Everything you need to know about your Tinderbox Makerbox Glowed Up Gloves kit!
Before getting started
Please note that the materials in your kit may differ slightly from the images shown, however they all work in the same way.
Here are the extra materials you’ll need:
- A sewing needle
- A pair of scissors
Here’s what your kit comes with:
- Wearable battery pack – to power your circuit
- CR2032 3V lithium coin cell battery – to power your circuitÂ
- Sewable LEDs x 2 (Light Emitting Diodes) – tiny lights
- Conductive thread
- Pair of wool gloves
- Sewable press snap buttons x 4
For ages 12 years +
WARNINGS – kit contains:
CHOKING HAZARDS – Small, detachable and sharp parts.
COIN CELL BATTERY – Keep out of reach of young children. Swallowing may lead to serious injury or death.
UNLOCKABLE COIN CELL HOLDER – Be aware that battery is easy to insert and remove.
Not suitable for children under 3 years.
Keep parts clean and dry – do not get wet.
Use with adult supervision only.
Here’s what you’ll need to do before starting the kit:
- Test the battery, battery pack and LEDs.
Make sure the battery pack is switched off.
Insert the 3V coin cell battery into the battery pack (positive (+) side up).
Connect the LED (tiny light) to the battery pack like so:– wind some conductive thread around the positive terminal (+) of the LED and then around the positive (+) terminal on the battery packÂ
– wind some conductive thread around the negative terminal (–) of the LED and then around the negative (-) terminal on the battery packTurn the battery pack switch on. If it’s working correctly, the LED will turn on and glow!
If nothing happens, check the connections between the battery pack and the LED, or try changing the battery or swapping the LED. Contact admin@tinderboxcollective.org if you have any questions or problems.When you’re done testing, remember to switch off the battery pack to preserve the battery life.
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Thread the sewing needle with conductive thread.
You’re good to go!
Stitching Instructions
OPTION ONE: One Glove
Time to Make: 1-2 hours
OPTION TWO: Two Gloves
Time to Make: 2-3 hours
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Thread the needle with conductive thread. Then attach the battery pack to the centre of one glove, using a running stitch through each hole.
- Sew a line to the thumb of the glove from the positive (+) hole/terminal of the battery pack. Â Then sew the one of the ‘press-snap’ buttons to the thumb.
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3. Now repeat steps 1-2 but now sew a line of conductive thread from the negative terminal of the battery pack, and use the running stitch all the way up to the tip of the index finger before attaching button 2 there.
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4. Now put that glove to the side and move to the other glove. We will repeat steps 1-3 on this glove except we will place the LED in the centre instead of the battery pack.
Repeating the steps, sew the running stitch from the positive terminal of the LED up to the thumb, and attach the button there. Then, sew the running stitch from the negative terminal of the LED up to the index finger, and attach another button there.
5. Now you just need to sew the battery pack into the glove securely (if you haven’t already).
Then push the 3V battery in with the + sign on the battery facing upwards.
Now switch the battery pack switch to ON.
If you touch the two thumbs together and the two index fingers together, the LED should turn on since you have now completed the circuit.
Pop on the gloves and try making different shapes – you can do a triangle, a diamond, or a love heart shape with your fingers!
Make sure to turn off once finished.
Do not get the electronics on the glove wet (so don’t wear them in the rain or snow!).
If you want to wash your gloves, you should make sure to take off all the electronics first (the battery pack, battery, and LEDs).
Electronics Basics
What is electricity?
A type of energy or power fueled by the transfer of electrons from positive and negative points within a conductor.
Electricity is measured in power units called Watts (W).
Current is the rate at which an electric charge flows. Imagine the charged electrons as a river – current is how quickly the river is flowing.
Current is measured in Amperes/Amps (A).
Voltage is what makes electric charges move – it is the ‘push’ or pressure from the circuit’s power source that moves charged electrons (current) through a conductor. As a river, voltage would be its force or power.
Voltage is measured in Volts (V).
Resistance is a measurement of how much the component will reduce the current flow. Resistance is like a pipe that current flows through – a bigger resistance means a smaller pipe, so the current flow is less.
Resistance is measured in ohms (Ω).
What is a circuit?
An electrical circuit is a path in which electrons from a voltage or current source flow.
An electrical circuit includes a device that gives energy to the current, such as a battery; devices that use current, such as lights or motors; and the connecting wires between devices.
Direct current (DC) is one-directional. The positive charge flows away from the positive terminal of the power supply (e.g. the battery) towards the negative terminal, moving through the circuit to get there.
This is why some components need to be connected in a certain way, for example batteries, which have positive and negative markings to show you.Â
Some components, like LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) have one long ‘leg’ or (the positive pin, or anode) and one short pin (negative, cathode), so that you know which way they are “facing” in the circuit and what direction the current should flow through them. Other components may also have an anode/cathode but will be marked a different way.
Some components, again like LEDs, require extra resistance to be added to circuits too (in the form of resistors) to limit the current through the LED and prevent it burning out.
In your Tinderbox Makerbox kit, you have all the components to make a simple circuit and they are marked by the manufacturer to show you how to connect them.Â
Always be careful when working with electronics and practicing circuits.
More information
This project uses sewabale and wearable electronics.
You can find out more about these components and other projects here:
Lilypad examples: here or here
Kitronic:Â here
Pimoroni:Â here
For more information on the Tinderbox Makerbox kits please go here or contact lab@tinderboxcollective.org or admin@tinderboxcollective.org
Partners & Supporters
This project has been supported by:
- The University of Edinburgh Local Community Grants Scheme
- Creative Scotland
- North Edinburgh Arts
- Amazing Harmonies
Design Team
These kits have been designed by our amazing team of apprentices at the Tinderbox Lab:
Series One:
- Rhona Sword
- Dominika Jackowska
- Liam Dempsey
- Saskia Singer
With special thanks to Helen Leigh for consulation & support of the kits.
Supported by:
