Light Box

I'm tracing a pattern onto fusible adhesive from my design mock-up. At present, I can trace most of it as is. But for part of the design, I want to trace it onto silk. For that, I will have to be able to see through the silk. It is thicker than habotai.

One tool that I have found very valuable for this type of thing is a light box. Some years ago, a friend of ours made one for me. There is plexiglass in the top, and one of those strip lighting tubes inside. He has coated the bottom with a sticky back foil effect material, to help bounce the light back up. It works quite well. I like the air holes so it doesn't get too hot. They actually make it easier to carry, too!

But, don't use it for a base for cutting out synthetic organza with a soldering iron. Why? You get lovely little patterns etched into the plexiglass. (Don't ask me how I know!) For that kind of thing you have to use glass or tiles.