Beam n Read Hands-Free Lights shine an extra wide, bright, and cool light that's easy on the eyes for needlework and crafts anywhere whether at home or while traveling.
Key Features: hands-free; use anywhere; wide light; easy on the eyes; external power option
"This light is perfect... especially for those of you who work projects with your hands such as appliqué, crochet, needlepoint, or knitting." - Marilyn Petersen, Owner, Cotton & Chocolate Quilt Company, 2012 Featured Shop - Quilt Sampler Magazine.
Wide and Bright Light; Easy on the Eyes
Beam n Read Hands-Free Lights get enthusiastic reviews from quilters, knitters, beaders, and other needleworkers. Especially those who have used other lights. (see review comments below).
You can work anywhere - in a chair, bed, car, train, plane, or hotel room. No need to sit next to a hot table or floor lamp or work in dim light. The Beam n Read shines directly on the work in progress and doesn't disturb others nearby. A group can gather to stitch and chat and each can have a good, strong light for her own work without regard to fixed or environmental lighting.
Unlike headlamps, Beam n Read lights don't bounce around during normal head movements, won't shine in a companion's eye's when you look up at them, and won't give you headlamp hair. Unlike floor or table lamps, they run cool and comfortable and won't throw heat on your shoulders. Unlike clip-on lights that were designed primarily for hardcover books, our lights also work with soft materials such as patterns or instructions on loose sheets as well as magazines and, of course, for loose fabric, yarn, and beads.
The extra long battery runtime keeps the Beam n Read shining long after others personal lights have gone dim. With the optional USB Power Kit you can plug into USB sockets at home and when traveling to use external power and save the batteries for when portability is needed.
The Beam n Read LED 6 Hands-Free Task Light with 6 LEDs in a row for an extra wide and extra bright light and two relaxation filters is the most popular model for needlework. The Beam n Read LED 6m Hands-Free Craft Light with 3 plastic magnifier lenses is popular for beading.
With a unique combination of features, accessories, versatility, and battery runtime, our patented lights are unmatched by other portable, personal lights. Included accessories vary by model.
Buy Beam n Read Lights at Quilt Shops, Yarn Shops, and other Needlework Specialty Stores,
or here on Readinglight.com ASF Lightware Solutions encourages you to support local & specialty stores
(Outside USA? - Readinglight.com ships internationally)
Product Reviews from quilting, knitting, beading, & other needlework magazines and websites
Best Hand Sewing Light - Beam N Read LED 6 Now with Power Kit (Video Product Review), This is one of my favorite quilting tools. It allows me to sew in areas that are not well lit, and yet I can see my handwork perfectly because the light hangs around my neck.
Quilt Show News, Deborah Richmond
Kelly Jackson of IHaveANotion.com
This personal, portable, hands-free light is perfect for hand stitching, reading, and knitting.
It has 6 LEDs that illuminate your work without disturbing others, making it perfect for traveling.
Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting, July/August 2011,
FonsandPorter.com (print magazine, not available online)
We discovered the Beam N Read Light a little over a year ago. Since then it has been one our best sellers not only at the quilt shows but also at the store. It's no wonder because this light is perfect for this industry, especially for those of you who work projects with your hands such as applique, crochet, needlepoint, or knitting. Of course Marilyn mainly uses it for the English Paper Piecing projects she is always working on. She loves it because it's brighter than any other light she has ever tried (trust me, there has been quite a few) and it doesn't need to be plugged into the wall! That means you can take it anywhere. She keeps it right in her project bag along with those lovely little hexagon papers, fabric, scissors, needle, and the all important reading glasses (they make her look so smart).
Marilyn Petersen, Owner,
Cotton & Chocolate Quilt Co., 2012 Featured Shop - Quilt Sampler Magazine
This is the best solution I have seen so far for a very bright and portable craft or reading light. It is great for all sorts of crafting like quilting, knitting, sewing besides jewelry making. There are also many other potential uses to this handy device. Pearl Blay,
BeadingGem.com
Image courtesy of BeadLoversKorner.com
This craft lamp proves to be excellent for arts and crafts lighting and one of the most versatile craft lights for busy jewelry makers and crafters... There are so many benefits and cool features to these LED lights that I don't know where to begin!
BeadLoversKorner.com
Can you ever have TOO MUCH LIGHT? I don't think so.
This 6-light gadget is fabulous for "less than ideal" lighting in workshops, when you're traveling, or even at home...Great for hand sewing, machine sewing, reading, all sorts of crafts.
