Let's talk tools

I'm the first to admit that I'm a tool "junkie"  and am always buying tools that I think will be fabulous and they are a dud.  But I've had some good luck lately and this first tool is absolutely fabulous and there are just not enough superlatives that I can use to describe it... If you have ever had a problem threading needles you will love this.

First it is about the size of a donut and fits perfectly in any sewing tote.  Second your hands are free when you use it...





The lid goes up and it telescopes out and HAS A LED LIGHT (battery operated).  You can get
your hand with a needle right under it.  It came just before I went to Kansas City and everyone saw me doing a happy dance every time I used it...  I keep it wherever I'm working when I am at home.

This would make an excellent gift for any friend with vision problems.  It is available at Amazon/






Next when I stitch away from home I use a travel light...  I have at least 5 or 6 of them... Some too big, some not enough light but my favorite up until now was this OTT led light which can be used with either batteries or electricity....

It is nice and compact to take in a suitcase and give good light with AC/DC.  I took this one to London.  Hotel rooms are notorious for inadequate lighting.

But it is going to be discontinued and my new one is better.

I just bought this one before we left for Seaside and it too folds down perfectly to fit in a suitcase or sewing bag.  It is about 5X6"....not much bigger than my cell phone but thicker.

But it too telescopes out and is very adjustable.  It can be used with batteries but it can also be used with electricity which gives a better light. I really like the option of either power source.  It is very adjustable and I can bring it right over my needlework...

The light is led and very bright.  In fact it has two brightness settings.  I've only had it about a month and have only taken it on one trip but so far I love it.

It   is available at Amazon.

Now I am never without these glasses with the flip down magnifying lenses. They are very light weight and I can slip them on quite comfortably over my prescription glasses..  Mostly at home I work directly under my large magnifying lamp but there are times that I need  to see close and also farther away and then I can look right over these magnifiers.

I do NOT like the ones that clip onto my regular glasses where I would have to constantly be putting them up or down and the weight of the clip-ons drag my glasses right now my nose and are also very uncomfortable.  These are working great.

Again... Amazon 


These have become a godsend for playing cards where I have to see the cards in my hand and look  at the cards on the table.

I've saved the latest new tool for last.  This does count as a stitching aide as I am usually off stitching when the kitchen is filling with smoke. I recently blogged about our loss of Molly and how she was so diligent about alerting me when the stove timer went off... I am constantly "overbrowning" things without her... For me this is a very big problem.   I began searching for timers but almost all just ding or buzz for a short interval and quit and also the alarm levels were not adjustable.  But I have found this.  It is designed for a noisy restaurant kitchen station.

It is large and plugs into electricity.  The alarm is adjustable up to 90 decimals and will not stop until you turn it off manually.  Besides the siren it has a flashing red light.  And once it goes off it begins recording the length of time it has been ringing.

It too is available at Amazon and is quite large (about 5 x 7" and weighs a pound) and also very pricey but Molly would approve...  I really miss my "kitchen buddy."

Product Features

• Volume Control Dial - Adjusts Alarm Up To 90 dB
• Large, Easy to Read Display
• Flashing Red Alarm Light Can be Seen Across a Room
• Automatically Counts Up Once Timer Has Elapsed
• Non-Skid Rubber Feet

Painting again!!

It has been months since I've painted buttons and it felt good to be doing it again... To get going I have been adding some new critters and my favorite is the fawn.  These buttons are a little larger than a quarter... 1 1/8".  I have many more that will be going up over the next week.

They are available at https://www.etsy.com/shop/olderrose

 

 

 I can see well enough with my newest lamp.  But actually it's the hand rather than the eye that is critical.. People are always saying it must take very good eyes to paint so small but what is critical is a VERY steady hand...  Also the brain compensates for what the eye can't see and communicates with the hand..   If you were to take a pen and paper you would find you can write your name very well with your eyes completely closed. The brain "sees" what the hand is doing. Have you ever done those exercises where letters are all jumbled and you can still read the text...? It is the same principal.  So even with my distorted vision I'm finding that I can do it... But even still the most important thing is the steady hand...without that all is naught. 

Let there be even MORE light...

I got another Luxo magnifying lamp so I have one at the dining table in addition to the one on the painting table.. What a difference.

I purchased my first Luxo over a year ago for my button painting and I just can't imagine life without it now.. Shirley Fassell got one about the same time and I emailed her to see if she still liked it....  Received a sentence back with a long string of loves describing her feeling about her Luxo..

The first Luxo is attached to my painting table and not easily moveable and I had been using my old magnifying lamp at the dining table.

