The Sewing Place

Christmas knitting with LEDs

BrendaP

Christmas knitting with LEDs
« on: November 09, 2020, 12:53:02 PM »
Having taken inspiration from the spectacular lighted dress which @Manuela  made a while ago I have just finished knitting four hats for the younger GC.  The boys 13 and 9 will get the plain ones and the girls 15 and 13 will have the bobbles.
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

They all have a button battery and two LEDs from a kit bought from Kitronik.  White LED in the red and light grey hats, blue LEDs in the charcoal and purple hats.
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

It's not particularly difficult to.  You have to use the special conductive thread and with knitted fabric it was important not to pull the thread tight between connections, although the connections themselves need to be secure to get a good circuit.
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

The hardest part was sorting out the path of the threads; it has to be +ve to -ve and the threads must not cross.  This turned out to be the simplest for what I wanted.
 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

As I haven't included switches it will be necessary to insert and remove the batteries to turn the LEDs on and off so I need to source a means of easily pushing the battery out, plastic or wooden.  Terry suggests the wooden stirrers which come with take-away coffees.  I just need to source them!

Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Ellabella

Re: Christmas knitting with LEDs
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2020, 14:26:33 PM »
Thats an idea I might have pinch @BrendaP . :D

Ohsewsimple

Re: Christmas knitting with LEDs
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2020, 18:51:49 PM »
Very funky! 

Lachica

Re: Christmas knitting with LEDs
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2020, 19:57:53 PM »
Love it! So will your grandchildren :D
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

BrendaP

Re: Christmas knitting with LEDs
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2020, 21:41:58 PM »
Thats an idea I might have pinch @BrendaP . :D
@Ellabella   By all means pinch it.

The instructions on the Kitronik website for adding an LED to a beanie hat suggest sewing the electronic bits to felt and then sewing the felt face down inside the hat but I decided that felt would be bulky and non-stretchy so I've just hidden the bits inside the turn-up.  Hand knitting using DK yarn and 3.25mm needles has holes big enough for the LEDs to shine through.  On woven fabric you would need to make eyelets where the LEDs go (and might even need to couch the conductive thread down to make it less conspicuous).
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

datcat23

Re: Christmas knitting with LEDs
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2020, 11:09:34 AM »
I am sorry to be a downer ..... but unsecured button batteries are a danger for children.  They can swallow the battery, either choking on it, or having it cause damage in the gut.  And it happens very quickly, for the symptoms to be critical. 

I think the concept is lovely, but maybe the instructions for encasing the battery are best followed. 
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

BrendaP

Re: Christmas knitting with LEDs
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2020, 11:43:22 AM »
The youngest is nine - and well aware of battery dangers.  I wouldn't dream of giving it to younger children.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Lowena

Re: Christmas knitting with LEDs
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2020, 12:05:01 PM »
They will love them Brenda, what a good idea <3
Triumph of hope over experience :D