The Sewing Place
The Emporia => Embroidery and Embellishment => Topic started by: Efemera on September 26, 2018, 16:52:27 PM
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That things change so much so quickly.
I used to do a lot of handwork... historical samplers mostly, I thought I’d like to do some cross stitch again so DD bought me the Happinest chart from Satsuma...
Before I stared it I thought I would do one of the smaller sampler charts..
I CAN’T BLODDY SEE! It’s on 32 count.
Has anyone used one of those magnifying light things?
I have this half finished and would like to get it completed.
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It's been years since I've used one and couldn't most likely now. It depends on your eyes. I've become sensitive to bright light up close so the light is counterproductive to the magnifier. :S But there are many more types to try now than what was available in the 70's. But when I was a silversmith it was useful for setting stones.
The vision changes, one more of those blasted "age related" changes/maladies I'm "enjoying" really stinks. In my youth I could do petit point on 72 count silk without my glasses. Now-hahaha.
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I did my final sampler 5 years ago when I was 56 and decided I couldn`t do another. I had to use one of those magnifiers that hangs round your neck plus my specs but I still found I couldn`t do much at a time.
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I know that somewhere I saw an A4 size magnifiying sheet. If you could prop up something like that and then work behind the 'window', that ought to do it. No idea where or how though. Aha - google 'magnifying sheet UK'. Some of the items look hopeful.
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I've tried a magnifier on a stand, and one like an anglepoise with a light built in. They both functioned well but, unfortunately, made me feel slightly seasick :S so cross stitch is out for me as well. Shame, because I used to enjoy it and I'm half-way through a large leopard head.
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Mmm, I liked cross stitch too, but I can barely see the fabric let alone the two threads you go over!
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I bought OH a magnifying sheet when he had the stroke in his eye, but it drove him mad. Moving it around made him nauseous :S
I'm struggling sometimes, and like Cat I would struggle with that fabric.
Jessie
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My eyes have got worse and worse ...
When I was very young my mum and Dad (yes that young!) thought something might be up with my eyes when we passed the airport and I drew attention to the lil red plane ...
Oh No! Scratch that the lil red windsock!
They finally took me to an optician after I ran full pelt through a plate glass door ... a heavily patterned plate glass door.
I was then imprisoned in pink plastic National Health glasses for the next 8 years or so before graduating to contacts which I have worn ever since!
But despite a terrifyingly high prescription I could always see close up brilliantly ...
As my 40's left the building so did my close up vision ... so now I cant see far or close !!!
If I didnt have contacts (I dont own a pair of glasses, yes very naughty I know @mammafairy ) I would be registered blind!
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I know that somewhere I saw an A4 size magnifiying sheet. If you could prop up something like that and then work behind the 'window', that ought to do it. No idea where or how though. Aha - google 'magnifying sheet UK'. Some of the items look hopeful.
Sadly these magnifiers are 'Fresnel magnifiers' which means that detail is not good. It makes the overall thing look bigger, but less clear. Ok if you can cope withthe added blur, but for fine sewing it is a no no...
Fresnel means that you have rings of prisms, which behave likr a lens, but the lines cause interference.
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Oh gosh, you guys! I've been saving a brilliant cross stitch peacock kit to do in retorement for 20 years. It never occurred to me that I wouldn't be able to see.
Afterall, I already can't see. :S
Guess that baby needs to find a home by the TV fast!
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I have discovered that I need to use a pair of magnifying specs for close up work. Darn the ageing process! I find that using a pair of reading specs works perfectly for me and I even have a pair of them with little LED lights in so I can illuminate *just enough* the area I am working on when ambient light is bad. No glaring. Lidl and Aldi came up trumps!
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I don't wear glasses but have some reading glasses that I wear occasionally (becoming more frequent). I did though ask the optician to do me a pair of glasses specifically for sewing and I threaded an invisible needle and did some virtual hand sewing while she was swapping the lenses about. They live by my sewing machine.
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Ditto the slightly stronger reading glasses but only whilst sitting, the world looks vert strange if you get up wearing them.
You can buy them in the cheapy shops for not a lot, take the thing you want to see with you and see what works.
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I'm like @Iminei, blind as a bat and my sonar not working. I've worn glasses since I was 5 (the first age we could get them in the late 70s early 80s) and wore contacts at 16 until I pulled my eyeball lens out. One transplant later, back into glasses until disposables that got good in my late 20s...and here we go.
I still have good up close vision in my glasses my contacts not so much. And yes, I cross stitch, but so far my arms are long enough to still see the little holes. One day they won't be. But I don't need the magnifier, but goodness I need light.
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I used to work in an electronics factory and certainly in my case all the tiny close up inspections for errors put a great strain on my eyes and I had to yearly uprate my glasses.
I also did miniature locomotove modelling which at the end of the day gave me eye strain.
I think the more cross stitch or fine work you do the worse your eyesight will get.
The louder the music you listen to the deafer you go.
The more you exercise to extremes the quicker you knacker yerself out.
The more you think the more you wear your brains out.
I think we are all designed to use what we have been given in moderation and not to excell on any one particular thing.
But of course Like many I am my own worst enemy and flaunt all above rules.
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I wear my reading glasses to sew (and read) and my computer glasses for pretty much anything else in the house except watching the larger TV (which is rare). I hardly ever wear my regular distances glasses because I can't see up close and it bothers me to have blurry food. And if I'm outside I usually have the prescription sunglasses on unless I'm out after dark. Strangely, I can still read my phone without any glasses at all. For most reading I use the Kindle with large font and no glasses.
I tried trifocals once and hated them so I continue to deal with four different pairs of glasses.
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I have to say I still haven’t touched either of these projects!