Val Head is totally into design, type, code, coffee & the internet.

A while back I posted about my soft circuits hello world project. A simple wrist cuff with LEDs and a sewn snap switch. Since then, I’ve been up to a few more things that I thought I’d share.

I’ve had a lot of fun making fabric buttons and sewing switches, then using them to make LEDs light up in various ways. Some of my projects were just plain silly, like the gingerbread zombie and sending tweets on a button press. Some didn’t quite live up to my vision, like the one that ended up looking like a jawa with too many eyes.(Oops!)

Despite the fact that all of these projects are essentially just connecting LEDs to a battery and adding a switch, I’ve learned a lot making these. I love combining things that don’t seem like they should go to together. Putting electronic bits into hand crafted fabric projects is a perfect way to do just that.

My current project is a dog hoodie (yes, for my dog) fitted with a photoresister and LEDs. It’s not postworthy yet, but if you’re curious, you can follow the progress on flickr.

Chances are you’ve heard about Flash and the City, the Flash conference in NYC this May, but did you know they’re doing an awards show?

This isn’t the type of awards show that you enter your latest work into, though. Instead, the awards are to recognize people who have been significant influences in the Flash community. Go ahead and nominate someone you think has contributed to the community in any of the six categories!

Winner will be chosen by a combination of public voting and a panel of judges (I’m one of them, btw). You have until March 31st, 2010 to enter nominations.