Led Overalls

This pair of overalls has built-in LED panels that let you show off digital designs, patterns, or even animations. I wanted to combine my love of both sewing and engineering in one project.

You will need basic knowledge of machine sewing terminology and ability and electrical work.

Supplies

5 yards of cotton twill

1. I would recommend any fabric except white because you might get bleed from the led's in places you don't want

2 yard of WHITE cotton twill

1. You will have extra depending on how space efficient you are with pattern placement

I use spoon flower to get fabric

led panels

1. 3 8 x 32
2. One of these must be able to be cut down to 8 x 24
3. 1 16 x 16
4. 1 roll of led strips

wires 22-24 gauge

Click tight led strip connectors

2" Overall buckles and buttons

sewable Velcro

sewing tools

simplicity's overall pattern 8615

Step 1: Cutting Material

Cut out your pattern pieces from pattern pages

1. I used 3 from the jumpsuit pattern instead of 14 for my front 2 pockets
2. cut 3, 12, 14 15, 16, 17, 19, 20 from your pattern pieces

Pin and cut from your fabric

1. 3, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17 from you non-white fabric
2. cut the amount listed on each pattern piece
3. 19, 20 from your white fabric
4. you also need to cut serval rectangles of white fabric
5. 4 individual 4.25 x 13.75" rectangles
6. 1 7.5 x 19.25"
7. 2 4.25 x 10.5"

Step 2: Making Pockets Front and Back Pocket

For back pockets start with correct face of piece (14) facing out. Grab the top and fold down to the fold line specified on the pattern piece. Then grab the bottom of the folded flap and fold upward a half inch. Pin and sew from top to edge of folded piece with edge of presser foot on edge of fabric on both sides. Turn right side out iron over edge. Repeated for second pocket.

For front pockets (3) sew with presser foot on the edge of the fabric all the way around the piece. Cut to stich in spot specified, fold on the stich and iron flat.

Step 3: Attaching the Pockets

Pin the pockets on the front(12) and back(17) giving at least 2.75 - 3 inches of space form the side edge(the edge with the tab). Then sew together leaving the top open for the back pockets and the side for the front pocket.

Step 4: Making Front Face of the Top Pocket

Take the top pocket piece(16) and mark the center of the piece. From that point mark 2 vertical lines at 4.75 inches from the center and cut. mark 2 horizontal line at 1.125 and cut. take 1 of the 4.25 x 10.5" rectangle and sew each of the four pieces you took from the pocket piece and sew it on starting with the top and bottom sewing with 1/2 inch seam allowance. for the sides use a 1/4 inch seam allowance. this creates the front panel of the pocket with a white rectangle in the middle. Then sew on the sides at a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Step 5: Finishing the Top Pocket

After the front face is done, take the second 4.25 x 10.5" panel and pin it against the embedded 4.25 x 10.5" panel. Secure it by stitching in the ditch to hide the stitch. Then take the second original pocket piece (the second piece you cut from the 16 pattern piece), cut a slit to be able to pass wires through. Then place right sides together and sew with the presser foot edge on the edge of the fabric all the way around to form the pocket. Turn inside out through the slit made in the back panel, iron flat, and sew along the edge to keep its shape.

Step 6: Attaching the Top Pocket to the Chest Piece

To form the chest piece, cut a slit in both chest pieces (15) and place them right sides together. Sew all the way around with the presser foot on the edge of the fabric. Turn right side out through the slit, iron flat, and sew around the edge to maintain the shape. Place the top pocket in the center, then sew along the existing stitch lines on the top pocket to hold its shape, except along the top edge to create the pocket opening.

Step 7: Removing Material

Taking the front legs (12) and back legs (17), mark 12.5 inches down on each side with the tabs. Once marked, find the closest point on the edge to this mark and measure 2.625 inches out—this will be your stitch line. Then, mark ½ inch inward from your stitch line and cut along that line.

Step 8: Sewing the Leg Faces Together

First, take the right front leg piece (12) and fold the zipper flap over, then sew it down.

Next, take the two front leg pieces and sew the crotch seam, starting and ending at the dots marked on your pattern.

Then, place the right side of the zipper flap against the wrong side of the front leg, making sure the folded and sewn flap is on top. Sew along the seam again to secure it.

To form the back, use the same method, but skip the zipper step.

Step 9: Led Side Pocket

To start, take each 4.25" x 13.75" rectangle and fold ½ inch of one short edge toward the wrong side of the fabric. Sew down the folded edge to create a clean finish. Repeat this for all four rectangles.

Next, take two rectangles and place them right sides together (so the folded edges are on the outside). Sew around three sides—both long edges and the bottom short edge—using a ½ inch seam allowance. Leave the top (folded) edge open. Repeat this with the other two rectangles so you have two sewn pockets.

To attach a pocket to the front leg panel, line up one long side of the pocket with the matching area on the leg, aligning it with side of the cut out part. Sew along this side, stopping ½ inch from the bottom of the pocket.

