Make It Glow

Book description

Light up your life with ingenious LED projects perfect for the whole family! This beautifully presented book is filled with full-color photographs and step-by-step instructions for projects that can be completed by even the youngest Maker.

Featuring 21 DIY LED crafting projects that build upon lessons learned to guarantee success, Make It Glow starts with ultra simple projects and then tackles increasingly complicated ones. Beginning with Blue-Light Greeting Cards, Eyes in the Dark, and Flickerbugs projects, you'll gradually increase your ambition and scale by crafting Fairy Wings, a Light-up Tote Bag, Electric Roses, and more. You will be thrilled by the decorative, fun designs you're able to create as you develop new skills that will unleash your creativity!

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Table of contents

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. CHAPTER 1: Glowies & Throwies What could be easier than taping a battery to an LED? That’s all you need to do to begin your explorations! Just add power (from a battery) to a light source (an LED), and you’ve made a simple circuit that will glow up your world.
    1. Start by Making Glowies >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    2. Floaties: Light Up the Night! >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    3. Glow Ghosts >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    4. Eyes in the Bushes >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    5. Flickerbugs >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    6. Awesome Ornaments >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    7. Throwie Dartboard Game >> SKILL LEVEL 2
  3. CHAPTER 2: Paper CircuitsA sheet of paper may not seem very exciting on its own, but it can provide the foundation for so many amazing experiments! This chapter explores the many dimensions of folding, taping, and cutting to make simple circuits.
    1. Start by Making a Simple Paper Circuit >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    2. Shooting-Star Card >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    3. Origami Firefly >> SKILL LEVEL 2
    4. Glowing Pinwheel >> SKILL LEVEL 3
  4. CHAPTER 3: Soft Circuitry & Wearables Power up your wardrobe with activities that pair sewable LEDs with conductive thread. Make everything from trendy fashions to heartwarming stuffies, and try out new tools and techniques to expand your DIY horizons.
    1. Power Cuff >> SKILL LEVEL 2
    2. Fashion for Fido: Glow-in-the-Dark Dog Collar >> SKILL LEVEL 3
    3. I ❤ My Stuffie >> SKILL LEVEL 3
    4. Fairy Wings >> SKILL LEVEL 3
    5. Superhero Cape >> SKILL LEVEL 2
    6. Light-up Tote Bag >> SKILL LEVEL 3
  5. CHAPTER 4: Twist, Solder, Tape & Hack Mix it up! Once you get a feel for all the ways you can use LEDs, batteries, and circuits to make things glow, you can begin experimenting with different ways to put them together.
    1. Electric Roses >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    2. Thunderclouds >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    3. Firefly Nightlight >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    4. Marquee Letter >> SKILL LEVEL 3
    5. Jazzed-up Jewelry: Start by Making Glue Jewels! >> SKILL LEVEL 1
    6. Glue-Jewel Glimmer Ring >> SKILL LEVEL 2
    7. Glue-Jewel Royal Crown >> SKILL LEVEL 3
  6. More Ways to Glow! Introducing EL Wire
  7. More Tips & Troubleshooting
  8. Activities by Skill Level
  9. About the Authors
  10. Acknowledgments

Product information

  • Title: Make It Glow
  • Author(s): Emily Coker, Kelli Townley
  • Release date: September 2016
  • Publisher(s): Make: Community
  • ISBN: 9781680451054