Ami Simms, Professional Quilt Teacher Of The Year - 2005, Author, & Award Winning Quilter,
AmiSimms.com
As a quilting, sewing and embroidery enthusiast for many years, I've certainly used many well known brands of lights.
Thus, I can truly say that the Beam n Read light is the great product. It has a bright LED light, yet soft on the eyes.
To clarify, it is much easier on the eyes than any other bright light sewing light I've ever used previously...
I found I enjoyed the Beam n Read for these easy feeling it left on my eyes. Truly it has become one of my favorite lights.
And I love the portability. Great, great light and a very reasonable price.
SewCalGal,
Insights from SewCalGal
Madame Samm's Stamp of Excellence!
...well here are some reasons why I LOVE THIS...
#1 NO HEAT from the LED light Bulbs
#2 Lightweight around your neck
#3 Rests on your Chest ( love that when I am reading my Kindle in Bed)
#4 I can get up in the middle of the night without turning on the lights
and light my way with my Beam N Read ( or walk, stitch, camp, )
#5 Perfect for seeing my keyboard when I am on my laptop..
#6 Most important to me, in the heat of the summer, I don't have
other light sources heating me up. My Beam N Read is my favorite
New must have TOOL!
Madam Samm,
Sew We Quilt
Quite honestly, I probably wouldn't have given this light a second glance if it hadn't been sent to me for a review.
I have a nice bright light next to my chair where I do most of my handwork, so why would I need to strap a light around my neck?
It didn't take me long to figure out that this little light is invaluable for anyone who does any kind of handwork!
The extra bright light directed towards your stitching (without obstructing your view) makes all the difference in the world while stitching,
especially when there isn't any natural light available. The Beam N Read is lightweight and has a comfortable, easy to adjust neck strap.
It only took a few minutes of use and I was hopelessly hooked on my Beam N Read!
Susan McConnell,
Hanging On by a Needle and Thread
This light is FANTASTIC!! LOVE* LOVE* LOVE IT!! I refuse to do any kind of hand stitching without it!!
...
If you have ever worked with dark fabrics and applique, whether it be wool or cotton, you know how difficult it is to see where one fabric ends and the other begins. The Beam N Read REALLY is the answer to this problem! It lights up the area that you are going to sew and you can see the two fabrics clearly. EUREKA!!
The Beam N Read is a MUST have and gets two thumbs UP from me!! Can't/Won't sew without it...
Paulette,
Sweet P Quilting and Creations
Boy do I love it!.
Let me begin by saying that as I just turned 61, my eyes aren't what they used to be. I began using the Beam N Read while I was sitting in my favorite leather lounge chair. I usually am sewing or crocheting in the evening, and the overhead light just doesn't cut it. The Beam N Read light illuminates perfectly!
What else can I say about the Beam N Read? Lots!
It is well built and a solid piece of equipment!
The head of the unit pivots up, so you can really adjust the light to the area you are working on, like hand sewing.
You can use Beam N Read with your laptop while you are are in bed.
It is lightweight to wear around your neck.
Far more superior to any head lamp or clip on light.
When used with the Kindle, it doesn't cause a glare.
So for all of you crafters, sewers, knitters or crocheters, and avid book readers, this is a must!
Micki Butler,
Irish Muses
I like to work all hours of the day and night at home, and sometimes that can be challenging when the rest of the family wants to watch a movie or get some rest... With my Beam & Read light I can watch a movie in the dark with my family, while knitting or crocheting, and the light doesn't bother them at all! It is very light, too. I will definitely bring it when I travel, too. It would be perfect on a night flight so I can continue to work while others are resting.
Kristin Omdahl, Knitting/Crochet Designer and Author and Crochet Expert on Knitting Daily TV,
StyledByKristin.com
I Can See Clearly Now
Crafters know that poor lighting just won't do when attention to detail is essential.
Illuminate your workspace with the ingeniously designed Beam N Read.
Knit Simple Magazine Holiday 2010 Issue
(print magazine, not available online)
Lightweight and easy to carry, this portable LED light shines brightly for illumination anywhere, anytime without disturbing others.
Perfect for knitting, pattern reading, and other needlecrafts, take it anywhere - it's ideal for use at home or during travel.
