Introduction: Make an Accurate Retro Digital Watch!
A while ago CASIO started to produce one of their early digital watches. I bought one of them and like it very much. My 3 year old daughter as well... To make her happy I decided to embroider a replica of the watch.
After a discussion with a friend we came to the conclusion that an embroidered fixed-time-watch will be more accurate than the real watch. The real watch never shows the exactly correct time - it normally shows a time close to the real time. The embroidered version on the other hand show the exactly correct time one a day. Exactly 13:42 every day it is synchronized with a atom watch without even have to use a radio signal.
Since this watch turned out so well (and is so accurate) I wanted to share it with you!
The bad thing about this instructable is that you will need a rather rare tool - a embroidery sewing machine. Maybe your school or grandma have one?
After a discussion with a friend we came to the conclusion that an embroidered fixed-time-watch will be more accurate than the real watch. The real watch never shows the exactly correct time - it normally shows a time close to the real time. The embroidered version on the other hand show the exactly correct time one a day. Exactly 13:42 every day it is synchronized with a atom watch without even have to use a radio signal.
Since this watch turned out so well (and is so accurate) I wanted to share it with you!
The bad thing about this instructable is that you will need a rather rare tool - a embroidery sewing machine. Maybe your school or grandma have one?
Step 1: Fabric and Thread
I took two pieces of gray linen fabric and a stabilizer (a thin stable material used with embroidery sewing machines). I made a "hamburger" with the stabilizer in stead of meat and linen in stead of bread. How large piece of fabric you need depends on the embroider machine.
The threads you use should be special machine embroidery threads, typically made out of rayon. Sulky and Robison Anton are two common brands. You will need the following colors:
- Black
- White
- Dark gray
- Blue
I didn't have the exact colours at home when I made it so I used a gold/brown in stead of the dark gray and a yellow in stead of the blue thread. Use the thread you like (and perhaps already have).
The threads you use should be special machine embroidery threads, typically made out of rayon. Sulky and Robison Anton are two common brands. You will need the following colors:
- Black
- White
- Dark gray
- Blue
I didn't have the exact colours at home when I made it so I used a gold/brown in stead of the dark gray and a yellow in stead of the blue thread. Use the thread you like (and perhaps already have).
Step 2: Embroider
Now to the embroidery! You will need a file containing the embroidery. I have attached some files named "Watch 1342.???". All contains the same embroidery but since different brands of machines like different file formats I provide different formats - hope you find one that "fits" your machine.
The .dst format do not contain information about thread colors. The colors are just numbered and the actual color is picked automatically (and almost always wrong). The colors in the file are (in order): black, black, dark gray, blue, white, black.
This watch is set to 13:42. If you have some other time that you need to know with high accuracy you will have to change the numbers. This can often be done using the sewing machine.
Exactly how you load the embroidery into the sewing machine and how to embroider depends on which sewing machine you use. You will have to figure out this part for yourself.
Make sure to cut loose thread ends when you change thread to make sure you get a nice looking watch!
The .dst format do not contain information about thread colors. The colors are just numbered and the actual color is picked automatically (and almost always wrong). The colors in the file are (in order): black, black, dark gray, blue, white, black.
This watch is set to 13:42. If you have some other time that you need to know with high accuracy you will have to change the numbers. This can often be done using the sewing machine.
Exactly how you load the embroidery into the sewing machine and how to embroider depends on which sewing machine you use. You will have to figure out this part for yourself.
Make sure to cut loose thread ends when you change thread to make sure you get a nice looking watch!
Step 3: Cutting and Buttons
When the embroidery is finished. You will have to cut out the watch. Pretty straight forward I assume.
The white border around the watch should be pretty stable since it is sewn using triple stitches. You may have to remove loose gray threads when the watch is new.
The only thing left now is to make some kind of mechanism to make it stick on to your arm. I used push-buttons that you attach using a small special tool (comes with the buttons) and a hammer. You may use ordinary buttons as well. Use what you have at home!
Good luck!
Please make a comment if you make one of your own - its fun to know if someone actually likes this silly watch replica... :-)
The white border around the watch should be pretty stable since it is sewn using triple stitches. You may have to remove loose gray threads when the watch is new.
The only thing left now is to make some kind of mechanism to make it stick on to your arm. I used push-buttons that you attach using a small special tool (comes with the buttons) and a hammer. You may use ordinary buttons as well. Use what you have at home!
Good luck!
Please make a comment if you make one of your own - its fun to know if someone actually likes this silly watch replica... :-)