LilyPad

The LilyPad system is a set of sewable electronic pieces designed to help you build soft, sewable, interactive e-textile (electronic textile) projects. Using LilyPad pieces is a great way to experiment with electronics through the lens of crafting or fiber arts. Each LilyPad piece has large conductive sew tabs for easy sewing and a rounded shape so as not to snag fabric or cut thread. To get started, check out the article on Getting Started with LilyPad or tutorials tagged with LilyPad for project ideas!
LilyPad RGB LED Hookup Guide
Learn how to hook up the LilyPad RGB LED and use a common cathode RGB LED in e-textile projects.
LilyPad Vibe Board Hookup Guide
The LilyPad Vibe Board is a small vibration motor that can be sewn into projects with conductive thread and controlled by a LilyPad Arduino. The board can be used as a physical indicator on clothing and costumes for haptic feedback.
3D Printed Illuminated Wand Prop
In this tutorial, we will learn about how to create a theatrical prop for a performance by 3D printing a wand and adding an LED.
LilyPad Basics: Powering Your Project
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
Learn about the button and switch offerings in the LilyPad line and how to use them.
LilyPad Light Sensor V2 Hookup Guide
How to hook up the LilyPad Light Sensor as well as some project ideas and example code.
LilyPad USB Plus Hookup Guide
The LilyPad USB Plus is a sewable microcontroller that you can use with Arduino.
Adapting LilyPad Development Board Projects to the LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus
An overview of the updates made in the redesign of the LilyPad Development Board to the LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus and how to adapt code written for the old board to the new one.
LilyPad Tri-Color LED Hookup Guide
Learn how to hook up the LilyPad Tri-Color LED and use a common anode RGB LED in e-textile projects.
LilyPad Temperature Sensor Hookup Guide
How to hook up the LilyPad Temperature Sensor as well as some project ideas and example code.
LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus Activity Guide
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 E-Sewing ProtoSnap Hookup Guide
Explore the LilyPad E-Sewing ProtoSnap and learn how to build it into a project.
LilyPad Development Board Activity Guide
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 Safety Scarf
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.
Getting Started with LilyPad
An introduction to the LilyPad ecosystem - a set of sewable electronic pieces designed to help you build soft, sewable, interactive e-textile projects.
Night Sky Halloween Costume
Make a beautiful night sky costume using the LilyPad LEDs and the LilyTiny.
LilyPad ProtoSnap Plus Hookup Guide
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.
Twinkle Zodiac Constellation
Create a quick and easy piece of e-textile art based on a Zodiac sign using a LilyTiny, LilyPad LEDs, battery holder, conductive thread, and coin cell battery.
Marquee Party Bag
This tutorial provides everything you need to know to make your own Marquee Party Bag!
LilyMini ProtoSnap Hookup Guide
Explore the LilyPad LilyMini ProtoSnap and learn how to use it.
LilyPad Basics: E-Sewing
Learn how to use conductive thread with LilyPad components.
Powering LilyPad LED Projects
Learn how to calculate how many LEDs your LilyPad project can power and how long it will last.
Illuminated Mask
Use LilyPad LEDs, a switched battery holder, and coin cell battery to make a fun light up mask for your next costume party.
Light-Up Plush
Craft a light-up plush with LilyPad LEDs controlled by pressing a button and sliding a switch in the creature's hands.
Glowing Pin
Create a quick and easy piece of e-textile art using a LilyPad LED, battery holder, conductive thread, and coin cell battery.
Night-Light Pennant with LilyMini ProtoSnap
Use the pre-programmed LilyMini ProtoSnap to make an interactive pennant that reacts to ambient light levels.
LilyPad Buzzer Hookup Guide
How to hook up the LilyPad Buzzer and make sound with code.
LilyPad Light Sensor Hookup Guide
How to hook up the LilyPad Light Sensor as well as some project ideas and example code.
LilyPad Reed Switch Hookup Guide
A guide to using the LilyPad Reed Switch breakout in your projects.
Choosing a LilyPad Arduino for Your Project
Not sure which LilyPad Arduino is right for you? We'll discuss the features of each and help you decide.
Light Up Pennant with E-Textiles
Show your school spirit, geek pride, or fandom with a light up pennant using the LilyTwinkle or LilyPad Arduino.
