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How to Add a Standard LED to a Beanie Hat

2023-01-12 | By Kitronik Maker

License: See Original Project Wearables

Courtesy of Kitronik

Guide by Kitronik Maker

Description

This is an ideal starter project that is quick and easy to make. The circuit is ‎created on a backing fabric which is then attached to the inside of the hat.‎

It uses a standard LED which is slightly harder to use than a PCB LED as you have ‎to twist the legs before sewing them. They are a little more fiddly to use and ‎identifying the positive and negative side of the LED is a little harder. They can be ‎placed under the surface of fabric but as they have a small bulb at the end of the ‎LED they won’t sit as flat as a PCB LED, and they usually sit pushed through the ‎surface of the fabric so the bulb can be seen. The bulb can act as an ‎embellishment as it looks like an ordinary bead when the LED is not switched on. ‎As most fabrics fray you can’t usually just cut a hole to push the LED through so ‎methods of neatening the hole need to be found. This hat design pushes the LED ‎through the holes in the knit of the fabric.‎

Learn How to:‎

  • Use conductive thread, a standard LED, and switched cell holder
  • Make a basic e-textiles circuit
  • Place a standard LED on the outside of a product without having to cut a ‎hole in the fabric

Level of Difficulty:‎

  • Beginner

Parts List

parts_1

In order to add an LED to your beanie hat you will need the following:‎

  • Knitted hat with lining. Both the main hat and lining fabric should have ‎obvious holes in the knitted fabric when stretched as this will allow the ‎LED to be poked through the fabric
  • Switched cell holder
  • Cell battery
  • Standard LED
  • ‎50cm conductive thread
  • Felt approximately 6x7cm
  • ‎50cm ordinary sewing thread‎

You will also require the following equipment:‎

 

Step by Step Guide to Adding a Standard LED to your ‎Beanie Hat

Step 1‎

step1_2

Identify the negative leg (the shorter of the two) and twist it into a loop using round ‎nosed pliers. Alternatively, the negative leg can also be identified by the flat side ‎along the rim of the bulb.‎

identify_3

Push the loop so it sits at right angles to the bulb allowing it to sit flat on the fabric. ‎To avoid confusing the legs don’t twist the other leg until it is needed but you can ‎bend it to one side out of the way if necessary.‎

Step 2

step2_4

Oversew 6 to 8 stitches through both the negative hole on the cell holder and the ‎fabric. Pull the thread tight to ensure it is secure and a good electrical connection ‎is made.‎

sew_5

Sew running stitches through the fabric to take the thread to the LED position. ‎Don’t cut or join the thread.‎

stitches_6

Oversew 6 to 8 stitches through both the loop in the LED and & through the fabric. ‎Pull the thread tight to ensure it is secure and a good electrical connection is made. ‎Cut away any excess thread once you have finished sewing the LED in place.‎

Step 3‎

step3_7

Twist the positive leg around round nose pliers to create a loop. Position the loop ‎so it sits flat on the fabric.‎

twist_8

With a new piece of conductive thread oversew 6 to 8 stitches through both the ‎positive side of the cell holder and through the fabric.‎

new_9

Sew running stitches through the fabric to take the thread to the positive side of the ‎LED. Use oversewing stitches to hold the LED in place. Cut away any excess ‎thread once you have finished sewing LED in place, take care not to let the positive ‎and negative sides of the stitches touch each other.‎

Step 4

step4_10

Slide the cell into the holder. Hold the battery along its sides and place into the ‎holder with the positive side up.‎

slide_11

The circuit is lit up by sliding the switch on the cell holder into the ‘on’ position.‎

Step 5‎

step5_12

Use your fingers to pull apart the loops in the knitted fabric and poke the LED ‎through the holes from the back of the hat to the front.‎

loops_13

From the outside it should look like the picture to the left.‎

Step 6

step6_14

Use ordinary thread to oversew the felt onto the inside layer of the hat. Make sure ‎you only sew through the back layer of fabric and not through the front so that no ‎stitches can be seen on the front. Stitch the felt so you can still lift it up slightly to ‎switch the LED on. Download a pdf version of this page here. This tutorial was ‎produced for Kitronik by Julie Boyd who is a specialist in e-textiles design.‎

‎©Kitronik Ltd – You may print this page & link to it but must not copy the page or part thereof ‎without Kitronik's prior written consent.‎

制造商零件编号 2711
ELECTRO-FASHION, SWITCHED COIN C
Kitronik Ltd.
制造商零件编号 2724
ELECTRO-FASHION, CONDUCTIVE THRE
Kitronik Ltd.
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