I have a Janome 3160 QDC sewing machine, and like many others I find that the machine's built-in lighting is really pretty weak and unable to light the work area very well. I selected the Inspired LED brand of sewing machine LED lighting kit because of its good ratings by others.

The kit includes the following:
- LED strip with 36 LEDs; the strip may be cut into sections with multiples of 3 LEDs per section. One end of the strip has a short cable with a plug on the end, while the far end of the strip has a socket to allow additional LED strips to be added for increased length. The back of the strip has a peel-off backing paper that reveals the adhesive which will secure the strip to the sewing machine.
- "wall wart" style AC power supply, 110-240VAC input, with a 12VDC output that can supply up to 1A. The supply is labeled as an LED Power Supply, and I don't know if there is really anything special about it or if perhaps any 12VDC supply of suitable capacity could work with the LED strip. Most buyers of this kit don't need to worry, since the included supply is adequate.
- power switch with two sockets, one for the plug on the power supply cable, and the other plug for the cable on the LED strip. The switch has two foam pads with adhesive backings, to allow the switch to be attached to almost any surface.
- two (2) clips for securing the cable(s) to the sewing machine, each clip has a foam pad with adhesive backing.

Note that the LED strip, even though it comes with a power cable at one end and a power socket at the other end, really has no "input" or 'output' end. If you choose to NOT use the included power switch, you can plug the power supply cable into the socketed end of the LED strip, and either leave alone or cut off the opposite end of the strip that has the short cable. But nominally, the manufacturer has intended the power to enter the strip from its cabled end.

The installation involves experimenting with different ways to arrange some, or all, of the LED strip on the underside of the top part of the sewing machine. Since the strip can be cut, with a scissors, into sections with 3 LEDs per section, you can arrange shorter sections in various patterns to get best light coverage. On my machine, it was easy to find decent strip locations under the main bridge, but more difficult to find suitable strip locations under the head near the needle area. This is because the strip cannot block the area where the thread has to pass through holes and/or slots in the body of the machine, and at least on my machine there were few areas above the needle zone that were wide enough to mount the LED strip to. I ended up running a 6-LED strip near the right end of the bridge, from rear to front, then a second strip with 9 LEDs across the underside of the front part of the bridge, then a third strip with 6 LEDs towards the rear of the bridge adjacent to the head, and finally a fourth strip with 9 LEDs along the rear of the bottom edge of the head, behind the needle zone. I still had a piece of strip, with 6 LEDs on it, left over and unused.

The included instructions do not mention using several shorter LED strip sections...they just mention cutting the LED strip to a length that works for the machine. In order to use several shorter strip sections as I did, it is necessary to have a soldering iron, tin/lead solder, and some small gauge solid wire which can be used to connect one strip section to another and hence get power to all the sections. If you don't feel up to doing this kind of thing, your options will be fewer when it comes to the more elaborate lighting layouts. However, the LEDs are fairly bright, and even a single strip of perhaps a dozen LEDs, run in a single straight section, will help illuminate under a typical sewing machine.

The LED strip is basically white, with tiny black resistors and yellow looking LEDs (but the light they produce is white, not yellow). From a distance the strips appear to be white over all. Since most modern machines seem to be white, the LED strips should not appear too obtrusive.

Note that the LED strips, while generally flexible, are really somewhat stiff, and they can only bend in places that are in between where the components (LEDs and resistors) are mounted to the strip. You need to carefully position the strip(s) so that the most flexible areas are located where on the machine the strip needs to bend the most.

I thought the included power switch was rather large, really too large to mount cleanly on most machines I imagine. I was able to mount the switch on my machine at the bottom of the right end, near the machine's power switch. But the LED power supply cable and the cable to the LED strip will be exposed, which is kind of ugly.

Overall, I am happy with my LED lighting kit. I think it could be improved by making it in separate short segments, which are already interconnected with short flexible cables, to allow more freedom in layout without the necessity of having to do soldering.

WOW. This light strip took less than 5 minutes to "install" and made a world of difference on my Juki TL-2010 sewing machine. I am attaching a Before and After photo. I can't recommend this enough. I can't speak to its longevity yet, but I can say that even if it only lasted 6 months I would still buy it again. I sew every day.

Love this light. I installed it while on retreat this weekend and it was amazing. I would suggest using tape to place the lights first try it out for and hour then peel off the sticky and secure it. The sticky stuff really sticks well. The lights are amazing. I would also suggest ordering a 2nd power supply as my strip had power input on both ends. I will not have a sewing machine without these lights.

As this light is more economical than the lights usually advertised in quilting catalogs, I will be ordering more sets (for other machines) soon. The light is bright (see photos), installation is simple, service was prompt, and packaging adequate. I am thrilled with this light as the other brand was too expensive and I had to do my quilting on this machine before dark. This light provides all the light I need to work long after dark, and I think it has even improved the quilting I do in the daylight. GREAT PRODUCT!

One of the best investments I ever made. Brilliant, but cool light for my sewing machine right where it is needed, and I recommend it for anyone who has the least problems with sight problems. I have macular degeneration and my sight is blurry, and this really helps by putting a white light on my work area. I would order the kit to use the extra strip of lights on another machine and have two that are illumined! Saves money . One of my friends, and fellow quilter did this. We are very pleased. Easily installed, Quick delivery.
Sewing machine manufacturers will quickly see that this is a "must" and build it into the new machines.