Here’s the skinny for my plans for my sew room lighting (hobby/craft room) – really this would cover any room in which you want to be able to actually see. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want “mood lighting” in my sewing room. I want to be able to see my work, most importantly to be able to see my color choices. I’ve been to quilt shops where I had to take a bolt of fabric outside or close to a window in order to best assess the colors. (Mood lighting in quilt shops…really? I guess, I’m too focused on my projects… Haha!) It all just gets worse as I get older and the better the lighting I need. (Age happens. ?)

Types of bulbs:

Incandescent are obsolete with the newer lighting technologies that emerged over the years. They have served their purpose since Edison introduced us to them in 1879.

CFLs are a more energy efficient choice than incandescents; however, as LEDs grow in their technology, these are best left on the shelf. They last a long time, but when they burn out, they require special disposal because of the mercury – however minute!

LEDs are the best! I love that this technology has progressed past indicator lights on computers. I am all about LEDs, but they are good ones and not so good ones (as my husband has recently discovered in his tinkering.) When choosing new bulbs, I always go for LEDs . They last even longer than CFLs and contain no mercury!!!!! I’m sure someone will eventually find a massive downside to these lights (science changes as new discoveries are made) but right now I love them.

There are different types of lighting:

Soft/Warm white runs at 2700-3000K and often emits a yellowish glow. (Not a good choice for craft rooms but a great choice for living rooms or areas for mood lighting. NOT a good choice for quilt shops. (If you are a quilt shop owner, please, please give us older ladies a break and do not use these!)

Bright/cool white runs about 3500-4100K has no yellowish glow, and in fact emits a whiter color. I find these lights sort of meh for craft rooms. Not the greatest and not the worst. However, if you are taking the time for new lights let’s go for the best possible.

Daylight!!! I love daylight in my craftroom ( in case it was not obvious by my overzealous use of exclamation marks). It runs about 5000-6500K and emits the best light possible for those of us that need all the help we can get! We changed the lights in my old sew room from bright white to daylight and my first thought was “Hey, I can see!” ?

Now I do have to admit not all LEDs are equal (as I mentioned before.) My husband was tinkering with using the LED strip lighting as a potential for my sew room and I don’t think it emits enough light. It’s great for his work shop, but not so great for my sew room. We would need a lot of them for there to be enough light. (Keep in mind I am a bit older and will need bifocles in about 5-10 years…).

So, in conclusion: daylight LEDs …seriously awesome stuff!

Happy quilting!!! (I am hoping to get an area setup soon between training a new LGD for my goats and homeschooling my son it’s a bit slow going but I picked flooring – next post!)

N