Add EL Wire to a Hat!

Intro: Add EL Wire to a Hat!

Hello everyone! Firstly, I would like to thank Enlighted for their Instructable on adding EL wire to clothes, it helped me out a bunch with this. Check it out: www.instructables.com/id/how-to-add-EL-wire-to-a-coat-or-other-garment/

Now, read on!

STEP 1: Supplies.

Okay, you'll need:

A hat, I used a cheap felt top hat from UsToy.

Scissors.

An awl.

El wire kit. I bought mine from Thats Cool Wire. Link to the kit I bought: http://www.thatscoolwire.com/store/item.asp?Category=168&SubCategoryID=124&GroupID=&SKU=WY-NH-LZ-3V
You'll need enough for the rim of the hat your working on. (Or whatever design your doing)

To attach the battery pack to the inside of the hat, I used a piece of stick on velcro. (The hook side)

A needle, and fishing line. (I used two really long pieces, I ran out the first time.)

STEP 2: Prep the Hat.

Okay, take your awl (Or you could use a nail) and poke a hole at the base of the hat. (See picture)
Make sure your hole is big enough for the wire to fit through.

STEP 3: Attach Wire to Hat.

Now, first attach the battery pack to the inside (If you have room) or somewhere else, I attached it to the inside using velcro since the hat is felt. Then take your fishing line, get about the length between you arms when the line is folded in half, the thread it through the needle, and tie the ends together. Then, Whip-stitch the wire onto the rim. If you don't know how to whip-stitch, you can kind of see from the picture, or look up how to on here. This part takes the longest... =/ But if you do it right, then it holds really well. When you reach the end, poke another hole in the brim and push the left over wire through, (See pic 3.) Then, cut the excess wire off, then take a piece of heat-shrink wire, or electrical tape, and cover the end.

STEP 4: Finished!

Your finished!! Add a battery, turn it on, and admire your work!!

Sorry if this isn't as descriptive as it could be, please check out Enlightened's Ible' from the first page if you want to know more about adding EL wire to clothes.

Please comment, rate, and vote for me in the Light Up The Night! contest!!

Thanks!

Comments

[finfan7]

Is the battery pack just a battery pack or are there any modifying elements?

[Zem]

Good question, it is actually an inverter that came with the kit, and it holds one double A battery. The wire has to run on a higher voltage, so thats what the inverter does. 

[finfan7]

An inverter transforms AC to DC.  It's the sort of thing found in every wall adapter.  Do you mean a transformer?  That would make a DC voltage into another DC voltage?  What kind of voltage runs through the  wire?

[Adam Manick]

Actually, an inverter creates an alternating current (AC) from direct current (DC). Transformers don't work on DC unless the DC is pulsed. That is what happens here. A transistor circuit is used to turn the DC into AC. Then it is routed through a transformer to boost the voltage.

[Zem]

I'm not the best person to answer this. =/ But, if you check out the Instructable in the related area here, look at Enlighted's Instructable, she explains it a lot better then I can. 

[finfan7]

I'll take a look.  Thanks anyway.

[Zem]

Your welcome! Sorry I couldn't explain better. 

[Shut Up Now]

wait, doesn't el wire require high voltage ac to run? or do i have something mixed up.

[Zem]

In the battery holder, there's a built in transformer/inverter thingy that takes the voltage from the batteries and makes it run the EL wire.