Let There Be Light...Let There Be Shadow!

Sometimes it's hard to see what I'm machine quilting. Because of the light. Especially when I'm working on a light colored quilt and I'm quilting in light colored thread!

Let's discuss light...just for a moment.

Below you see the lights my dear husband had installed in my quilt studio. Now, don't get me wrong. They are great. They are nice and bright for sewing and doing all kinds of projects in my quilt studio. When my kids were younger, they would come in here and work on their homework. But this is what happens when I'm trying to quilt with light thread on light fabric.

Now, let's see what happens when using the lights installed on my quilting machine table. They are great, but not for light thread on light fabric.

This is what I see below with those lights. Or rather, what I don't see. I still can't see!

And how about the smaller light attached to the machine. It's the small fluorescent bulb that came with the machine.

It's a little too bright for light thread on light fabric. I still can't see!

Oh my! What's this?

It's a different light! Let there be light! No! Let there be shadow! Now I can see! Why? Because this light creates shadows!

It's my Flexible Display Light from YLighting you see below! I bought it a couple of years ago and it has been the best investment! I set it at the best angle (not too close to the quilt, of course) and it creates enough shadow so I can see what I'm quilting...especially when quilting with light thread on light fabric!

You see, I do all my quilting freehand. Therefore I must see what I'm quilting!

I attached it to my quilting machine with the optional 4-inch clamp, sold separately. It's just the right width so it can fit on my Gammill Longarm.

Below is another shot of the clamp.

I also purchased an extra light bulb too. Nothing worse than working on a quilt and not have an extra light bulb!

Hey, what's on TV? Oh, it's Seinfeld...the Soup Nazi episode! One of my favorites!

Ok, besides my Flexible Display Light, my favorite light is natural sunlight. The perfect time for this natural light is in the morning.

But of course, that means that is the only time I can quilt to get this great visiblity.

But I don't always quilt in the morning though. So I depend on my Flexible Display Light, because I quilt all hours of the day and night!

Now get back to work, Vivian! And no more Seinfeld Nazi episode for you!