I never exect anyone to buy anything I recommend. I do often use affiliate links for Amazon so if you order something from an Amazon link, I may get a few cents but, as you might guess, it isn’t affiliate income that puts food on the table so I hope no one ever feels obligated to buy anything I suggest. As for myself, I’m always happy with Jo or Judy or Janna or Donna or some of my other enabling friends share resources with me so . . I’m just passing it on!
Magnifiers:
It wasn’t long after I started cross stitching that I laughed at my friend, Donna, when she told me how many magnifying lamps she had ordered and not liked. I don’t laugh any more. I have three and while they each have SOMETHING I like and SOMETHING I dislike, there’s not a single one of them that I would buy again. Here’s a post I did about the ones I have.
I also have a set of manifying glasses, and I’ve not been happy with them. Maybe I’m just hard to please!
I saw these recently and ordered them. They arrived yesterday and I used them a bit last night and some this morning. While I will not be singing their praises til I’ve used them for several hours and see how they work, right now I’m happier with them than with anything else I’ve tried.
Right now, they’re less than $20. They aren’t teribly heavy. The rubber piece that fits on my nose is quite comfortable. They have a light! It requires 3 AAA batteries. So far, I have not tried it with the light but I may this evening. Holding three batteries in my hand doesn’t seem to weigh much but I was thinking . . when we’re at my uncle’s or on a road trip, I am probably not going to want to bring a lamp so this might work in place of a lamp.
They come with five different strengths of magnifying lense – 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.5. I started with the 3.5 and ended up backing down to the 2.0 which I like best as of now. So far, I’m impressed.
Linen, Charts & Floss:
Watching one flosstube leads to another flosstube and to another and so on. I ended up on Hollis Hands Creates the other day. I had never watched her before. She has an Etsy shop but she’s recently moved from Texas (I think) to Kansas City, MO . . kinda weird since we almost just did the same thing. Her Etsy shop had been closed for the move so I signed up to be notified when her shop re-opened. This morning I got the notification. The notification actually came in last night but I didn’t see it til this morning. When I went there, she had three or four pages of linen. She had quite a bit in stock that I had not been able to find other places so I did place an order for some of the harder to find colors.
If there’s a color you’re looking for, she may have it.
Christina A Coats says
Hi Judy
SNAP! My magnifying glasses arrived last Saturday and I thought I would need 3.5 but honestly down to 2 as well! . So far so good, love the light, mine was working on arrival. I haven’t put batteries in ? Better than the magnifying glass that hung around my neck which I couldn’t find anyway. Booked an eye exam as it’s years since I had one just to get an idea what strength I need. Hoping to make my cross stitch tote this weekend, tired out from painting a bedroom and I’m sure I will pay for it tomorrow. Just need to sit and stitch for the next few days.
Therese says
I’ve tried those but with the batteries inserted, the weight hurt my nose if worn for as long as I like to stitch!
Cathi Harry says
I have a similar pair that came with a headband thing. Way too heavy for me. Didn’t trywithout the batteries.
Judy Laquidara says
We’re all different and it takes a lot of trial and error to find what works for us. I wore them yesterday evening for 5 or 6 hours and the weight didn’t bother me with the batteries but I’ve tried the lighter Mag Eyes and were’t as satisfied with them, while others love them.
Michelle Ford says
I had those and they hurt my head. I finally got the mag eyes that Lori holt suggested and I love them. It’s lightweight and comes with 2 strengths but there are 4 total. I really like that I can stitch and glance up and see the tv or whatever while wearing my regular glasses and the magnifiers don’t move and interfere. Don’t have a light on them but that’s ok.
Judy Laquidara says
The Mag Eyes were the first ones I ordered, even before getting lamps, and I wasn’t pleased with them . . I think because the thin plastic lenses seemed to distort what I was seeing except at one very tight spot. But, there are so many things out there and not one thing works for everyone.
Betsy says
How are the magnifiers for near sightedness? I clicked on your link to order them but want to make sure I can use them
Judy Laquidara says
I’m near sighted . . can’t see squat without my glasses. I’m using the 2.0 lens and it’s working for me. Make sure wherever you order them, you can send them back just to be sure.
Margie says
I have these magnifiers, but mine charges with a usb cable so no batteries. I can’t wear them for long periods because they hurt my nose. I like the different strengths and do use them at times. I have since purchased Magni-clips. These just clip onto my main glasses and I love them. You can only purchase a single strength at a time with these tho.
Tracy says
Happy to hear Hollis Hands Creates is open again, I’m going there next. I ended up with the stand magnifier that Denise R. recommended on her blog, the Daylight one. I am sensitive to weight on my nose, I have the lightest progressive glasses I could find, so the magnifiers probably would not be comfortable for me. I bought a cross stitch notion yesterday, Bees Wax. I’m curious to see how it will work, the description says it will help thread glide through the fabric easier. I have used wax for hand quilting, but then found Gutterman thread that’s coated. I’m wondering if it will help two threads lay more neatly in a stitch. Any thoughts?
Judy Laquidara says
I stitched for 5 or 6 hours last night with the batteries in the “glasses” and didn’t have a problem but I’m not sensitive so that’s a total different story.