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Forgive me if this has been discussed a few times... I spent a few minutes looking for a search box, and then scrolling through the threads but didn't see anything.

I'm wondering how you all (if you need to), magnify your work so you can see small stitches. I normally stitch on 14 ct (or 28 ct evenweave or jobelan) but I have 25 ct fabric and I would like to stitch over 1 on that but OMG the small stitches may make me go blind. I recently stitched over 1 on 22 ct fabric and thought my eyes were going to bleed. I need something but I don't want a giant contraption or floor stand (yet!). Just something easy & small, ideally. ???

Thanks!

Michelle

I use a Daylight magnilamp since most of my projects are over 1 on 25 or 28 ct and harder to see as I get older. There are many versions of magnifiers that different stitchers use. I have some that go around my neck for when I'm traveling. If you have a crafts store near you (Hobby Lobby, Michael's etc) they should have some to look through. I tried to do a link to 123Stitch.com page with magnifiers, but its not working properly, but if you do a search on Magnifiers either on that website or another craft website you should have lots of different ones to look at. I know that it makes all the difference in the world for me since I prefer the smaller stitches, especially since I tend to stitch really large sized designs.

Carole

Thanks, Carole. I googled the one that you use... it looks great but I think it might not work for me. I generally sit on the couch & stitch, with a table next to me but I'm not sure that lamp/magnifier could extend over far enough to be on top of my stitching. I really would rather not wear the one around my neck but it looks like that might be the best option?? It's portable too...

I did see one clip-on extendable magnifier on 123stitch... not sure where it would clip onto though and the more I think about it, the more I'd like the extra light too.



Michelle

This one looks promising - has anybody ever used it? Is it strong enough to stand up on it's own and have the magnifier pull over to where you're stitching?

https://www.amazon.com/Carson-Flexible- ... +Magnifier" target="_blank

It's the Carson BoaMag 2.5x LED Lighted Flexible Neck Magnifier and Flashlight (SM-22) in case the link doesn't work. Seems like it has everything I'd need??

Michelle

I've used the lighted, around the neck version. It works well, but you will have a bit of an adjustment period finding where on your chest you want it to rest in relation to where you like to hold your hoop. Have you considered just using reading glasses? They take up way less space and you can buy different strengths depending on the amount of magnification you want.

DisneyStitcher wrote:Have you considered just using reading glasses? They take up way less space and you can buy different strengths depending on the amount of magnification you want.

I have terrible vision & my glasses are bifocals but I find that I see the hoop better without my glasses for some reason. Even with the bifocal lens, it's not that clear (I also have MS and one of the medications causes blurry vision, so I'm sure that plays into all this). It works fine as long as I don't go below a 14 ct size. But for a smaller count size, I need magnification! And some extra light wouldn't hurt. I've never bought reading glasses though, I wonder if they'd be any different than my regular bifocals? They're not expensive, it's worth a shot.

isaacson72 wrote:

DisneyStitcher wrote:Have you considered just using reading glasses? They take up way less space and you can buy different strengths depending on the amount of magnification you want.

I have terrible vision & my glasses are bifocals but I find that I see the hoop better without my glasses for some reason. Even with the bifocal lens, it's not that clear (I also have MS and one of the medications causes blurry vision, so I'm sure that plays into all this). It works fine as long as I don't go below a 14 ct size. But for a smaller count size, I need magnification! And some extra light wouldn't hurt. I've never bought reading glasses though, I wonder if they'd be any different than my regular bifocals? They're not expensive, it's worth a shot.

