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Sewing area lighting

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Old 01-28-2010, 07:18 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by BellaBoo
The Ott light is the best sewing light I found that doesn't cause eye strain and I can see black thread on black fabric using the OTT lamp.

Get rid of the energy saving bulbs. They are ruining your eyesight and the enviroment. (They are hazardous waste when broken.) The few pennies you save aren't worth the god awful light they put out. I use those bulbs for accent lighting that stays on 24/7 but not for lighting a room. I stocked up on regular light bulbs, they are getting rare! DH bought several cases last month.
Hehe, I told my DH I was going to stock up on them, too...maybe make a fortune sell them on ebay once they're not being made anymore!

You are so right about those energy saving bulbs not being worth the money. I have a drawerful, don't know what I'm going to do with them, they're worthless. :lol:
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Old 01-28-2010, 07:27 AM
  #32  
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I went to home depot and bought a daylight floor lamp.
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Old 01-28-2010, 07:56 AM
  #33  
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What I have is not very attractive nor is it ugly, but it is very useful: Right in front of my windows, I have a shop light (2 long fluorescent bulbs) hanging on neat little chains from hooks (toggled??) in the ceiling. The lights hang low enough to be situated about half-way between the ceiling and my sewing machine. Although I need glasses for distance, I see very well up close if I have good lighting. This shop light works well for me and I keep it plugged into a surge protector, which has 7 outlets, enough for my iron, my sewing machine, stereo components, etc. When I flip on the surge protector switch, the light comes on and also gives power to all those other things I need for sewing, etc. It's very convenient and works well for me. I've had those same 2 bulbs in there for many years.

Downstairs, I have a 4-bulb fluorescent ceiling light over my cutting table which also works very well unless the bulbs decide to be tempermental. Two of them are giving me fits right now and to adjust or change them, the easiest way is for me to carefully climb up on my cutting table. Once I get the light cover off, the lights immediately start working and when I've climbed down from the table and put my quilt stuff back on it, the lights start playing games again. It's just a matter of time, but I WILL win that war!
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Old 01-28-2010, 08:39 AM
  #34  
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Mu husband has gone crazy with those energy saving bulbs. I hate them. It takes several minutes for them to become fully bright. It seems the older I get the more light I need. I use my ott light to see what color my clothes are when I am getting dressed. I can't tell black from navy at all without it or direct sunlight.
I have two wall lamps behind my sewing area and what was a shop light suspended over my sewing machine as well as the combination ceiling fan and light in that room. There is also a wall mounted light just inside the door. The room was origianlly two small bedrooms. We knocked out the dividing wall thirty years ago and added a small half bath in one corner. For a while it was our master bedroom. We have since added another bedroom to the house. What is now my sewing/computer room was my daughter's bedroom until she went to college and moved out. Now married she will not be coming back. I have a rare autoimmune disease that can be made worse by sunlight or florescent light so I have to be very careful. Sitting under one of those energy saving lights in a floor lamp is something I can only do for about an hour. I wear a hat anywhere but in my own home to shade my face and neck from both sunlight and florescent light. Sometimes I feel like a leper.
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Old 01-28-2010, 09:18 AM
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[quote=mpspeedy]It seems the older I get the more light I need. I use my ott light to see what color my clothes are when I am getting dressed. I can't tell black from navy at all without it or direct sunlight.

I'm with you there! I obviously need some of those lights in my bedroom! Yesterday I put on what I thought were brown slacks, only to get to work and find out they were green. Which did not at all go with the rest of my outfit. I also can't match up dark socks, so the other day, my dear sweet husband, after hearing me complain about it, took my huge pile of trouser socks and sorted them all for me! He's a keeper, that one!
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Old 01-28-2010, 10:04 AM
  #36  
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I got the little light that attaches to the sewing machine. It has a gooseneck and it shines down right over the sewing area. Mine came from LQS. Sewing with Nancy website has them. It works very well.
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Old 01-28-2010, 10:12 AM
  #37  
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Hi there. Regarding the energy lights you need to get the one that says DAYLIGHT. It will say so on the package. I use the DAYLIGHT bulbs everywhere, they do emit a daylight. Roz
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Old 01-28-2010, 10:42 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by MamaBear61
Yes Mamaw, I just checked Joann's website and the Ott lights are on sale now. I am leaning towards the floor model thinking that I will be able to move it out by my hand quilting frame, which is in another room due to space requirments, or next to the chair that I use when knitting and watching TV, but the one that attachs to the sewing table could be very handy as well. But I need to invest in something and soon, just sewed two more sections for the quilt I am working on and my eyes are killing me
Check out the reviews on the model you're looking at buying. Some of the Ott floor lamps tip easily and the reviews are a great way to find out before you pay out the $ for one. I myself have a portable AND a floor Ott lamp plus two other natural light floor lamps that my neighbor gave to me that just needed bulbs from Home Depot. I also have a window and a ceiling fan with lights which is okay for stirring the air.
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Old 01-28-2010, 11:37 AM
  #39  
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As I get older, lighting becomes more and more necessary. I have two Happy Lites - one on each side of my sewing cabinet plus I have the bendable sewing light plus an Ott light table light plus I today got an LED light that is intended for woodworking shop - it is really, really cool! The more light, the better off I am! I was able to get the Happy Lites on sale and converted them with a couple of old pole lamps so they have stands instead of actually sitting on my sewing cabinet. They are up high enough that they light the entire area. I also use full spectrum lighting in my overhead. Lighting is my friend! LOL
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Old 01-28-2010, 11:38 AM
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Originally Posted by ORSunshineQuilter
As I get older, lighting becomes more and more necessary. I have two Happy Lites - one on each side of my sewing cabinet plus I have the bendable sewing light plus an Ott light table light plus I today got an LED light that is intended for woodworking shop - it is really, really cool! The more light, the better off I am! I was able to get the Happy Lites on sale and converted them with a couple of old pole lamps so they have stands instead of actually sitting on my sewing cabinet. They are up high enough that they light the entire area. I also use full spectrum lighting in my overhead. Lighting is my friend! LOL
What kind of overhead lighting fixture do you have?
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