@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ For prototyping you should also have:
* Breadboard and jumper cables
### E-textile things
I've used a range of conductive threads and fabrics, but don't feel that you have to use the exact things as me - depending on where you are, you'll have access to different materials, and lots of different things will work. And if can't get your hands on any of the standard kinds of conductive textiles, try Becky Stern's method of [bringing your multimeter to the fabric shop](https://youtu.be/Wbqq1kePmWA) to find metallic materials, or [raiding a family member's embroidery stash](https://class.textile-academy.org/2019/teresa.vantwuijver/assignments/week09/) like my fello Fabricademer Teresa van Twuijver. And you can also use thin / flexible wire in place of conductive thread if you like.
I've used a range of conductive threads and fabrics, but don't feel that you have to use the exact things as me - depending on where you are, you'll have access to different materials, and lots of different things will work. And if can't get your hands on any of the standard kinds of conductive textiles, try Becky Stern's method of [bringing your multimeter to the fabric shop](https://youtu.be/Wbqq1kePmWA) to find metallic materials, or [raiding a family member's embroidery stash](https://class.textile-academy.org/2019/teresa.vantwuijver/assignments/week09/) like my fellow Fabricademer Teresa van Twuijver. And you can also use thin / flexible wire in place of conductive thread if you like.
*[Stainless steel conductive thread](https://www.adafruit.com/product/641): used for all the main circuitry (where you would use wires ). Substitute any conductive thread / fabric here, as long as it has relatively low resistance (approx 100 Ohms / meter or lower is fine)
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*[Eeontex resistive fabric](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14110): this is a black fabric that has a relatively high resistance. It's now unfortunately very difficult to find.
To play Stitch Synth you'll also need external speakers and a 3.5mm auxiliary cable to connect the amplifier jack to a speaker
To play Stitch Synth you'll also need external speakers, and possibly a 3.5mm auxiliary cable to connect the amplifier jack to a speaker.
# Making the fabric grids
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* Green fake leather / imitation Alcantara: Speed 200, Power 30 (short lines) / 50 (long lines)
* Blue imitation Alcantara: Speed 200, Power 30 (short lines) / 40 (long lines)
Corner power was set at 20 for all of the above, and I also cut several 3mm and 15mm strips of each fabric, used in the Anni, Daphne and Ada modules
Corner power was set at 20 for all of the above, and I also cut several 3mm and 15mm strips of each fabric, used in the Anni, Daphne and Ada modules.
## Hand cutting
The pink and purple fake leather I bought turned out to be unsuitable for laser cutting, as we did a [flame test](https://www.nycresistor.com/2008/08/28/how-to-identify-polymers-with-burnination/) - burning a little bit of the fabric showed blue flames, which means there's something in there that's going to release toxic gas if laser cut. However, I still really wanted to use these fabrics, so I hand cut them! If you look closely you can tell that they are not as precisely cut as the laser cut pieces ☉‿⊙
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@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ And use the pliers again to curl the legs of resistors, diodes, and capacitors s
For modules with ICs, it's good practice to use IC sockets, which are kind of like a little exoskeleton for the IC, instead of sewing the ICs directly onto the fabric. Although the ICs we're using are pretty tough little friends, they can be fried and broken if connected in the wrong way. Using a socket means you can swap out a fried IC without having to re-sew all the connections.
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In each module's circuit diagram below, colour codes are used to give you advice on the order in which to
## Checking connections
The main things that can go wrong here are:
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This module was made by hand, but you could also do some of the steps with a laser cutter! The resistivity of the yarn, as well as the spaces between where the yarns cross over in the 'loopy' part of the pattern, will affect the tones that the Anni module plays.
I mentioned in the 'Materials'section of this page that the yarn you use is important. The Anni module plays tones when you press down on the places where the yarn crosses over itself. This only works because the yarn is mostly made of non-conductive fibers, with a small amount of conductive fibers spun into it. Pressing down on the yarn brings conductive fibers from both sides in contact with each other, allowing electricity to flow, and generating sound. If the yarn was 100% conductive fiber, the sound would play all the time - we don't want this!
I mentioned in the 'Materials'section of this page that the yarn you use is important. The Anni module plays tones when you press down on the places where the yarn crosses over itself. This only works because the yarn is mostly made of non-conductive fibers, with a small amount of conductive fibers spun into it. Pressing down on the yarn brings conductive fibers from both sides in contact with each other, allowing electricity to flow, and generating sound. If the yarn was 100% conductive fiber, the sound would play all the time - we don't want this!
But if you can't find a yarn like this, don't worry. You can make your own by getting some regular yarn / wool, and using a sewing needle to thread some conductive thread through it (slightly fiddyly, but it'll work!). Or if you're feeling ambitious, you could spin your own yarn out of a mix of threads :)
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*[Grids](https://class.textile-academy.org/2019/jessica.stanley/docs/projects/StitchSynth_grid_files.zip): a zip file containing templates for fabric grids in .ai, .dxf and .pdf format (includes a bonus grid that I planned to use to make a sequencer, but didn't have time, plus templates for fabric strips used in the Anni and Ada modules)
*[Schematics](https://class.textile-academy.org/2019/jessica.stanley/docs/images/finalproject/stitch-synth-schematics.pdf): a pdf file of all the circuit schematics, so you can see them a bit clearer than they appear on this page
*[component symbols](https://class.textile-academy.org/2019/jessica.stanley/docs/images/finalproject/stitch-synth-component-symbols.ai): an Illustrator file containing the custom symbols I made to represent the components, in case you'd like to use them
* [Maryam]: a zip file containing .ai file for the Maryam module pattern, the Rhino + Grasshopper files used to make the pattern, and embroidery machine files that will work on a Janome machine.
*[Maryam]: a zip file containing .ai file for the Maryam module pattern, and embroidery machine files that will work on a Janome machine. Or download the Hilbert2D Grasshopper definition from [Morphocode](https://morphocode.com/space-filling-curves-using-l-systems/)
