Insulation Techniques for e-Textiles
Gella 
Stretch Fabric Glue
Using stretchy fabric glue is a great way to cover conductive thread without interfering too much with the flex of the fabric it is sewn into. This type of glue is typically used to fuse two pieces of fabric together, but can also provide a nice protective layer if applied on top of fabric.
This technique is one we learned from How To Get What You Want - a website full of tools and techniques around e-textiles and e-crafts.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Drying/Setting Time: Overnight
Mess Level: Moderate
Materials Needed:
- Stretch fabric glue
- Scrap paper
- Paintbrush (optional) - to help spread the glue
- Masking tape (optional) - use as a stencil for clean edges
Aleene's Flexible Stretchable Fabric Glue is a common brand name and one we use a lot here in our e-textiles projects.
Instructions:
Apply a thin layer of glue over conductive thread directly from the squeeze bottle or using a paintbrush. Less is more with this technique - big globs of glue take longer to dry. Painting a few thin layers will give you better results than one thick layer.
* For extra neat lines try using masking tape around the sides of the thread to make a stencil, peel off when glue is completely dry.
Set aside to dry overnight. This glue is notoriously slow drying, so the longer you can let it set, the better. Depending on the thickness of the layer, it may remain tacky even after drying - a quick dusting or rub down of flour or baby powder will help.
Pros:
- Flexible, stretchy seal over fabric and thread
- Dries clear
Cons:
- Takes practice to make even lines over thread
- Long dry time
- Glue remains shiny - flour/baby powder will also help with shine
Examples:
Check out Mika Satomi and Hannah Perner-Wilson's Language Game project for a costume that uses this technique over conductive fabric traces. Learn more about using conductive fabric instead of thread in your project here.