Reflection

Reflect on the process of making this project. What did you learn? What would you do differently?

Considering that this project is an improved version of something I made in the past, I think I already knew what errors could arise from putting the LEDs in the dress. Therefore, I thought about the project a little more before planning how it would work. I learned through this class that there are a lot more efficient ways to do wiring in fabric other than hard wiring through the use of conductive thread and fabric. Since this project is a second go-around at one of my projects, I don't know if there is anything I would do differently yet, especially since I have not been able to make it yet. However, I do have a few concerns regarding the design.

First, I don't know if having the LEDs put on the outer layer of fabric would be as nice looking than if it were under two layers. In the first dress I made, the circuitry was showing, since organza is a very sheer fabric. The LEDs I linked above seemed like they were less noticeable and brighter, so maybe that will fix the problem, but the illusion is to have a glowing dress and not something so obvious. Secondly, while I think the weight of the battery should be fine in the bow and I think the placement of it is good (since the bow is attached afterwards anyway), I do think that it will be too bulky or again, obvious. Maybe it is possible to put the battery pack in a battery holder such that I don't need the snaps to turn it on and off. If I keep it in a removable pack, I can move the battery to different places, which can also solve the problem of having visible circuitry from the LED strips. The only thing that will need to be changed is getting the conductive thread to the battery. While I do have some issues with my current design, it was fun redesigning something with the new things that I had learned from this class.