Fashion and technology have always been intertwined, but creating your own LED garment brings a unique sense of innovation and personal flair to your wardrobe. Recently, I embarked on a fun and creative project to turn an old pair of white skorts into a light-up garment. Here’s how I did it:
Materials Needed:
- Old pair of white shorts: These served as the base of the garment.
- LED strip: A flexible LED strip that can be cut to fit your garment.
- Small battery pack: To power the LEDs.
- Tulle fabric: Used to cover the LED strip and diffuse the light.
- Needle and thread: For sewing the tulle and securing the LED strip.
- Scissors: For cutting the tulle and the shorts
Steps to Create The LED Garment:
Plan Your Design:
Before starting, decide where to place the LED strip on your shorts. I chose the front section, as it provides a great place for the lights and is easy to access for sewing and battery placement.
Prepare the Shorts:
Lay the shorts flat and mark the areas where the LED strip will be attached. This helps in ensuring the placement is even and symmetrical.
Attach the LED Strip:
Measure and cut the LED strip to fit the marked areas on the skorts. Be sure to follow the cut guidelines on the LED strip to avoid damaging the circuitry. Secure the LED strip to the shorts. You can sew the strip onto the fabric or other methods but I opted for hand sewing to ensure it stays in place during movement.
Hide and Blend the LEDs:
Cover the LED strip with tulle fabric to blend the lights and create a soft glow. Cut the tulle to fit over the LED strip, leaving some extra fabric around the edges for sewing. Sew the tulle along the edges, ensuring it covers the LED strip completely. The tulle acts as a diffuser, softening the harsh light and giving a more even illumination.
Install the Battery Pack:
Attach the battery pack to the inside of the short pockets (this makes it easy to take it in and out), close to where the LED strip ends. Ensure it is secure but accessible for changing batteries. Connect the LED strip to the battery pack. Test the connection to ensure everything lights up properly
