The Best Quilting Light: Our Top 6 Picks
Is the thread pictured below aqua, turquoise, or teal? I can’t tell, and here’s why (hint: it’s not that I don’t know my colors)! Depending on where I am in my studio, any one of these spools can lean more toward aqua than teal, or gray than green. And that’s why it’s so important to purchase the best quilting light you can find! It’s really all about the quality of the light. Viewing your work with a task lamp can make an incredible difference in your quilting. Read on to learn more about our favorite task lamps your sure to love!
Why Daylight?
Those of us who sew know intuitively that color is king and stitching in natural light gives us the most accurate reading of the colors and textures of our fabrics. Who hasn’t checked a fabric swatch by moving closer to a window or stepping outside or chosen a sunny spot to hand stitch? However, working in natural light is not always an option, which is why it’s important to find the best quilting light. Good lighting allows sewists, quilters, and crafters to do what they love for longer periods of time in greater comfort. So using the right task lamp can truly make all the difference in your work!
There are tons of lamps out there that are functional, beautiful, and designed with a true understanding that the quality of the light we use directly affects the work we create. As someone who has set up several sewing studios with less-than-perfect lighting (including a windowless basement and a repurposed laundry room) I can attest that using the right task lighting will make you a better quilter… instantly. You’ll be able to see every thread and notice even small nuances in fabric color and texture. The more you notice, the more you’ll be able to adjust and fine tune your skills.
Choose the Right Tool for the Job
Why is the quality of light so important? Just ask your eyes: sewing and crafting can require five times the amount of light that we normally find in our homes, and eye strain is a real problem. Using the right light can make all the difference. But what exactly are the top features should you look for in a task lamp? Read on for our top recommendations.
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Quality of the Light: Your task lamp should replicate natural daylight so the colors are true and clear. Natural light also reduces eye strain, making it easier to work longer and tire less easily. Every Daylight lamp is designed with this feature in mind.
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Light Adjustability: The ability to change the brightness (dim) and direction of the light depending on your needs is a great feature. Some Daylight lamps also allow the user to change color temperature (from cool to warm). The Tricolor is highly recommended. It is similar to the Electra, with 3 color temperatures and also has a continuous dimmer switch.
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Portability: Every lamp should be easy to move and simple to adjust. For traveling, you might want to try the Foldi Go.
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Flexibility: We all multi-task, and so should our lamps! Make sure it fits all your needs, from hand stitching and color matching to machine sewing and pattern cutting. If you need a magnifier, check out the Halo Go. It also has a magnifier and comes with a USB rechargeable battery.
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Beauty: Everything you bring into your workspace should add a sense of beauty and design. Let’s face it – we are artists and love to work with beautiful tools! Daylight makes contemporary lamps that look beautiful and work perfectly in your home as well as your studio. The Slimline 3 is very sleek and chic.
Our Favorite Quilting Lights
If you’ve been on the hunt for the best quilting light, then your search has come to an end! Our team has searched high and low to come up with this list — we hope you love these lighting options as much as we do! From strip lights to small desk lamps and everything in between, we’ve got a task lamp that every type of maker will find helpful.
How to Use Your Lamp
When machine sewing, I position my light over my right shoulder and point the light toward the needle. When hand stitching, I prefer the light coming from the left so there is no shadow from my hand on the fabric. If working at a table, the same lamp can bend and flex from the front. Do you use a task lamp in your quilting? Do you have any tips or tricks you think we should know? Or perhaps you’ve already found the best quilting light? We want to hear from you! Share with us on Instagram, Facebook, or in the comments section below!
Best,
Vivika DeNegre
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