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Sparkle (7)
I do not have fancy tech savy gloves.
I am just far too cheap to purchase them as I am the type to set things down and walk away.
If I have accidentally left a child behind, gloves are the last of my worries.
Be nice, I have only done it once...
Fortunately for me it was at a city trunk-or-treat and there were multiple policemen there.
Unfortunately for me it was at a city trunk-or-treat and there were multiple policemen there.
So, even though I don't have fancy tech gloves, I do have this:
Conductive thread!
It's about the thickness of quilting thread, and has the feel of a thin wire.
Here's how smart phones work: They have a capacitive touch screen which responds to the static electricity in your hands. When you put on a pair of gloves, the fabric blocks the signal so you can't turn on your phone. Or iPod, or tablet, or whatever it is you use.
Conductive thread will transfer electricity from your fingertips onto your touch screen.
Here's the cool part, any old gloves will do. I have a pair of neoprene gloves that I added conductive thread too that now work fabulously with my phone.
You can use cheap cotton gloves too. Here, I will show you how I made a pair with gloves that were on sale at Target for .50 cents.
This is so super duper easy.
You just thread a needle and knot the thread a few times at the bottom.
Holy crap I have dry hands.
Go back and forth with the thread creating parallel lines close together.
Knit gloves are hard to make straight lines. It's all good. Just do your best.
That's it! Try them out and if they aren't working just add a few more stitches. As longs as the thread is touching your finger inside the glove, and touching the screen on your phone, it should work great.
I would suggest stitching at least your pointer finger and thumb. You can stitch all the fingers in your glove if you want to.
Conductive thread only comes in one color. Think about that when purchasing gloves. It also comes in 2 Ply or 4 Ply. I bought 2. 4 is thicker and would work as well.
A spool of conductive thread like the one I bought above costs around $20. (I originally purchased mine from Spark Fun for $19.95, but they have since raised the price to $39.95. Boooo! ) I know that seems steep, but that's the price of one pair of gloves. You literally could make hundreds with a whole spool.
Look on Etsy for a small amount for yourself, or split the cost of a whole spool with a few friends.
There are people on ebay selling smaller amounts for less, but you really get the best price if you buy a whole spool.
And don't forget to never leave your child unattended when there are policemen nearby to give you dirty looks. :)
To check out more of my DIY projects, go to natalme.com.
