9. Wearables¶
Research¶
In textile design, "weable" typically refers to materials, structures, or components that are suitable for weaving. These can be fibers, threads, or other flexible elements that can interlace in a warp and weft pattern to form a fabric. For example, traditional fibers like cotton, wool, and silk are weable because they have the flexibility, durability, and strength to be woven on a loom. Modern weable materials might also include synthetic fibers like polyester or specialized conductive threads used in smart textiles and e-textiles, which can carry electrical signals and allow for interactive or responsive fabric designs.
Weable materials are chosen based on their properties, such as tensile strength, texture, thickness, and any specific functions they might need to serve—whether for fashion, upholstery, or interactive textiles that incorporate technology. In the context of your work, anything designed for weaving or incorporation into woven textile structures would be considered weable.
This week, I felt a surge of excitement around a weable textile that caught my attention. There's something captivating about working with materials designed specifically to be woven, especially when they bring new possibilities to traditional processes. Imagining how this textile could interact with different weaves and structures really sparked my creativity, opening up new ideas for textures, flexibility, and potential integrations. It’s inspiring to think about how I might incorporate it into future projects, blending innovation with hands-on craft to push the boundaries of what textiles can do.
References & Inspiration¶
MOUNTING VIBRATING MOTORS TO CLOTHING
The vibrating motor sparked a whole new wave of inspiration for me this week. Thinking about how this tiny motor could add sensory feedback to textiles opens up so many possibilities—whether for wearable tech, interactive design, or even therapeutic applications. It's exciting to imagine how I might incorporate this subtle, tactile element into a project, making textiles not only visually appealing but also engaging on a physical level. The idea of creating something that the wearer can actually feel is pushing me to explore new directions in my designs.
Mounting vibrating motor on clothing
LEDs AND NEOPIXELS IN TEXTILE
LEDs and Neopixels have added a whole new layer of inspiration for me this week. The idea of integrating light into textiles feels like a perfect way to bring dynamic, interactive qualities into my work. Imagining fabrics that shift in color, pattern, or intensity with LEDs or Neopixels has me thinking about the potential for wearable pieces that respond to the environment or the wearer’s movements. The creative possibilities for illuminating designs, setting moods, and even conveying information through light are energizing my ideas for future projects.
Make it Glow: NeoPixel and LED Diffusion Tips & Tricks
Tools¶
Process and workflow¶
My sketches are ...
This schematic 1 was obtained by..
This tutorial 2 was created using..
footnote fabrication files
Fabrication files are a necessary element for evaluation. You can add the fabrication files at the bottom of the page and simply link them as a footnote. This was your work stays organised and files will be all together at the bottom of the page. Footnotes are created using [ ^ 1 ] (without spaces, and referenced as you see at the last chapter of this page) You can reference the fabrication files to multiple places on your page as you see for footnote nr. 2 also present in the Gallery.
Code Example¶
Use the three backticks to separate code.
// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
// initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}
// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
delay(1000); // wait for a second
digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW); // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
delay(1000); // wait for a second
}
Results¶
Video¶
From Vimeo¶
Sound Waves from George Gally (Radarboy) on Vimeo.