How to Choose the Best Floor Lamp for Needlework in 2022?

While sewing, nothing is as important as making sure that your sewing area is covered with enough light so that you don’t strain your eyes.

Sewing requires meticulous and focused work that can only be done properly when your eyes are not under stress or strain. Proper lighting also helps you match the right color of fabrics and threads.

It is important to use bright white light when sewing, especially when working with dark colors because they require more attention.

As a sewer, you have to choose the most suitable light source for your eyes, that is, light that is not too faint and not too harsh.

It is advisable to find the perfect combination of natural and artificial light.

This article compiles up the 3 best floor lamp for needlework reviews and some guides, including lumens for cross stitch, sewing required color temperature, etc.

best floor lamp for needlework reviews and guide

In a Hurry? Look at These Top Pick Lamps:

Able to Zoom Treads, Needle, Great for Craftsman with Bad Eyesight: Brightech Magnifying Floor Lamp

With Natural Daylight Aiding in Recognize the Right Tread Colors, Great for Hand Sewing: Kenley LED Floor Lamp

Dual Shade for Large Sewing Area, Adjustable Stand for Any Sewing Activity: Ottlite Adjustable Floor Lamp

What Type of Light Is Best for Sewing?

The best light source for needlework is natural light.

Natural light is the only light source suitable for all sewers, no matter their age group or eye conditions.

It gives your sewing area an overall brightness that makes sewing a lot easier and reduces eye strain.

In addition, studies have shown that natural daylight not only improves productivity and focus but also improves energy efficiency and psychological wellbeing.

Some studies even claim that natural light improves your overall mood and reduces depression.

Although the effects of natural light can be mimicked by artificial light, it is a known fact that natural light will always be the superior light source.

Artificial light can never truly replicate the numerous benefits of natural light.

So it is important to set up your sewing area next to a window to allow as much natural light as possible.

For all its benefits, natural light also has a few disadvantages.

For example, prolonged exposure to the UV rays from the sun can damage your threads, fabrics, and with time, your sewing machine as well.

Therefore, you can buy a floor lamp with artificial natural light to prevent that.

What Color Temperature Floor Lamp Is Best for Needlework?

If, for whatever reason, natural light is unavailable to you, then floor lamps are the next best thing.

Floor lamps provide suitable artificial brightness that helps you sew clothes and decorate small details even when the sun is down.

It is crucial that you choose the right color floor lamp for your sewing area.

LED bulbs are undoubtedly the best floor lamps for needlework or any time of late night task that requires you to see clearly.

LED bulbs last longer than regular incandescent light bulbs; they also consume less energy.

They produce a high-quality and efficient form of lighting and do not get overheated even after continuous use.

LED lights are available in different color temperatures, ranging from soft yellows to bright whites and everything in between.

The best color temperature for needlework is high Kelvin daylight LED lights with a color temperature range of about 5000 – 6500 K because they produce a highly efficient light, make you more productive and beam light that has a higher color accuracy.

How Many Lumens Do You Need for Needlework Floor Lamps?

1. Average people: For an average person between the ages of 16 to 64 with no prior eye conditions, you would require about 2000-2500 lumens for your sewing area.

2. Elder people: Sadly, as we grow older, our body deteriorates, including our eyes. The eyes of the average 60-year-old are about 8 times worse than those of a 20-year-old. Because of this, older people have weaker eyes and will need to be especially careful when selecting a floor lamp that is suitable for their eyes and won’t cause them any harm.

Older people need about 3 times more light than the average person.

Floor lamps with 800-1000 lumens will be enough for an older person to do needlework. Be careful not to choose a floor lamp with high light intensity levels to avoid eye issues such as glare.

Magnifying Floor Lamps vs. Non-Zoomable Floor Lamps, How to Choose for Different Needlework?

For needlework like embroidery, or any other type of craft making that involves unbending accuracy, the best floor lamps are magnifying floor lamps.

Magnifying floor lamps are essential for anyone doing a task that requires precision and attention to detail.

It allows sewers to view small details and decorations effortlessly and helps to reduce eye strain and vision fatigue.

When choosing a magnifying floor lamp, there are some factors to be considered, such as:

Diopter size: This determines the magnification of your magnifying floor lamp.

Field of view: The field of view is the area that a person can see when looking through a magnifier. It is inversely proportional to the magnifying power of the magnifier, which means that the higher the power of a magnifier, the smaller the field of view, so with higher magnification, you can see more details but with a small field of view

Eye Relief: Eye relief is the maximum distance between your eye and the magnifier that allows you to see a full picture still.

Generally, the longer the eye relief, the more comfortable your eyes will be.

Non-zoomable floor lamps can be used when sewing with a sewing machine because it does not require as much attention to detail.

