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LDK Experiment 5: Make Your Own Switch alearn.sparkfun.com tutorial
Available online at: http://sfe.io/t45
Contents
IntroductionGather MaterialsPositive traceNegative traceResources and Going Further
Introduction
Welcome to experiment 5 of the LilyPad Design Kit, where you’ll learn to create your own easy,inexpensive switch using textile components!
Suggested Reading
Before we begin, here are a few resources you might find helpful:
Previous LDK Tutorials
LDK Experiment 1: Lighting Up a Basic CircuitLDK Experiment 2: Multiple LED CircuitsLDK Experiment 3: Buttons and SwitchesLDK Experiment 4: Make Your Own Button
Other Relevant Tutorials
E-Sewing Kit Part 1E-Sewing Kit Part 2Switch BasicsSewing with conductive thread
Gather Materials
These are the parts you’ll need to construct this circuit. If you’re using the LilyPad Design Kit,you’ve already got them all.
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LDK Experiment 5: Create your own switch SparkFun Wish
List
LilyPad Coin Cell Battery Holder - Switched - 20mmDEV-11285
Sure, your flashing, chip-tune playing t-shirt is really cool at the party... but at some point you need to turn it off.…
Conductive Thread Bobbin - 30ft (Stainless Steel)DEV-10867
This is 30 feet of conductive thread spun from stainless steel fiber and wound on a plastic bobbin. Use it to sew…
Needle SetTOL-10405
This set of sewing needles is a must-have when stitching together your next e-textile project. Each envelope c…
Coin Cell Battery - 20mm (CR2032)PRT-00338
CR2032 Lithium metal 3V 250mAh button cell battery. Great for powering low power processors or blink an LE…
Snap Assortment - 30 pack (male and female)DEV-11347
These sew-on fabric snaps are the same size used on the LilyPad SimpleSnap boards. You can sew these int…
LilyPad Rainbow LED (strip of 7 colors)DEV-11842
This is the LilyPad Rainbow LED strip, a simple seven pack of every LilyPad LED that we have, each still attac…
View LDK Experiment 5: Create your own switch on SparkFun.com
You’ll also want to have felt (included in the kit), scissors, fabric, an embroidery hoop, and possiblya needle threader.
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Go ahead and get your fabric prepped on the embroidery hoop and your needle threaded.
Positive trace
In making a switch, we’re trying to create a connection that we can engage that will stay engageduntil we disengage it. Much like a light switch, we will turn it on, and it will stay on until we turn it off.
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Start by cutting a small strip off of your felt, about half an inch wide and 2-3 inches long.
Place your battery holder where you’d like it, and stitch the positive pins to the fabric and eachother with conductive thread. Continue the trace another inch or so in the direction you’d like yourLED to go. Lay down the strip of felt you cut with one thin end next to your trace and the other thin
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end pointing towards your planned LED location. Sew a few stitches around the close edge of thefelt, attaching it firmly to the fabric.
Continue the trace up the length of the felt, no longer stitching through the fabric. This shouldresult in a strip of felt attached at one end to the fabric, free along the rest of its length, with a traceof conductive thread all the way up.
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At the detached edge, where your trace stops, stitch the male (the one with the bump sticking out)side of the snap to the bottom of the felt strip. The bump should point towards the fabric. There aresmall holes around the edge of the snap to allow it to be sewn down. When it’s firmly attached, knotand cut the thread.
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Beginning a new trace, sew the female side of the snap, with the hole facing up, to the fabric belowthe male side. This should allow the two snaps to mate when the felt strip is at full extension.
Stitch from the snap to where you’d like the positive pin of the LED to be, and sew the LED down.Knot and cut your thread.
Negative trace
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Beginning with a new thread, sew down the negative pin of the LED.
From here, sew a trace back to the negative pins of the battery pack and stitch those down as well.
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That’s it! Slide your battery into the battery holder, positive side up, and turn on the switch on thebattery pack. Try snapping and unsnapping your felt switch a few times. When it’s snapped, thelight will turn on, unsnapped, it will turn off!
Resources and Going Further
Want more? Check out LDK Experiment 6 for more e-textile fun.
Want to try some more complex e-textiles projects, or experiment with other e-textile switches?Check out these other great tutorials.
My Drunk Kitchen Talking Harto ApronLED Feelings PizzaTextile Bow SwitchSoft Circuit Merit BadgeWireless Glove ControllerProtoSnap LilyPad Development Simple Hookup Guide
Or check out this blog post.
Hardware Hump Day: 3 Soft Electronics Tricks
December 28, 2016Favorited Favorite 0
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6 Easy DIY Soft Components
March 7, 2018Favorited Favorite 1
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