some bias tubes to route and insulate the conductive thread
some extra fabric to match and compliment your garment
Conductive fabric & preparation
We use two types of conductive fabric for this project:
The light gray one is very conductive; used for the Forward/Volume UP actions.
The darker one is not so conductive; used for the Back/Volume DOWN actions.
Cut each piece of conductive fabric into two small 1-inch squares.
You'll also need to cut four pieces of fabric: two for making a pouch, and two for an insulator/divider between conductive layers.
Experiment with hole sizes:
- too small requires a hard squeeze
- too large and the remote may turn on even when you don't press it.
The switch
Use conductive thread to sew two pieces of conductive fabric together. Leave several feet of conductive thread after sewing each pair. It will be routed to the magic dock.
Create a stack: conductive fabric, regular fabric, conductive fabric.
The two sides of conductive fabric will make contact through the holes when you press. Align gray to gray and black to black.
Use regular thread to sew the entire ensemble together.
Use a multimeter to test the resistance when you squeeze the switch. You're measuring across the two strands of conductive thread. It should read 1kΩ or less when you press the gray (zelt) part, and about 50kΩ when you press the black (velostat) part. More technical details.
Bias tubes
Since the switch is all the way in the train of the dress, you'll need about 4 feet of conductive thread leading to the dock. Use a fabric bias tube for a stylish way of insulating the thread.
