ditto on the fluorescent fixtures with daylight bulbs.
LOTS of fixtures and LOTS of bulbs!!!

Keeping the lights/fixtures close, the light shed will overlap and help to avoid shadows, which makes for a much easier and more pleasant work area.

Add into the mix, more than one switch ... if you don't need as much light, then you can leave some of the bulbs off. However, I did that, and I still find I turn them all on!!!

Because it's bright and clear, because of the daylight bulbs, I can sew any time of the day .... or night!

All of my lights throughout my home (regular bulbs, CFLs, and fluoresecents) have gradually been switched the the daylight bulbs, and what a difference it makes!!! Every once in awhile a warm or cool bulb seems to infiltrate, and I sure notice the difference in the colour given off ...... and soon get rid of it for a daylight bulb!!

When I finished my basement a few years ago I had LOTS of flouresant fixtures put in , with multiple switches , so I can turn on various amounts.
When they were installing they called me to come look ... I am sure the electrician wanted to reduce the number of fixtures as it was really really Bright . I took one look and said ... that exactly what I want ... "its brighter than daylight". They thought I was nuts ... but I love it!
Do be careful with placement , as all center of the room fixtures will still create some shadowing at the perimeter of the room when working . Since most of us put our sewing machines on the wall plan for a fixture at the wall of that area. Also concider where your cutting area and ironing board will be located.

If you're one of those, like me, who happens to be very sensitive to the quality of light in a room, I'd recommend the strategic placement of several small lamps around the room to "cut" the severity of fluorescent lighting. Even tho they do have very good daylight bulbs, I often feel the light above is pressing down on my head and I refer to a room with a single overhead bulb as the Nazi interrogation chamber. I also like the inclusion of an uplight somewhere in the room. I'm talking about one of those inexpensive tall torchiere lamps which beam their light to the ceiling where it softens and bounces back into the room.
There are decorators, engineers and psychologists who all have said that the quality and placement of light will affect whether or not you enjoy entering and staying in a room. Good luck and trust your feelings on this.

Mom6 has the right idea. Shop lights are inexpensive, not to difficult to hang and give the best light possible for a large space. I just bought 2 and will simply hang them from the ceiling in my office/sewing room. Direct, overhead light that doesn't give off a lot of heat...just the ticket. Good luck with your project.

The ladies have the right idea about the lighting. My suggestion is white paint especially on the ceiling. Semi gloss white is easier to clean and reflects the light wonderfully. My sewing room isn't white white, it has a subtle hint of yellow in it. Kiwi frost I think was the color.

We painted the shop all white and hung up the light fixtures and the change was dramatic. What an increase in light and we didn't have to buy extra fixtures.

Just don't go over board with the lights.

I used to use the full spectrum tubes, since a friend represented the company for large commercial installations. One thing about being married to a former radio television engineer, lighting specialist, is that he now sets up my lighting. What I have now is LED track units for the general area and a LED desk light on a pull out and swivel arm for additional "extra" lighting. They cost more to start with but use almost no power (3-7 watts each). DH tells me that "full spectrum" is not what I wanted, rather "high color temperature". Whatever he calls it, it works really well and our power bill is low enough to make us smile.

Thanks to everyone for the lighting info.Much to think about. I see Big Lots still sells the cheap off brand sewing lights like sold at Joann's.Can see a couple of them coming home with me.One as an over the shoulder floor lamp ...another a desk light.Added to the fluorescent bulbs,should be a Bright sewing room.

I was not home when mine was installed, but DH said the electrian asked if we were going to wear sunglasses LOL.
I have track lights on either side of the room at ceiling height, as a few students still complain about the light. MY tube fixtures are over the table.
I don't know if the new daylight bulbs have anything to do with, but now that I think about it, since putting them in I am spending ALOT more time in there LOL. Just busy working on the UFO Challange.

Over 30 years ago (IE, before I married my DH), there were a couple of very good scientific studies done showing that the quality of lighting makes a HUGE difference in workplace productivity and in classroom learning. More recently (2005, maybe?) I saw a piece on Simply Quilts with an MD talking about sewing room ergonomics (she'd written a book on the subject). What most struck me about her comments was the regular, predictable, dramatic increase in light required as we age. She expressed it as % increase required. I can't recall the exact #s, but it went something like ...age 60 requires 70% more light than age 20. Get LOTS of lights and leave off the ones you don't need YET.

Purchase high quality, energy star fluorescent lights and light fixtures. They may cost more in the beginning, but will be well worth the cost in savings over time.