Tools Day: Let There Be Light!

Sunshine coming through the windows is marvelous for weaving. But my eyes need extra light to see small details. This is noticeably true with errors that I mend on the loom and off the loom. I turn on extra lighting at other times, too–when threading fine threads, sleying the reed with fine or dark threads, counting picks per inch on woven cloth, and checking the treadling pattern in a fine weave, for example. And sometimes I turn on extra lighting for no other reason than it’s a cloudy day.

Tools:
OttLite Task Lamp with Swivel Base
Handheld lighted magnifier

Broken weft repair.
Pin marks the spot where I broke a thin weft thread, 30/2 cotton, with the temple.
Repairing broken thread requires task lighting.
Repair area is flooded with light from my portable OttLite.
Replacing broken weft thread.
Illuminated stitches are easily seen. A replacement length of weft is needle-woven in.
Oops. A few skips to fix in handwoven cloth.
Series of errant floats are discovered after this fabric is removed from the loom. At 30 ends per inch, my eyes strain to see where to weave the needle.
Lighting and magnification needed for fixing threads.
Needing more than the bright OttLite, I add magnification. Pairing the OttLite with the handheld lighted magnifier does the trick!
Magnified threads for handwoven repairs.
Lighted magnifier, reflecting the OttLite just overhead, balances perfectly on a small sewing basket. Now I can actually see the threads I am fixing.

To further reduce eye strain, I am considering other lighting options. Have you had success with task lighting? I’d love to hear about it. Share your experience and recommendations in the comments.

My Lighting Wish List:
Full spectrum floor lamp
Adjustable-arm magnifying task light to clamp on table or loom

May you see what you need to see.

With a bright outlook,
Karen

2 thoughts on “Tools Day: Let There Be Light!

  1. I use a wonderful ott type light that has a folding arm and big round magnifier glass in the center of the light. The light tube is in a circle and the magnifier is the size of a dessert plate. It almost resembles a dentist off light!

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