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Step 6Finishing up
Make a hole in the backing of your patch for the wires that go to the power pack. If you like, you can use eyelets for the hole ( which is easy enough, just follow the instructions on the box) to keep the edges looking tidy and professional.
If your patch has long skinny bits, or you want to be extra-careful, tape normal wire to it to keep it stiff.
If your design has detached bits, use a ribbon to attach it to the main part, to avoid strain on the wire.
Attach any fasteners to your patch (snaps, Velcro, ribbons for pinning, etc) at this point. Little loops of ribbon, pushed through a slit, with the back of a safety pin through them are good for making badges that will attach to any clothing that will support the patch’s weight.
This thing is going to be attached with costume tape, though, so does not include any loops.
Thread the wires through the hole or holes, making sure the wrong sides of the front and back are together and the power cord wires are out of the glue, apply glue to the back of part of the ‘good’ side of the patch. Line the pieces up carefully and press together. Repeat until pieces are completely stuck, and you should be done… though, to be cautious, I did a lot of extra stitches.
If you have painted your patch, it's safe to do any touch-ups now.
what to do with the power pack
I find it better to leave the battery pack wires long, and simply tuck the battery pack into my pocket- this works great for single battery packs, especially if the light is right near a pocket (on the chest, for example, I can either use a breast pocket, or pop the control into my bra (heh, I suppose that’s another type of breast pocket…) on the head, I can stick it to my helmet, goggles, or a hairband, and on the lower body, I suppose my jeans pocket, a garter, or even down the back of loose-top boots would do.
If it’s not close to a pocket the best solution I have found for clothing is to install large eyelets in the garments that I often use lights on for the wires to be passed through, as even a pair of large eyelets, if colour-co-ordinated with the garment, don’t look too out of place when I wear it without lights.
To keep the battery pack or packs secure wherever you want them to be, you can use the left over cloth to form a little bag. Measure around the power pack the long way, then the short way. Make a rectangle the full length long, and half-way wide (so when it's sewn it gets all the way round, of course) , add a little extra for a flap to keep the power pack in. Add a seam allowance all around.
Tuck the top flap and the other short-edge seam allowance over to the wrong side and sew them in place, then fold the bottom edge up with right sides together and stitch them. Turn the bag inside out, to form a pillowcase-like item, which can then be pinned safely, and look relatively tidy. The reason for the asymetric top is so that the wire can get out, but the flap still holds the pack insecurely, so it won't fly out if you jump or dance.
Alternatively, the wires can also be made into a decorative element, so they look like they’re meant to be visible en route to your pocket.
If your patch has long skinny bits, or you want to be extra-careful, tape normal wire to it to keep it stiff.
If your design has detached bits, use a ribbon to attach it to the main part, to avoid strain on the wire.
Attach any fasteners to your patch (snaps, Velcro, ribbons for pinning, etc) at this point. Little loops of ribbon, pushed through a slit, with the back of a safety pin through them are good for making badges that will attach to any clothing that will support the patch’s weight.
This thing is going to be attached with costume tape, though, so does not include any loops.
Thread the wires through the hole or holes, making sure the wrong sides of the front and back are together and the power cord wires are out of the glue, apply glue to the back of part of the ‘good’ side of the patch. Line the pieces up carefully and press together. Repeat until pieces are completely stuck, and you should be done… though, to be cautious, I did a lot of extra stitches.
If you have painted your patch, it's safe to do any touch-ups now.
what to do with the power pack
I find it better to leave the battery pack wires long, and simply tuck the battery pack into my pocket- this works great for single battery packs, especially if the light is right near a pocket (on the chest, for example, I can either use a breast pocket, or pop the control into my bra (heh, I suppose that’s another type of breast pocket…) on the head, I can stick it to my helmet, goggles, or a hairband, and on the lower body, I suppose my jeans pocket, a garter, or even down the back of loose-top boots would do.
If it’s not close to a pocket the best solution I have found for clothing is to install large eyelets in the garments that I often use lights on for the wires to be passed through, as even a pair of large eyelets, if colour-co-ordinated with the garment, don’t look too out of place when I wear it without lights.
To keep the battery pack or packs secure wherever you want them to be, you can use the left over cloth to form a little bag. Measure around the power pack the long way, then the short way. Make a rectangle the full length long, and half-way wide (so when it's sewn it gets all the way round, of course) , add a little extra for a flap to keep the power pack in. Add a seam allowance all around.
Tuck the top flap and the other short-edge seam allowance over to the wrong side and sew them in place, then fold the bottom edge up with right sides together and stitch them. Turn the bag inside out, to form a pillowcase-like item, which can then be pinned safely, and look relatively tidy. The reason for the asymetric top is so that the wire can get out, but the flap still holds the pack insecurely, so it won't fly out if you jump or dance.
Alternatively, the wires can also be made into a decorative element, so they look like they’re meant to be visible en route to your pocket.
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