Knit 'n Style Magazine, Feb 2014 Issue
(print magazine, review not available online)
The Beam N Read Hands Free Light offers plenty of ways to make knitting situations easier... This is truly a must-have tool!Knit 1-2-3 Magazine, Issue #8,
(print magazine, review not available online)
This is such an innovative tool!Crochet 1-2-3 Magazine, Issue #11,
(print magazine, review not available online)
The Best Knitting Gadgets Beam and read lights My newest favorite gadget, wear it around your neck to shine light where you need it most. Some models come with 6 L.E.D. lights and some with 3, and there is a 2x, 4x, 6x magnifying attachment that really works well. Marjorie Colletta, Knitting Editor
BellaOnline.com
KNITTING TOOLS: NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION
This is a GREAT light. It is very bright and powerful and quite nice when I'm sitting knitting in the living room or my room and the lights are low for ambience or reduced glare on the television. The light is also great for using with the Kindle (ooh, I want one of those Fire ones ... but the original with keyboard is working just fine too!) as it has wider coverage than many of the "book lights".
Mary Gildersleeve, Knitting teacher, designer, author.
By Hand with Heart
What an incredible opportunity I've had to review this amazing Beam N Read LED 6 Deluxe light. Not only is it great tool for sewing and quilting, you can use it to read at night, or in your car for sewing or reading or even reading a road map...
And I have to tell you that reading at night is so much easier with the BeamNRead light.
But most of all, this light has the best illumination for doing hand work.
Whether it is sewing on binding or doing applique, this light is incredible!
Joslyn Preus,
Happy Cottage Quilter
Think of all the sewing/quilting related tasks we do routinely that could benefit from this light, like hand applique:...or for doing the hand embroidery stitches of wool felt applique:... or sewing the binding to the backside of the quilt, or sewing a label onto the back of a quilt,...the list goes on and on. One thing that's really impressed me about this light is that it makes it possible for me to complete my hand work in places where it's previously been impossible to do so. Now I can do hand applique on long car rides after dark, or when I've traveled to teach and am spending the night in a hotel room with lousy lighting. Thanks to the Beam N Read Light, I can reclaim these lost hours and turn them into productive time!
Patsy Thompson,
Patsy Thompson Designs
I was happy to test drive this super functional light!...
I've added mine to my hexie supplies in my new pouch...
The Beam n Read is a great size to work into any bag, and perfect for handwork while sitting in a low light room or in the dark - while not disturbing anyone else around you...
The light wears like a necklace, and completely adjustable, so your light can be right where you need it, when you need it.
Amy Ellis,
Amy's Creative Side
My husband likes to watch movies in the dark. So dark that I can't knit,
can't read, can barely see the cat sitting on my lap. So imagine his surprise
when the opening credits ran on our latest DVD rental and I flipped on my new,
handy "hands-free" light. It didn't bother him at all and I was able to make
great progress on the baby blanket I was knitting. Also included is a lightweight
Fresnel magnifier which worked like a charm on a night-time nature walk at a local
forest preserve. Who knew snowflakes were so beautiful at night. What a great product! DailyKnitter.com
Beam N Read lighting up a Schacht Zoom Loom. Image courtesy of Schacht Spindle Co.
I recently went on a road trip with 4 other knitters in a van. Knowing there would be knitting during the trip, I packed the sample Beam N Read I'd been sent to review. It didn't take long till the sun went down and we needed light to be able to continue to see our work.
I passed the light first to Cari, ...Cari proclaimed very clearly that she loved the Beam N Read and would absolutely buy one.
For Julia, she didn't like the light as a craft light. She found she did like it when she tried to read her book in the very back of the van, and continued to read for a long while.
One thing we all noticed: if any of us had been wearing [our usual standby, the camping headlamp], we'd get an eyeful of bright light when they faced us and would have to turn away. With the Beam N Read, the light is held on the chest, aiming down at what we're working on or reading, so we could chat and look at each other comfortably. We liked this a lot.
Me? I think it's a very handy tool ...I'm glad this product was sent in for us to test. It's the kind of thing I might not have tried out on my own, but now that I've put it to use, I think it's very useful and will likely find myself reaching for it more and more often. Amy Singer, Editor/Publisher,
Knitty.com
One of my favorite tools that allows me to stitch ANYWHERE...the fantastic light that hangs around my neck.It is called "Beam and Read"...
I can sew in a dark room when my family is watching a movie, sew in bed, sew during meetings, sew ANYWHERE!!!
