the Bendable Bright Light from Amazon yesterday. The one I had before was the one with the electric cord. It shorted out where the cord went into the light, so I like that this is battery powered and half the price.

This might be the Ecolux Lighting strip. Wonderful.

I have had the same problem with those lights. They have a serious issue with their cords.

I, too, have several Ott lights which do their jobs well, but the LED light is PHENOMENAL!!! I got mine online from EcoluxLighting, LLC and they come with 3, 6, or 12 little light sources. I bought a couple as gifts for special quilting friends. Here is the website www.ecoluxlighting.com. Please note that I have no affiliation, I'm just very pleased with their product. It puts light exactly where you want/need it.

I have a florescent light on ceiling above my and forward a tad. I have another under cabinet florscent light mounted under a shelf plus machine light. These work good for me. I don't sew at night, except in the winter short days. I have a roll around dazor light that I use for quilting on gray days and evenings. I have three 100W light bulbs over the table also.

Ditto. I can bend them every which way, depending on what time of day it is. I love it! Plus I have an Ott light that helps, too. And 2 different overhead lights. I like my sewing area really lit up brightly.

I have two of the Bendable Bright Lights and have not had a single problem. Did you contact the company and complain that yours was defective??? Surely they would stand behind their product!

I found some really cheap LED lights the last time I was in Harbor Freight. Strips, Mighty Mites, several different kinds. One of them has 27 LED's - but it's really too bulky to use for quilting - I could use it for sewing - it has a hook on it so I can lever it on the spool pin or I can use the magnet in the back to stick it to the arm. Take a look and see what you can find. :)

Great tips! I haven't been to the HF that opened in my town, because I still have plenty of blades that I bought on-line. Now I'll have to go check out their LED lights - and roam around the store to see what else they have!