I'm sorry to hear about the MS - that's a tough one. Talk to your doctor(s) about the vision problems - it may be that (s)he could adjust the meds or give you some coping strategies. I also have terrible vision. I see the hoop best without any correction at all but that's because I can literally only see about 6 inches in front of my nose. It's fine if all I want to do is stitch, but usually I need to be able to see when I look up. I usually use reading glasses over my contacts, but my glasses are progressives. The eye doctor wrote the reading part much stronger than he usually would have because I brought him a piece of 28 count to see what I needed to see. When I'm wearing my contacts, I can read using anything from +1.25 - +1.75. But, I need AT LEAST a +2.50 to see to stitch. Since I wear my glasses so infrequently, I wasn't worried about the over-magnification in the bifocal part. I have been intrigued by a product I found online that I was thinking about trying in my favorite pair of $15 sunglasses. (I lose them waaaay to frequently to pay +$400 for prescription sunglasses.) A company called hydrotack makes a stick-on bi-focal that supposedly can be applied to regular lenses. Do a search on stick-on bifocals and there are 2 or 3 different companies that come up. If may be that you could apply the stick-on to an older pair of bifocals to increase the magnification. Designate those glasses for stitching only.

i just got this one. It clips to my stand and the light and magnification are wonderful.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019R ... UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank" target="_blank

This is the one I use when I need the extra light:
http://www.mightybright.com/LED-Magnifi ... Magnifier/" target="_blank

PattyMac wrote:i just got this one. It clips to my stand and the light and magnification are wonderful.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019R ... UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

It stays tight on a regular wooden hoop? I'd like to try it as well.

I have a couple like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Daylight-UN91101 ... fier+light" target="_blank" target="_blank

I have the unlighted one, and one with bright LED lights. They easily clip onto Qsnaps, stretcher bars, and even my Lowery stand. I've used them with hoops as well - around the 8" and larger size.

Debby - that looks like a good one. Is it not too heavy clipped to your qsnap?

isaacson72 wrote:Debby - that looks like a good one. Is it not too heavy clipped to your qsnap?

Not at all. It's not really all that heavy. And to keep it from sliding, I put a piece of that rubbery type shelf liner on the Qsnap and the clamp the magnifier over it. I usually clamp it at the top of the Qsnap, but if the neck is too short to reach where I need, I just clamp it to the side or bottom of the Qsnap. I've been very happy with it - I've been using it for a couple years now.

On several occasions I have come close to buying something like these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391183342120. I normally use a head torch anyway.

Regards,

Richard

I like to use a head torch too when taking my stitching away with me. Have to use it at our daughter's house as she has 'mood lighting'...
Makes the g'kids laugh anyway!!

I ended up spending more than I wanted to ($65) and got an LED magnifying floor lamp. I absolutely love it. It will take some getting used to -- I've never worked with a magnifier before so going back & forth between stitching and looking at the pattern makes my eyes feel wonky but I keep plugging away, I'll get used to it. I have decided I want my whole world to be that magnified. It's really amazing.

Michelle

sounds good, and I do hope it was money well spent! What model did you end up buying? I may be needing something similar in the near future!

Here's the amazon link to what I got:

https://www.amazon.com/Fulcrum-20072-40 ... B00198RKF0" target="_blank" target="_blank

I love the neck - I can pull it around to wherever I need it. Last night I was working on something on 14 ct fabric and didn't need the magnifier part so I just pushed it up & out of the way and used the extra light --- fantastic!! The only thing I wonder about is the lights are not replaceable, I heard, if they burn out. But it says they should last for 100,000 hours. That's pretty good. We'll see.

edit: Amazon is trying to scam people, I think. I paid $64.50 for this, I just double checked my receipt. Now it shows up on Amazon for $90?? I know it's the same one, it even says "You just purchased this item" right above the picture. Wow. Way to go, Amazon.

Michelle

Thanks for the link---I'll keep it bookmarked, for future purposes--I may luck out and find it cheaper down the line. I hope you have wonderful stitching with it!!

LED's claim 50k to 100k hours.
I do hope it's not like the 10-15k hours claim seen for cf bulbs, where the 10k hours seems to be a 2x over estimate of total life from manufacture to failure regardless of whether they were on or not. There are 8760 hours in a year, and I have had cf bulbs fail in 6 months, evening use only (2 hrs average).

Cynical, moi?!?

Regards

Richard