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  Magnifiers and Lamps
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Good lighting, of the proper strength and color, can make a world of
difference in the ease with which you can sort thread colors or see those
teeny holes in the fabric.  While natural lighting is the best, most of us
don't want to limit our stitching time to daylight hours.

Below are some extracts from postings about this topic.

   Fluorescent lamps (tubes) come in different colors, just as do incandescent
   lamps.  Designer Warm White in a fluorescent lamp will give you true
   "daylight" colors.  If you do not get the correct color of incandescent
   lamp (and they are harder to get true colors from) you will have major
   color changes.  This is information from my daughter, the interior
   designer, and her technical notes on lighting...

   Also, as I originally mentioned, the heat is a large factor from
   incandescent lamps as well as the focused light which, in conjunction with
   a magnifier, can cause fires.

   There has been some discussion on several conferences about light bulbs
   (technically called lamps) for use with cross stitch or other work that
   requires "true" colors.

   After consulting with a lighting expert here are his suggestions:
   Fluorescents can give the closest to "natural light" of any artificial
   source.

   For circular fluorescents (e.g., for use in Dazors), the Design 50 has 5000
   Kelvins and is closest to natural daylight.  The Designer Cool White is
   also close to natural light but is not available in circular form.

   The second best artificial light is halogen, with the Daylight lamp, which
   is 6500 Kelvins.

   The poorest form of commonly used artificial light is the incandescent
   lamp, but you can get "color corrected daylight" bulbs at a lighting
   specialty store.


Magnifiers can also be a big help.  There are inexpensive types which clip
onto glasses.  Another kind hangs around the user's neck and is braced against
the chest.

"Around the neck" pluses:
   ~ Inexpensive
   ~ Portable

"Around the neck" minuses:
   ~ Can be uncomfortable if you have a chest that is (ahem...) not very flat.
   ~ Your light source may reflect back off of the magnifier.  This seems to
     be a problem only with artificial lighting.
   ~ Little control over the distance from your eyes to the lens.

Dazor brand lamps are lamps with magnifiers incorporated.  They are generally
considered the top of the line in magnifiers for crafters. The lamps come in
white, black and cream.

Dazor pluses:
   ~ Different lenses for different magnification levels.
   ~ Choice of fluorescent or incandescent bulbs.
   ~ Floor models have weighted bases, so the arm can be extended without
     tipping the lamp over.
   ~ Bases come with wheels (optionally).
   ~ There are models (without bases) which can be clamped onto scroll stands.

Dazor minuses:
   ~ Very expensive
   ~ Very heavy