I can tell you what I didn't like about the old magnifying lamp. Besides the incandescent bulb, the spring arm was controlled with little knobs which were constantly loosening no matter how hard I tightened them and I ttied to solve that with a pieces of wood and clamps..  Then there was the lens and lamp... It only was adjustable up and down - not side to side... AND weight of the lens and lamp always caused it to gradually sag downward.  So I was constantly adjusting it...  Plus the magnification and light were as not strong enough anymore. 

I had recently sold two antique wrought iron lamps and the money couldn't have a better use than more light for me.

The original post about the lamp was fall of 2014  but to recap  I learned quite quickly that magnifying lamps are available from about $38  to about $500.  First you are confronted with an alphabet soup of initials... KFM, LFM, IFM, LED, and ESD plus what seemed to be endless choices for mounts, length of reach, lights, position of lights and  circles of increased magnification.  etc...and then there's the shape of the lens and the quality of the lens itself.  I was desperately wishing there were somewhere I could just try one...  I had already ordered one that was mid-range price and sent it back as it had a problem with distortion and the lights were on each side of the lens which was terrible.

Then much to my delight and  surprise at this very moment Shirlee Fassell  published on post on this subject.  She was having the same problems but her husband bought a lamp at All-Spec and she loved it... And that is how I came to order this wonderful magnifying lamp.

And I can tell you right off the KFM refers to the quality of the construction.  This lamp is heavy duty construction and suitable for use in a scientific lab and when I position it, it stays there.  The head is completely adjustable... side  to side, up and down and tipped every which way.  This is especially nice when I am working on MOP buttons which have weird reflective areas.  I had a 3 diopter (strength of lens) and moved up to a 5 diopter and chose a LED lamp which is dimmable.   The lens itself is optical quality and fabulous..     This lamp was  about $360 or more plus shipping but right now it is on sale. This is definitely a case of getting what you pay for.  I don't know how long the sale lasts but if you are in the market for an excellent magnifying lamp...

http://www.all-spec.com/products/18255LG.html

The Luxo KFL026128 is a KFM LED 5 diopter high output illuminated magnifier with a 30" reach and edge clamp mount.
Luxo KFL026128 Features:

• Ideal for any inspection or assembly applications
• Dimmable 9W LED light source produces 2500 lux at 12" working distance
• Produces nearly 75% greater light output than traditional KFM models
• Automatic shut-off feature for energy savings
• 5 diopter (2.25X) optical quality glass lens
• Fully enclosed neck assembly with 30" reach heavy-duty internal spring arm
• No knobs to tighten or adjust
• Self-balancing shade allows the lamp head can be secured in any position
• Weighted base for easy transfer and mobility
• Color: Grey
• UL/CUL listed
• 5 year warranty

Major purchase - Post - #1495

For as long as I've been painting buttons I have been using this  magnifying lamp...  I have spent more hours than I can count peering through this lens.  But the time has come that I need a much stronger magnification.

To begin with I knew what I didn't like about the magnifying lamp that I was using..  Besides the incandescent bulb, the spring arm was controlled with little knobs which were constantly loosening no matter how hard I tightened them and I sorta solved that with a pieces of wood and clamps..  Then there was the lens and lamp... It only was adjustable up and down - not side to side... AND weight of the lens and lamp always caused it to gradually sag downward.  So I was constantly adjusting it...  So I not only wanted a stronger lens, I wanted a better quality piece of equipment.  I knew that this is a major, one-time purchase and I wanted to be as informed as possible

I learned quite quickly that magnifying lamps are available from about $38  to about $400.  First you are confronted with an alphabet soup of initials... KFM, LFM, IFM, LED, and ESD plus what seemed to be endless choices for mounts, length of reach, lights, position of lights and  circles of increased magnification.  etc...and then there's the shape of the lens and the quality of the lens itself.  I was desperately wishing there were somewhere I could just try one...  I had already ordered one that was mid-range price and sent it back as it had a problem with distortion and the lights were on each side of the lens which was terrible.

Then much to my delight and  surprise at this very moment Shirlee Fassell  published on post on this subject.  She was having the same problems but her husband bought a lamp at All-Spec and she loved it... And that is how I came to order this..

And I can tell you right off the KFM refers to the quality of the construction.  This lamp is heavy duty construction and suitable for use in a lab and when I position it, it stays there.  The head is completely adjustable... side  to side, up and down and tipped every which way.  This is especially nice when I am working on MOP buttons which have weird reflective areas.  I had a 3 diopter (strength of lens) and moved up to a 5 diopter and chose a LED lamp which is dimmable.   The lens itself is optical quality and fabulous..  This model  (click to find site) was about $340 plus shipping and  I could not be happier. This is definitely a case of getting what you pay for.   The next post will be a special edition of buttons done under the new lens.