I was debating two topics for today: embroidery thread (I know, I know – it’s practically everyone’s favorite topic) or a lighting solution for certain embroidery and work situations.

The thread topic’s on hold for a little bit. I need to finish some more stitching before we can delve into thready wonders together.

So today, it’s lighting!

I bought a new light and I’ve been thinking about sharing it with you for a while. This light solves two problems for me, which is why I had it on my radar. I finally caved, because one of the problems was getting rather annoying…

There are lots of decent task lights on the market. But there aren’t a whole lot of task lights that cover a wide work area. There are some, but not a lot!

In my workroom in my studio I have a long table where I do a good amount of work – stitching, writing, planning, sorting, organizing, selecting threads. It’s my main work table.

But all of my task lights are typical task lights – they illuminate a small space well, but they don’t illuminate a wide space.

That’s what initially put me on the hunt for a wide task light. In the winter in Kansas, where gloomy days can outnumber sunny, all of my lights are put to work regularly. But lately, I’ve been rather annoyed that I can’t seem to illuminate my whole work area at my table. Some part of my task is always in shadow.

The solution? A wide task light that floats over the whole work area.

I ended up settling on this particular light because it checks off all the things I was looking for:

• It is one wide continuous light head.
• It clamps on.
• It’s bright.
• It offers different temperatures (warm, cold, and a mix).
• It’s dimmable.
• It’s somewhat flexible.
• It has good reviews.
• It’s affordable.

It illuminates my work area on my table wonderfully. The light is very bright, especially if it’s set to the white (all cool) setting.

I can do all kinds work related tasks under it without being restricted to a small well-lit area. This thing is Wiiiiiiiiide. The lighting part is approximately 31.5″ wide. And the light distributes evenly down the width without a break.

It’s just swell for what I wanted! I can set up a table top stand under it for small projects when I’m working at the table. And I can still do regular table tasks under it with room to spare.

Over Wide Embroidery Frames

But I also had something else in mind, which is why I wanted a clamp on light.

I figured if I were going to invest in a wide task light, it should be easily usable over a wide embroidery frame.

And while I wouldn’t clamp the light right onto a wide embroidery frame (because then you couldn’t easily access the back of the embroidery), I would clamp it onto a small table or perhaps an extra piece of wood situated between two trestles, so that I could set up a wide embroidery frame below it.

And that is exactly what I’ll be doing with this light!

The Clamp and the Gooseneck

I love both the clamp and the gooseneck on this light.

The gooseneck is encased inside a rubbery sleeve, so you don’t have the typical sensation of a gooseneck light. It is very flexible, vertically. But the gooseneck is situated on a stiff, aluminum non-bendable section of the spine that’s about a foot (maybe a foot and a half?) up the back of the light. So the whole back of the light doesn’t bend.

I like this feature because it gives the light more support (it’s a very sturdy light). But just know that you can’t pull the light head down to the table – it will always sit above the table.

The clamp is large and extremely reliable. It is made up of two flat sides that meet flush together when the clamp is closed. And this is how a light clamp should be, in my opinion. It keeps the light more stable.

But it also means it doesn’t clamp well on any table that has a lip. And my work table is a folding plastic table from Sam’s, and it has a lip.

To solve the problem, I clamped the light to a small wooden folding table (the kind that are sold as “TV tables”), which fits right under my work table.

When the time comes, I can easily situate that folding table between my embroidery trestles, slap a wide frame down, and stitch under good lighting that covers the whole width of the work area and doesn’t have to extend in over one side of the trestles or the other.

What it Is and Where to Find It

The brand of the light is Phive, and in the US, you can find it on my Amazon Recommendations page here. It’s around $75, which isn’t too bad for a good specialty light.

I tried to find distributors in the UK, but I didn’t have any luck for this particular light.

It looks like they do carry this light at Amazon in Canada – just look up Phive LED light and you’ll see a variety of them. The wide clamp light is the one I’m reviewing here. They are significantly more expensive at Amazon in Canada.

For those who live in other countries, I’m guessing you will be able to find a wide LED task light somewhere. It doesn’t have to be the same brand – just look for the features you want. There’s a lot of variety these days to task lighting, and it’s become increasingly more affordable.

And for those of us who rely on good lighting for our work and our hobbies, I think that’s a good thing!

This article contains an affiliate link to my Amazon recommendations page, which means that any purchase made through that link results in a small commission for Needle ‘n Thread with no extra expense to you.