New Textiles 2010

MATERIALS

PROCESS

LESSONS LEARNED

CONCEPT

^{A Re-Modern Fancy Hat}

^{A Re-Modern Fancy Hat}

'' A Re-Modern Fancy Hat' \\

A Re-Modern Fancy Hat \\

\\

I was interested in created a non-woven material that incorporated a circuit and that also looked and felt elegant and delicate. My idea was to create a new veil piece for a hat from the 1940s that would incorporate 2 LEDs as decorative objects. New fuses with old.

MATERIALS

PROCESS

LESSONS LEARNED

CONCEPT

'CONCEPT'

A Re-Modern Fancy Hat

A Re-Modern Fancy Hat //

//

PROCESS

LESSONS LEARNED

A Re-Modern Fancy Hat

CONCEPT

MATERIALS

Lessons Learned

The materials I was using were very very delicate. Although my first prototype worked without a hitch, my final attempt with the fibers and LEDs I wanted to use did not go as smoothly. The thread's conductivity in some places was lost, and I had to use a X to figure out where the circuit had broken. Once I found where this was, I re-stitched new thread, bridging the non-conductive parts. This worked, and I did not find it detrimental to the over all aesthetic. If I had had more time and more fibers available, I would have redone the the veil until it worked, since I know from prototyping that it is possible.

A Re-Modern Fancy Hat

A Re-Modern Fancy Hat

'Materials

Angelina fibers, conductive thread, 2 (or more) LEDs, 3V battery, batter holder, needle, iron

After much testing, I discovered that thin conductive thread could in fact be fused within and among angelina fibers. In order to get a transparent material, I used a minimal amount of fibers, then laid out the circuit, which I had independently constructed by sewing together 2 LEDs and a 3V battery with conducive thread. I then carefully placed this circuit onto the laid fibers. I added another very thin layer of fibers, over the thread and in places that seemed too thin to fuse together. I then covered the fibers, circuit and LEDs with wax paper and ironed this, fusing the fibers, and locking the thread and LEDs into place.

The materials I was using were very very delicate. Although my first prototype worked without a hitch. My final attempt with the fibers and LEDs I wanted to use did not go as smoothly. The thread's conductivity in some places was lost, and I had to use a X to figure out where the circuit had broken. Once I found where this was, I re-stitched new thread, bridging the non-conductive parts. This worked, and I did not find it detrimental to the over all aesthetic. If I had had more time and more fibers available, I would have redone the the veil until it worked, since I know from prototyping that it is possible.

A Re-Modern Fancy Hat

http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/uploads/Main/mce_hat1.jpg

Concept

I was interested in created a nonwoven material that incorporated a circuit and that also looked and felt elegant and delicate. My idea was to create a new veil piece for a hat from the 1940s that would incorporate 2 LEDs as decorative objects. New fuses with old.

Process

After much testing, I discovered that thin conductive thread could in fact be fused within and among angelina fibers. In order to get a transparent material, I used a minimal amount of fibers, then laid out the circuit, which I had indepdentnly constructed by sewing together 2 LEDs and a 3V battery with conducive thread. I then carefully placed this circuit onto the laid fibers. I added another very thin layer of fibers, over the thread and in places that seemed too thin to fuse together. I then covered the fibers, circuit and LEDs with wax paper and ironed this, fusing the fibers, and locking the thread and LEDs into place.

http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/uploads/Main/mce_before_hat.jpg

http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/uploads/Main/mce_hatinbox.jpg

'Lessons Learned

The materials I was using were very very delicate. Although my first prototype worked without a hitch. My final attempt with the fibers and LEDs I wanted to use did not go as smoothly. The thread's conductivity in some places was lost, and I had to use a X to figure out where the circuit had broken. Once I found where this was, I re-stitched new thread, bridging the non-conductive parts. This worked, and I did not find it deterimental to the over all aesthetic. If I had had more time and more fibers available, I would have redone the the veil until it worked, since I know from prototyping that it is possible.

Another constraint of time meant that I did make a switch. Thus, the LEDs on the veil are always on if the battery is in. Ideally, a simple pressure sensor or snap would function as the switch so that the battery could remain in the hat all the time, improving the usability and robustness of the hat.

http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/uploads/Main/mce_hat2.jpg

http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/uploads/Main/mce_hat1.jpg

http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/uploads/Main/mce_hat2.jpg

http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/uploads/Main/mce_hatinbox.jpg

http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/uploads/Main/mce_before_hat.jpg