What will a black light do? Help with white on white?

[juliagraves]

I have a terrible time seeing white thread on white fabric and am thinking of getting a black light. Is this going to help?

Or is the main benefit of a black light that you can use a black light pen to mark and not worry about removing the marks since they can't be seen without a black light?

What do other people find the black light helpful for?

Thanks!

Julia

[Quilting Heidi]

Julia,

The black light is designed to work with black light marking powder or pencils which illuminates only when seen with a black light. The black light won't help you see the white thread better. You probably need either a maginifier or brighter lights.

[sspingler]

If you have the right lighting....or lack of lighting, the black light makes any pastel thread a neon. You can actually see it from across the room. However, I got a black light but it didn't do any good because I have 2 walls of windows. You need a near dark room to use it.

[Bonnie]

Julia...when I was using my black light ALOT, I did notice that SOME of my white threads did show up better with the black light on (learned this because I forgot it was there and hadn't switched it to the regular light)...the whites not all would glow or have a real purply/neon hue to them....but then again it does the same thing to some white fabrics...so in some cases yes it did work, but in others the contrast was so the same that the bright natural lights actually worked better...

So since black lights really aren't that expensive if you buy them say at Home Depot or Lowes...and I have even found them for about $12.00 at places that care light fixtures. Its worth the try to see if it works for you...and if it doesn't you will now have a black light to work with black light powders and pencils.

[Mary Beth]

Julia,

Try turning off the light in the room. When I am using white thread as I am doing now, on a white-on-white fabric, I turn off the lights and just use the light on the machine. It works.

[ffq-lar]

Like Mary Beth;), I turn off room lights, but I also lay a cheap fluorescent under-counter light ($13.99 at Home Depot) across the rollers to the side and then turn off the machine lights. The light from the side will make your previous stitching jump off the top. This works best with an overall or filler. If you want to place designs in a block, the black light technique will work better. Works for me.