I used to use the clip-on book lights, but found those terribly inconvenient...the clips were clumsy and the lights not very bright...
and they used those hard-to-find round/flat little batteries. I would clip them on my hoop while hand quilting, which was clumsy... this is WAY better.
Teresa Rawson,
Fabric Therapy
Notions for Quilting
Beam N Read from ASF Lightware Solutions -- This is a hands-free LED light that you wear on a strap around your neck. It has six LED lights set in a reflector hood. It also has a magnifier and a night-vision filter attachment that can be used. If you need extra light when stitching, this may be the product you are looking for.Quilter's World Newsletter
It's hands free feature does lend itself quite well to knitting and
crocheting or any other kind of needlework or crafting...
So, this light is a great idea!
A nice thing to have in your knitting or crochet bag if you do often knit
or crochet in the dark and don't wish to turn on the lamp (and disturb a
sleeping DH, for example).
Kathleen Lee,
Sweaterbabe.com
These lights really do provide more than sufficient light for crochet work. I used the LED 6 Light while chaperoning a high school band trip. We were on school buses, and it was quite dark on the drive back home. I was able to use the light with the yellow filter and not cause any vision problems for the bus driver. (I was seated two seats behind her.) I had more than enough light to crochet and read my pattern.
Amy Shelton,
Crochetville.org
I often stitch at night while we watch TV. Sometimes my DH doesn't like the light on, so off goes the light and thus my stitching ends for the evening.
But not now. With the Beam N Read LED Light, I can stitch without any other lights and see my needlepoint just fine.
Janet M. Perry,
Nuts about Needlepoint
Cool Tools: Beam N Read Light
A while back I ordered a Beam N Read Light from 'I Have a Notion'. The lighting in my living room is "just okay"
and this portable light really helps me to see the fabric edges for sewing my pieces together. It really comes in handy...
I'm waiting for hubby to steal it. LOL!... It's now a staple in my hand sewing basket. Jean,
Jean Creates, Quilting through life one block at a time
This light works for needlepoint – –
subtle color differences can be seen. I am able to make significant progress
on a needlepoint picture because this light is as good as daylight in working
on my project. Before I purchased this light, I had to lay my picture aside
when the sun went down. (Sandra, Nebraska)
Perfect needlework light. I've tried just about every needlework light there is and have never found one
that was just right until now. It hangs around the neck and sits flat on the
chest without getting in the way at all. There is absolutely no shadow at all
on my counted cross stitch fabric, which has always been a problem and no cord
at all to get in the way. You can get an A/C pack, but I wouldn't want it. The
way it is with the battery, you don't even know it's there. You just have
really good light. (Kathy)
Buy Beam n Read Lights and other ASF products at Quilt Shops, Yarn Shops, and other Needlework Specialty Stores, or here on Readinglight.com ASF Lightware Solutions encourages you to support local & specialty stores
Beam n Read Hands-Free Lights get enthusiastic reviews from quilters, knitters, beaders, and other needleworkers. Especially those who have used other lights. (see review comments below). 
Kelly Jackson of IHaveANotion.com
Image courtesy of BeadLoversKorner.com
Madame Samm's 
Quite honestly, I probably wouldn't have given this light a second glance if it hadn't been sent to me for a review.
I have a nice bright light next to my chair where I do most of my handwork, so why would I need to strap a light around my neck?
It didn't take me long to figure out that this little light is invaluable for anyone who does any kind of handwork!
The extra bright light directed towards your stitching (without obstructing your view) makes all the difference in the world while stitching,
especially when there isn't any natural light available. The Beam N Read is lightweight and has a comfortable, easy to adjust neck strap.
It only took a few minutes of use and I was hopelessly hooked on my Beam N Read!
Susan McConnell,
Hanging On by a Needle and Thread
The Best Knitting Gadgets 
Think of all the sewing/quilting related tasks we do routinely that could benefit from this light, like hand applique:...or for doing the hand embroidery stitches of wool felt applique:... or sewing the binding to the backside of the quilt, or sewing a label onto the back of a quilt,...the list goes on and on. One thing that's really impressed me about this light is that it makes it possible for me to complete my hand work in places where it's previously been impossible to do so. Now I can do hand applique on long car rides after dark, or when I've traveled to teach and am spending the night in a hotel room with lousy lighting. Thanks to the Beam N Read Light, I can reclaim these lost hours and turn them into productive time!
Patsy Thompson,
Patsy Thompson Designs
Beam N Read lighting up a Schacht Zoom Loom. Image courtesy of Schacht Spindle Co.