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Begin by gathering the necessary items. All you need is a lamp, a piece of large glass (I took mine from a picture that hangs on my living room wall), a table that has a removable leaf (or two end tables that are the same height) and an extension cord if needed to reach an available outlet.

Remove the leaf from the table, but leave the two halves open. Or, place two end tables about a foot apart. Remove the lampshade from your lamp, and place the lamp under the table's opening (or between the end tables). Remove your chairs from under the table, and place the glass on the table straddling the opening.

Use the extension cord if necessary to reach an outlet, and turn on your lamp.

Place your work on top of the glass. It's so easy to line up registration marks or to trace pattern pieces or appliqué designs. Once you've used a light box, you'll never want to do these tasks without one!

Begin by gathering the necessary items. All you need is a lamp, a piece of large glass (I took mine from a picture that hangs on my living room wall), a table that has a removable leaf (or two end tables that are the same height) and an extension cord if needed to reach an available outlet.

Have you always wished you had a light box, but don't want to spend the money or don't have the space to store one. Well, this tip is for you! There are so many tasks that a light box makes easy--tracing paper patterns, tracing appliqué designs, matching registration marks on patterns printed with pattern drafting software and much more. Once you use one, you'll be hooked.

All you need to make one is the glass from a large picture frame (the glass can be replaced in the picture when you're done), either a table that has a removable leaf or two tables that are the same height, a table lamp or other lamp, and an extension cord. 

Remove the leaf from your table, but leave the two sides of the table open (or place two end tables about a foot apart). Take the glass out of the frame and straddle it across the open halves of the table. Remove the lamp's shade, and place the lamp on the floor underneath the glass using the extension cord (if needed), and turn it on. Voila! Your new light box is finished and ready for use.

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April M. Mohr, contributor
Posted on Jul 2nd, 2009 in sewing, tips & tricks, tools & supplies, reader's closet, notions

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Comments (8)

dezzyw writes: Quick, too!
Posted: 11:11 am on July 1st

dezzyw writes: Innovative, inexpensive, yet very effective of means for tracing, etc. Thanks!
Posted: 11:10 am on July 1st

homeecteacher writes: I love this idea! I make postcards and like someone else I was limited to the daytime when I could hold my tracing up to a sunny window. I had finally made the decision to buy one at Michael's if I could use my 40% off coupon. Glad I saw this first!
Posted: 6:27 pm on November 20th

dragonmoon writes: Much nicer than what I had been doing (taping the sheets of paper to a sunny window). The thin glass from a photo frame makes me a bit nervous - I think that I'd grab the tempered glass cutting board from the kitchen first.
Posted: 11:26 pm on November 10th

TeddieSeeley writes: What a wonderful, and innovative idea, and so simple.
Thank you for sharing.
Posted: 8:24 pm on August 24th

Tartanfilly writes: I have never used a light box before and I would love to know what it is useful for.
Posted: 7:49 am on July 17th

AmyCurrioman writes: This is a great idea! I wish I'd seen this tip, or thought of this before I bought a light box! Alas, I have had one for several years. I will remember this tip, though, for the times that I go to someone's house and they talk about needing a light box!
Posted: 7:30 pm on July 13th

Rashida writes: An excellent idea. If you're lucky enough to have or to be setting up a sewing area you can take this idea one step further: Instead of buying or building a solid wood work surface, try to get a tempered glass dining table top and mount it on adjustable trestle legs. You get a mar-proof work surface at your preferred working height, and by putting a small lamp under the table you have a large stable light box whenever you need it. (An added bonus is that ambient room light can shine through the table top, so your work area appears brighter.)
Posted: 2:00 pm on July 4th

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