How to Choose Diopter Size for Floor Lamp Needlework?

When choosing a floor lamp, the magnification power of the light is a very important factor.

What most people don’t know is the magnification is directly affected by the diopter size.

A simple way to calculate the power when you only have the diopter value is to divide by 4 and add 1.

For example, for a floor lamp with a 3 diopter size, the magnification would be 3 divided by 4, plus 1, which would give you 1.75X; this means that your work will appear 1.75X (75%) larger than normal.

Most floor lamps for craft making have a diopter size of about 3 to 8 (1.75X to 3.00X). Three diopter lenses are the most popular diopter sizes available because they are easy to use and suitable for most craftwork.

To choose the best diopter size for needlework is, you must first consider what type of needlework you will be doing.

For example, needlework like embroidery will require more magnification than a sewing machine.

3 Best Floor Lamp for Needlework Reviews

1. For Embroidery – Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp

Brightech magnifying floor lamp for needlework

This Brightech floor lamp is particularly best for hand sewing because it has a magnifying power of 1.75X, which allows you to see all the small details while you sew.

Thanks to the adjustable height option, you can choose the height that suits whatever task you are working on; you can set the lamp height as low as 24 inches or as high as 55 inches.

You can also adjust the lamp’s brightness if you need to because it has an adjustable color temperature ranging from 3,000K – 6,000K, which includes the daylight color temperature.

Key Benefits:

  • LED lights are long-lasting and prevent overheating.
  • 1.75X (175%) magnifying power.
  • Adjustable height.
  • Easy to assemble.

Check The Latest Price Now!!!

2. For Sewing Machine – Kenley Natural Daylight Full Spectrum Floor Lamp

kenley floor lamp with high color accuracy  for needlework

The Kenley Natural Daylight Floor Lamp is highly recommended when using your sewing machine.

It has a color temperature of 6400K, which is as close to natural daylight as LED lights can get.

Daylight LED lights imitate noon sunshine and allow you to see colors clearly, so you don’t mismatch your threads and fabrics.

The LED bulbs conserve energy, reduce eye strain, and produce enough for you to have a comfortable sewing experience.

The lamp also has an adjustable neck so you can position it however you want and achieve the effect you desire.

Key Benefits:

  • Adjustable neck.
  • 6400K color temperature.

Check The Latest Price Now!!!

3. Convenient for Needlework Beginner – OttLite Dual Shade LED Floor Lamp with Adjustable Stand

ottlite adjustable floor lamp with USB charging port for needlework

This floor lamp works great for embroidery; its rotatable head gives you a wide range of illumination.

You can pivot the head up to 180 degrees. It has an adjustable neck extending from 52 inches to 62 inches.

This OttLite lamp also has a built-in USB port so you can charge your phone, tablet, or smartwatch while you work.

It has four brightness levels that you can easily switch between depending on how much light you need.

LED bulbs produce a highly efficient form of light similar to natural daylight.

Key Benefits:

  • Built-in USB port.
  • Adjustable neck.
  • Rotatable head.

Check The Latest Price Now!!!

How Do You Light up Your Sewing Area with Floor Lamps?

To achieve the perfect lighting layout for your sewing area, you need to consider the size of your sewing area and the other lights in the room.

Smaller sewing areas might require only a single floor lamp, and you can position this beside your sewing machine to clearly see your needlework.

For larger rooms, you might need more than one floor lamp to illuminate the room properly, especially when sewing late at night.

There should be one floor lamp directly beside your sewing machine; the other floor lamps should be in the corner of the room to add to the overall brightness of your sewing area.

To Reduce Glare/Eyestrain, What Are the Floor Lamp Usage Tips?

Eyestrain and Glare are one of the many consequences of not setting up a proper lighting layout in your sewing area.

Your eyes constantly try to adapt to the poor light conditions, which can cause many side effects.

Here are a few tips on how to properly use a floor lamp:

1. Place your floor lamp behind or beside you while you sew.

Where you place your floor lamp while you sew is just as important as buying the right floor lamp.

Ensure that your floor lamp is not too close, so it is not too harsh on your eyes and not too far so that you don’t have to strain your eyes to see.

2. Adjust to a suitable height.

Most floor lamps are adjustable, so you can move them around and decide on what height is best for you and suits the task at hand.

3. Adjust the light intensity.

You can dim or increase the light intensity of your floor lamp to suit the time you are working.

Conclusion

Proper lighting in your sewing area and around your sewing machine will improve your productivity, reduce fatigue and make for a better sewing experience.

Natural light is always advisable, but there are LED lights that can mimic natural light to give you the brightness that you need.

Remember to be careful when choosing your floor lamp; choose one that suits your eyes and the type of needlework you are doing.