Electronic sewing is a little bit different than regular sewing. Even if you already know how to sew, this page has some helpful tips for working with conductive thread.
1. Threading the Needle
Start by threading a needle with your conductive thread. Try pinching the thread between your fingers as you guide it through the eye of the needle.Then pull the loose end through the eye until it's a few inches long.
If the thread starts to split or fray at the end, use some sharp scissors to cut off the frayed part and start fresh.
Finally, tie a knot (or two) near the end of the longer thread tail.
2. Sewing
There are two basic kinds of stitches that you'll find particularly useful: the running stitch and the backstitch.
Running Stitch
Stick your needle through your fabric from the backside to the frontside. Pull the thread through until the knot is right against the backside of your fabric.
Now, bring your needle through the fabric again, but from the frontside to the backside.
You've just made your first stich! Repeat by bringing your needle from back to front, then front to back. Make sure to always pull your thread as far as it will go.
You can combine the two steps above into one step, as in the picture below.
Keep sewing in this way and your stitching should look something like this...
Backstitch
As with the running stitch, start by sticking your needle through your fabric from the backside to the frontside. Pull the thread through until the knot is right against the backside of your fabric.
Next, bring your needle through the fabric again, from the frontside to the backside - but this time, do it in the opposite direction of where you want to sew. For example, if you want to sew a line heading to the left, put your needle through the fabric just a bit to the right of where it last came though.
Bring your needle from the backside to the frontside of your fabric by now sticking it through a bit beyond the other side of your stitches so far. In other words, head back in the direction that you want to sew in. This is what the backside of your fabric will look like as you do this:
Flip back to the frontside of your fabric. Insert your needle to the right of where it just emerged, right next to the stitch you've already completed.
Returning to the backside of your fabric, stick your needle through again to the left of your previous stitches.
If you continue sewing in this pattern, the stitching on the frontside of your fabric will look something like this...
The backside won't look so nice - instead, it will look like this...
If you find learning to backstitch to be confusing, you're not alone - it's a bit like playing leapfrog and sewing at the same time. But once you get the hang of it, the backstich is great for sewing continuous lines in a decorative way.
3. Finishing Touches
When you're done, end with your needle and thread on the backside of your fabric. Tie a knot and cut off the extra thread.
Conductive thread tends to unravel easily, so it helps to put a dab of clear nail polish on your knots to make them stay.
Helpful Tips
- When you trim the excess thread from your knots, it's best to do so about 1/4" from the knot. If you leave the thread much longer, it may fly around making unexpected electrical contact with other thread. On the other hand, if you cut the thread too short, then it may fray and cause your knot to come undone.
- If you're having trouble sewing in a straight line (or a smooth curve), try sketching your intended sewing path onto your fabric first. A great non-permanent way to do this is to use chalk, since it will wash right out of your fabric with water.
- Regardless of which type of stitch you're using, keep your stitches relatively close together. This will help your design to hold up better over time.