Knitting Lamp

I had entertained the idea of purchasing a Full Color Spectrum - Daylight craft lamp (OTT-Lite for example), to use while knitting as my household lighting is more on the decorative side and less on the practical side.

I had a few reservations about this idea however...

• Cost - most major brands are quite costly


• Style - Some are just plain ugly, OTT-Lite makes some attractive models but... (see above entry)


• Availability - I have no place in my area to purchase one in person, therefore not only would I be buying a $200 lamp but I would be paying to ship the thing as well


• Replacement Bulbs - some of said lamps cost up to $30 just to replace a bulb (though bulb changes are said to be infrequent), not to mention shipping charges as availability is yet again an issue.

Well, as is my usual way; I improvised. I browsed the light bulb selection at my local Wal-Mart and found that GE makes an Energy Smart Daylight bulb. I figured if this didn't work out I would just put them to use somewhere in the house. I found them to be just the solution I was looking for for several reasons...

• Color Clarity - the bulbs stood up to the test against swatches, yarns, color charts, embroidery floss, really anything I could find that illustrated subtle color variation
• Cost - Don't quote me on it but I'm pretty sure I paid under $10 for a two pack


• Availability - if they have them in my town they surely have them in yours too. This also solves the replacement bulb problem with other craft lamps. Not to mention you can use them in any standard lighting fixture, no need to purchase a special lamp.

All in all I am totally pleased with these bulbs as a knitting lamp. They give clean, bright light and allow me to see true colors while working. They are compact fluorescent bulbs which are available in several wattages so they can also save money on your power bill.

In closing I should state that this tip is not to suggest that the aforementioned GE bulbs are equal to OTT-Lite or similar craft lamps. I have not used another brand of craft lamp, so I really couldn't ascertain similarities in their performance. I have however found this to be a personally suitable solution and the best light by which I have knitted. I merely offer this as a suggestion for persons such as myself who find the price and availability of such lamps prohibitive.

I Am Wool

No, I'm not making a Zen knitting statement, I just took the "Which Fiber Are You" quiz at the Pottercraft site and it tells me that I am wool. Finally I know my destiny. Really though, it's a fun quiz and if you email them with your results as the subject and your postal address as the body of the message they will send you a free button so you can tell the world.
So what does it mean to be wool like me? Well according to the quiz results it is this:

Wool – Resilient and extensible“Wool is extremely resilient and highly extensible…you can stretch it a third of its length, or two-thirds when wet, and it’ll recover to its original shape.” –The Knitter’s Book of Yarn
Wools have a very peaceable and amenable personality. You are a social animal and tend to prefer the company of others over solitude. You are agreeable and rarely on the wrong side of an argument. You are not a fighter but you are strong. You are resilient and don't let things bend you out of shape, and you can show a lot of self-restraint when necessary.

Perhaps so, though I would have to disagree on the dislike of solitude. In public, the more the merrier but when I walk in the door to my house it's like walking into my own hermitage. Save for Tom, the dogs and the cat I really just want to be left alone most of the time.

*** Update - 1, February 2008 ***

I just received my free "I'm Wool" button from Potter Craft. It looks just like the picture at the top of this blog. Someone even wrote "Enjoy!" on the card to which it was attached. I'm a sucker for personal touches, they melt my cold little heart.