I’ve told you that Rick and I spend a lot of time in the garage nowadays. We’ve moved things around to make a more defined workspace. We added the television, dart board, and pool table.
We kept Rick’s living room furniture and now have that in the garage as well. Rarely do we spend time in the living room. It’s always the garage. My cross stitch has even moved to the garage. HA!
I was sitting in the recliner the other day cross-stitching. I told Rick that I missed my old cross stitch lamp. I was using THIS ONE…
My old one met its maker after the grandkids messed with it and broke it. It was the second one they broke, so I opted to purchase a cheaper lamp instead. My old one had a clamp to hold my cross stitch chart. This one does not. I have missed that lamp so much. I love having the chart hooked up and held in place so I can just take a peek at it as I’m stitching. With the new lamp, I don’t have that option.
I said something to Rick, and he started trying to think of a way to rig a chart holder up. I said to wait, and I’d check Amazon. I came up with this. You can find it HERE. It was $15. Hmm. I thought it was worth a try.
We ordered it, and it came. I was hopeful.
Rick put it together. It had a lot of potential…but the clamp wouldn’t tighten to the lamp.
Rick came up with a solution. He figured out where I wanted the lamp clipped, then wrapped electrical tape around in that spot.
If you look at the picture below, you can see that he had to wrap the tape around several times. It was thick enough, and the clip held in place.
Now I have a chart clip for cross-stitching in the garage.
I love it…and now I want one for the lamp in the living room too. I have THIS LAMP in the living room, and I’m sure with some electrical tape, the clamp will work on that lamp too!!
Sometimes all a problem needs is a voice to say it, an ear to listen, and someone to take action.
For so many things there is a “work around”. It just needs the right person to figure out what it is!
You and Rick make a good team!
Cool idea! Here was the solution to my dilemma when it came to holding my charts. My husband had an extra music stand. I put it next to my seat on the couch and it holds my charts perfectly! Added bonus…it’s metal so I can slide my magnetic place holder across and down the pattern as needed! As you wrote, always good to have another person’s input…you never know what solution they may find!
I have my husband scan the instructions, and I crossed them off as I work the project. I use 2 nagnets and have them immediately above what I am working on. I have a lamp, that is analogous to a surgeon’s lamp, shining light on what I am working on — some of these lamps also have magnifiers…. Just another alternative to what Jo set up.
Thinking about how much you’re liking garage living, what will happen when it’s winter? Iowa can get pretty cold, no?
We have a heater in the garage so we’ll still use it some but not all the time like we do now.
Like they say – two minds are better than one! Good solution to your problem. I hope it works on your living room lamp. I’m sure you will take this in and try it.
Rick totally MacGyvered it!!
l thought you knew every country girl knows you need a few things like duck tape, bailing wire, WD-40, some screws, A few other odds and ends. A tip, hang around Rick. He’s got this. These kind of guys are handy to have around.
Yippee! Thank you Rick!
Hurrah for Rick! I love that he hears you.