LilyPad Pixel Board Hookup Guide
Add changing colors to your wearable projects using LilyPad Pixel Boards.
LED Butterfly Pop Up Card
Craft an illuminated butterfly pop up card with copper tape, two LEDs, and a battery.
LED Robot Pop Up Card
Craft a paper circuit pop up card with a cycling RGB LED, battery, and copper tape.
Planning a Wearable Electronics Project
Tips and tricks for brainstorming and creating a wearables project.
The Great Big Guide to Paper Circuits
Let's take a look at different materials we can use to combine paper crafting and electronics.
Sound Page Guide
How to use the Lilypad MP3 Player and some Bare Conductive Paint to make a fandom silhouette sound trigger page.
Light Up Silk Flower Corsage
Combine a silk flower with a built-in RGB LED and some LilyPad Switches to create a customizable accessory.
LilyTiny Plush Monster
Craft a stuffed monster while exploring the LilyTiny preprogrammed microcontroller. This is a project based on the Plush Monster Activity created at MIT's High-Low Tech Lab by Emily Lovell, Jie Qi, and Natalie Freed.
Insulation Techniques for e-Textiles
Learn a few different ways to protect your conductive thread and LilyPad components in your next wearables project.
LilyPad Simple Power Hookup Guide
A basic guide for getting started using the LilyPad Simple Power with LiPo batteries.
Cackling Apple Head Witch
Make your own cackling apple head witch to scare all of the trick or treaters this Halloween!
Twinkling Trick or Treat Bag
Make a light up goodie bag with conductive thread, LEDs, and the LilyTwinkle!
Re-Programming the LilyTiny / LilyTwinkle
A quick tutorial showing how to reprogram the ATtiny85 IC found on the LilyTiny or LilyTwinkle boards.
Light-Up Father's Day Card
Light up your dad's day with this electronic pop-up card!
Customizing LilyPad LED Colors
A short guide to creating a rainbow of new LilyPad LED colors at home!
LDK Experiment 2: Multiple LED Circuits
Design both parallel and series e-textile circuits with multiple LEDs!
LDK Experiment 6: Microcontroller Circuits
Learn how to build a simple microcontroller circuit using the pre-programmed LilyTiny Board
LDK Experiment 5: Make Your Own Switch
Learn to create and integrate your own handmade switch into an e-textile circuit.
My Drunk Kitchen Apron
A fun project that uses the LilyPad MP3 trigger. This apron will dispense helpful kitchen advice and humor from the host of My Drunk Kitchen, Hannah Harto!
ProtoSnap LilyPad Development Simple Hookup Guide
Interested in getting into LilyPad? Or maybe it's Arduino that tickles your fancy? Just want to add a little white-blinky-LED zest to your vest? All of the above? The ProtoSnap LilyPad Simple is a great tool to explore any of these subjects.
Dungeons and Dragons Dice Gauntlet
A playful, geeky tutorial for a leather bracer that uses a LilyPad Arduino, LilyPad accelerometer, and seven segment display to roll virtual 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 20, and 100 side dice for gaming.
WS2812 Breakout Hookup Guide
How to create a pixel string with the WS2812 and WS2812B addressable LEDs!
LDK Experiment 4: Make Your Own Button
How to create your own e-textiles buttons.
Mario the Magician's Magical Lapel Flower
A guest tutorial from the astonishingly talented Mario the Magician showing how to put together your own servo-controlled lapel flower.
Firefly Jar Assembly Guide
Make a soft circuit firefly jar with conductive thread, LEDs, and the LilyTwinkle!
Getting Started with the LilyPad MP3 Player
The LilyPad MP3 Player is an amazing little board that contains almost everything you need to play audio files. You can use it to create all kinds of noisy projects, from MP3 hoodies to talking teddy bears. Your imagination is the only limit! This tutorial will help you get started.
Soft Circuits: LED Feelings Pizza
Here we will learn how to say how you feel with pizza. Electric pizza.
LDK Experiment 1: Lighting Up a Basic Circuit
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.
Heating Pad Hand Warmer Blanket
DIY Project Idea: Create a custom hand warmer blanket using heating pads.
LilyPad Development Board Hookup Guide
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.
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.