Conductive Thread attached to Fabric Trim

A method of attaching conductive thread to a garment  or fabric.

Instructables video of how to construct FabriCable Assemblies.  

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Step 1:

Select a trim that complements your design scheme.
Store bought trims, pre-made appliques or whatever supports your design.
Get creative, yet test your trim for conductivity before you go to step 2.

Comments

[inept]

Do we really need a whole Instructable telling us "sew conductive thread to your trim"? If you told us where to get conductive thread or showed some examples, that'd be cool. But just having two steps, one of which is "sew" does not make for a good Instructable. Sorry if that sounds harsh. Just trying to be helpful for future writing :)

[DIY-Guy]

Fabric trim is a nice, natural place to hide conductive thread. It is similar to hiding computer cables or power cables behind baseboard moulding in a house. With this concept of "hide it in plain sight" we could even use normal insulated wires gleaned from ethernet cables and save money instead of that neato conductive silvered thread.

I wish I had some of that neato conductive thread to make a proximity sensor for my hat with LEDs. Then I could find it in the dark when it started glowing.

Good job of teaching Lynne!

[TedWard{}]

exactly well said

[Lynne Bruning]

To be honest, I'm not sure either. The Robot bounced it the first submission for reasons you outlined. I was reworking it and hit publish by mistake then left my computer for a couple of hours. By the time I returned it was featured. Huh?

Right now, this post is my personal experiment with The Robot.
Will it get noticed and pulled? Will it become the renegade chat on how to trick The Robot? Or perhaps it will just spark someone to do something more?

Whatever the case.......

This is one source to find the conductive thread SparkFun

[inept]

Wow, that is weird. Someone in the higher ups must REALLY like conductive thread that it'd get featured :)

[Lynne Bruning]

yea...maybe I should make spoof ible that uses the thread. Yes, you have me thinking..........spoofibles.........I likey like!

[AnaLou]

I actually like seeing your ideas. I know that they are not much of an instructable, but still interesting. Having worked with conductive thread myself, I enjoy seeing how you hide the thread and integrate into your work. It also led me to your website and I think your work is GREAT!

[Lynne Bruning]

Thank you AnaLou! 

[Adastra62]

Question: What good is it to have "conductive thread" on a garment? Does it light up, etc.?
Seems to me the only good that would come of it is having the p!$$ shocked out of you if you came close enough to something electrical and having a burn mark on your body in the pattern of the conductive thread.

Just sayin'. I'm just curious as to what applications this is used for. Quite obviously you wouldn't want to be caught dead(or alive for that matter) wearing an article of clothing that had it sewn on it through airport security or you would be considered a bomb threat. (i.e. show me some practical applications, please.)

[emjayg]

What is conductive thread? Have never heard of it.

[Lynne Bruning]

Thread that conducts electricity.
Neat, yes?
I find mine hereSparkfun
Imagine the possibilities.