Next, cut a diagonal slit from the corner of the cut-out section on the leg panel up to the seam where the pocket is attached. Then, rotate the bottom of the pocket 90 degrees, so it lines up with the bottom cut-out edge on the front leg. Sew the bottom of the pocket in place, stopping ½ inch from the edge of the leg panel.

Step 10: Attaching the Chest Piece

To attach the chest piece, pin the chest piece to the top of the front legs. Then sew with a ½ inch seam allowance until you reach the edge of each leg pocket.

Step 11: Creating the Straps

To form the straps, sew two of the straps (19) to your back piece. When sewn correctly, they will form a straight line.

Next, form the back of the straps by taking the leftover straps and attaching them to the shoulder pieces (20).

Finally, match the back straps to the straps attached to the back pieces, pin, and sew with the foot on the edge of the fabric. You will have an extra tab.

Step 12: Finishing the Straps

To finish the straps, cross your right-side strap over the left and pin. Sew along only the corners, leaving a gap for the light strands to pass through.

Step 13: Connecting the Legs(inside Seam)

To connect the inside, place right sides together of the front and back. Sew along the inner edge with the presser foot on the edge of the fabric.

Step 14: Connecting the Legs(sideSeam)

Next, take the other long side of each 4.25" x 13.75" rectangle and align it with the side edge of the cut-out section on the back leg panel. Sew along this edge, stopping ½ inch from the bottom of the pocket.

Then, cut a diagonal slit from the corner of the cut-out on the leg panel up to the seam where the pocket is attached. Rotate the bottom of the pocket 90 degrees, so it lines up with the bottom edge of the cut-out on the front leg panel. Sew the bottom of the pocket in place.

Finally, line up the side edges of the front and back leg panels. Pin them together and sew along the edge with a ½ inch seam allowance.

Step 15: Making and Attaching the Back Panel

to make the last panel take the 7.5 x 19.25 panel and fold over half an inch, iron flat and sew on all sides. add a piece of sewable Velcro an inch from the edge on the right side then Fold up 6.5 inches putting wrong sides together and sew. insert your 16 x 16 matrix fold and mark where you have to put a second piece to match you original one.

After pin the part that you didn't fold over with the point up. You can place this anywhere but I put this as high as possible with out it sticking out as to not to interfere with my shoulders and arms. sew where you know it wont stop the led strips from traveling up the straps.

Step 16: Preparing the Boards

To prepare the boards, first take one of the 8 x 32 boards and cut it to 8 x 24. You must make sure it is a board where you can cut it (you must cut it parallel to the wire lines and past the resistors). Also, trim the two extra sets of wires, leaving one of the three-wire sets, and it has to be the D-in set. Once they are trimmed, you can put them in the pockets made.

In each pocket, I made a hole for wires to access the inside of the overalls without being seen. For the two side panels, I put holes in the back of the LED pockets exactly where they are attached to the board so the wires don’t have to go out the top.

Step 17: Wiring It Up

To make the main power supply, take extra wire (I used 24 gauge, but you can use anywhere between 22–24). Strip and plug in the wire to your Arduino, red to 5V, black to ground, and plug each of the opposite ends into different wire splitters. Then plug white to your pin connection (any number), and plug the other end into a lever nut.

To connect to the two side 8x32 panels, I took the extra male adapter that comes with the LED panels (or use the one you clipped off the LED), stripped it, and attached a lever nut to each wire. On the other side of either panel, attach extra wire by stripping the ends and plugging them in (red to red wire, black to black, and green to white). Match the same connections on the other panel, but don't add wire to the other side of the lever nut. Instead, plug the wire from the other side panel into the other side of the lever nut (you will have several wires in each end of the main power supply lever nuts).

Next, take extra wire and plug it into either one of the sides of either panel lever nut, then plug it into the main power supply. Connect the white wire into the lever nut of the white wire in the main power supply line.

To connect the strips and back plate, follow the same routine with the 16x16 and connect its 5V and ground. Then connect your white wire to a free pin connection slot.

To add the strips, attach your LED strip connector to the LED strip, placing your wires on the other side. Make a Y connection in the same way as previous connections. Put your 5V and ground to the main power line, and connect your D-IN wire to a free slot in the Arduino.

Finally to connect the front panel thread a male adaptor cable with extra wire attached to this through the slit made in the chest and connect thorough the slit made in the top pocket. plug 5v and ground into main powerline and the white wire to an open pin slot.

Step 18: Coding, Power, Touch Ups and Done

For coding, I use Arduino code in C. When coding, I found that my laptop could not sustain the amount of power needed to power all the boards at the same time, so I recommend unplugging the boards that are not being coded. When you want to power all the boards, get a battery pack, which may provide the power needed.

Add your buttons, I prefer sewable ones instead of grommet-style buttons because they require much smaller holes, but you have to make sure you sew them on correctly.

To sew on your sewable buttons, cut a long piece of thread, fold it over, and thread both ends through the needle so you have a loop on the other end. Find where you want to place your button and push the needle through the fabric until only the loop is left. Put the needle through the pinhole and push it back through the fabric, close to where you originally inserted it. On the other side, pass the needle through the loop in the thread. Repeat going in, through the pinhole, and back out 10–20 times until your button is secure.