E-Textiles

Also known as wearables, this is the world of electronics sewn right into your clothes! Find tutorials here that introduce the basics of machine-washable boards and conductive thread, as well as projects to get you inspired.

LDK Experiment 1: Lighting Up a Basic Circuit

February 7, 2013

The first experiment in the LilyPad Design Kit series. In this exercise, you will learn how a basic e-textiles circuit works, and light up a sewable LED using a coin cell battery holder and conductive thread.

LDK Experiment 2: Multiple LED Circuits

October 2, 2013

Design both parallel and series e-textile circuits with multiple LEDs!

LDK Experiment 5: Make Your Own Switch

October 2, 2013

Learn to create and integrate your own handmade switch into an e-textile circuit.

LDK Experiment 6: Microcontroller Circuits

October 2, 2013

Learn how to build a simple microcontroller circuit using the pre-programmed LilyTiny Board

Light Up Pennant with E-Textiles

September 17, 2015

Show your school spirit, geek pride, or fandom with a light up pennant using the LilyTwinkle or LilyPad Arduino.

Light-Up Plush

December 16, 2016

Craft a light-up plush with LilyPad LEDs controlled by pressing a button and sliding a switch in the creature's hands.

Light Up Silk Flower Corsage

April 20, 2015

Combine a silk flower with a built-in RGB LED and some LilyPad Switches to create a customizable accessory.

LilyMini ProtoSnap Hookup Guide

December 17, 2016

Explore the LilyPad LilyMini ProtoSnap and learn how to use it.

LilyPad Basics: E-Sewing

December 17, 2016

Learn how to use conductive thread with LilyPad components.

LilyPad Basics: Powering Your Project

September 24, 2018

Learn the options for powering your LilyPad projects, LiPo battery safety and care, and how to calculate and consider power constraints on your projects.

LilyPad Buttons and Switches

July 23, 2018

Learn about the button and switch offerings in the LilyPad line and how to use them.

LilyPad Buzzer Hookup Guide

November 19, 2015

How to hook up the LilyPad Buzzer and make sound with code.

LilyPad Development Board Activity Guide

December 7, 2017

Learn how to program in Arduino with the LilyPad Development Board. This guide includes 11 example activities that use the pre-wired LilyPad boards on the LilyPad Development Board.

LilyPad Development Board Hookup Guide

July 28, 2011

The LilyPad Development Board is a sewable electronics prototyping board that you can use to learn circuits and programming with Arduino, then break apart to make an interactive fabric or wearable project.

LilyPad E-Sewing ProtoSnap Hookup Guide

December 7, 2017

Explore the LilyPad E-Sewing ProtoSnap and learn how to build it into a project.

LilyPad Light Sensor Hookup Guide

November 19, 2015

How to hook up the LilyPad Light Sensor as well as some project ideas and example code.

LilyPad Light Sensor V2 Hookup Guide

June 7, 2018

How to hook up the LilyPad Light Sensor as well as some project ideas and example code.

LilyPad Pixel Board Hookup Guide

September 16, 2015

Add changing colors to your wearable projects using LilyPad Pixel Boards.

LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus Activity Guide

December 7, 2017

Learn how to program in Arduino with the LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus. This guide includes 10 example activities that use the pre-wired LilyPad boards on the LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus.

LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus Hookup Guide

October 5, 2017

The LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus is a sewable electronics prototyping board that you can use to learn circuits and programming with Arduino, then break apart to make an interactive fabric or wearable project.

LilyPad Reed Switch Hookup Guide

November 5, 2015

A guide to using the LilyPad Reed Switch breakout in your projects.

LilyPad RGB LED Hookup Guide

July 18, 2019

Learn how to hook up the LilyPad RGB LED and use a common cathode RGB LED in e-textile projects.

LilyPad Safety Scarf

November 21, 2017

This scarf is embedded with a ribbon of LEDs that illuminate when it gets dark out, making yourself more visible to vehicle and other pedestrians.
Viewing 70 E-Textiles Tutorials. View All Tutorials.

Old Tutorials

Looking for the old, archived tutorials? Head on over to the archived tutorials on the main SparkFun site.
Please be aware that the tutorials you find there are no longer actively maintained.