OttLite is a unique lighting brand that specifically works to bring a style of natural daylight indoors, offering many benefits over other indoor lighting. OttLite offers a series of tools specifically for crafters who can especially benefit from natural indoor lighting. I had the opportunity to try their Ultimate 3-in-1 Craft Lamp and found it to be a great all around option for working lamp-side crochet.
Health Benefits of Natural Daylight
OttLite was founded by Dr. Ott who believed in the benefits of natural lighting. According to the website:
“A photobiologist and pioneer in natural light research, Dr. Ott discovered through 40 years of scientific research the remarkable effects specific wavelengths of light have on all living things. Known as the father of full-spectrum lighting, his research concluded that a light with the entire visible spectrum of light wavelengths was best for vision and well being. This led to the development of the first sunlight lamp.”
I have done a lot of research into crafting for mental health and wellness and the issue of natural sunlight often comes up, particularly as it relates to crafters with depression. People with seasonal depression, in particular, are greatly affected by a lack of natural lighting, which can occur during the winter months but can also impact people who are stuck indoors due to prolonged illness and other causes. Bringing the most natural light possible indoors has ben hugely beneficial to many of the people I’ve communicated with. And one of the most common places to need additional lighting in the home is your craft area.
Craft Benefits of Natural Daylight
In addition to the health and wellness benefits of natural lighting, there are some benefits specific to crafters:
- It provides the best opportunity to see yarn colors in their natural state.
- It offers the clearest light for seeing stitch definition, making it easier to complete your crochet even if you are working with thread.
- It reduces eyestrain so that you can comfortably work on your crochet for longer periods of time.
What Makes it a 3-in-1 Lamp?
The Ultimate 3-in-1 Craft Lamp is so named because it can be set up in three different ways and is easily adjustable between the different options. It can be used as a floor lamp, which is the method that makes the most sense in the area of the home where I am using it. It can also be set up as a tabletop lamp or it can be clamped on to the side of a desk or table. This is great because you can move it around easily when you change your craft work area or personal home decor. Depending on its various positions, the lamp can be as short as under 14″ or as tall as nearly 60″.
Extras on the Ultimate 3-in-1 Craft Lamp
The different design options are a core feature of the lamp but this lamp also offers some extras that are useful to crafters. There is a lit magnifier on a bending arm that you can use to easily see stitch detail in your work. If you are working with fuzzy yarn like mohair, dark yarn or other materials where it’s difficult to see stitch definition, good lighting can make all the difference in whether or not you work your stitches correctly.
Another feature of the lamp is a clip that is able to hold papers, such as your crochet pattern. This keeps the pattern out of the way but easily accessible; you can bend the arm towards you when you want to see the papers and push it out of the way when you do not. The arms for the magnifier and clip are about 20″ long so you can really position everything exactly the way that you need it no matter how you are seated as you work.
Finally, there is an outlet built into the lamp so that you can plug in additional tools that you may need. As a crocheter, you likely don’t use a lot of other tools, but if you’re a multi-media crafter then you may want to plug in something such as a hot glue gun for use during your crafting session. Alternatively, this is a great place to plug in your phone charger to keep your phone with you while you crochet.
Learn more about the Ultimate 3-in-1 Craft Lamp here.
What Other Crafters Have to Say
Several other crocheters have reviewed this lamp as well. Here are what some had to say:
“I got my own OttLite Ultimate 3-in-1 Craft Floor Lamp to review, and fell in love immediately. I even Instagrammed the unboxing and assembly! I think it took longer to put the post together than it did to put the lamp together!” – Moogly
“The LED magnifier arm has completely eliminated my eye strain, especially when working with dark colored yarns. All I need to do is position it just above my hands, turn on the light and I’m good to crochet for hours!” – B.Hooked Crochet
“Last year my glasses prescription worsened. I figured that was just a side effect of lots of crocheting and computer work but I noticed a huge difference the second that I turned this lamp on.” – Happily Hooked
“The adjustable clamp can hold reference photos, patterns, and even a book because, let me tell you, that clamp is heavy duty!” – Honeysuckle Lane
Other OttLite Craft Lamps
I like the Ultimate 3-in-1 Craft Lamp that I had the opportunity to test out but in case it’s not right for you, I thought I’d share a couple of OttLite’s other lamps for crafters.
Craft Space Organizer Lamp; this is one of several types of craft lamps that include storage and organization spaces built into the design of the lamp. Another example is the portable craft carrying case and lamp:
And I also really like this floor lamp on wheels that looks to be lightweight and has multiple positions for the lighting portion so that you can easily bring it to wherever you are working and adjust it to the angle you need for your crafting.
