HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT

Isolating Traces

In most applications it is important to isolate the conductive traces. For stretchy traces this requires a stretchy isolation. So far we have experimented and had good results with: stretchy fabric glue, puffy fabric paint and extra layers of fabric.

Isolating Stretchy Conductive Fabric Traces

Stretchy fabric glue

For this Aleen’s Stretchy Fabric Glue is the best. It needs to be applied carefully, otherwise it does not look so great. If you have the patience to use sticky or masking tape to tape off the edges then you’ll get the best results because you can use a piece of card to smear the top of the glue evenly without worrying about uneven edges. Taping becomes annoying when traces are curved.
Once the glue is dry (plan 12-24 hours for this) it can be nice to rub some baby powder or flour on to it to make it less sticky, as it never quite goes mat.

This method was used to isolate the stretchy conductive traces on the Puppeteer costume for the Language Game performance at LEMUR.

Stretchy fabric glue with fabric on top

This method was used to cover the stretchy conductive traces on the Puppeteer costumes for the Perfect Human performance. It is basically the same method as above, but there is no need to level the glue. Before applying fabric strips on top of the glue it is best to wait for it to dry a bit (until it looses its blueish sheen, normally 15-20 minutes is fine) so that the glue does not seep through the fabric and show.

Sewn fabric cover

This is actually a very easy method. You basically sew a stretchy tube and either you first fuse the conductive fabric to it, or you can insert it afterwards. This method was used to connect the pressure sensing sole inlays in the Language Game performance to the rest of the Puppeteer costume.

Isolating Stretchy Conductive Thread Traces

Puffy fabric paint

Leah Buechley often uses puffy fabric paint to isolate her conductive thread traces and I’m sure her results look much better than ours do at the moment
>> http://thehighlowtech.com/

Embroidery

see Lynne Bruning’s Instructable >> http://www.instructables.com/id/Machine_Embroidery_covering_Conductive_Thread/

Isolating Non-Stretchy Traces

Stretchy fabric glue on non-stretch fabric

Because of the softness of the Stretch Conductive Fabric compared to many of the non-stretch conductive materials we like to use it in combination with non-stretch materials to make non-stretch conductive traces. To isolate this we have also used stretchy fabric glue.