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What is an e-textile?

An e-textile is a short way of saying electronic textile. What this means is that we can use conductive threads, fabrics, and fibers to weave, sew or knit electronics into textiles to make them interactive. The coolest thing about e-textiles is that now electronics, which are usually stiff and brittle, can be used to make soft items that are flexible to movement.

What is a circuit?

A circuit is the path that electricity flows through. Circuits flow in a circle, and in this case it goes from the battery, to the snap switch, to the LED (light), and back to the battery. Traces are the sewn lines between each component of your circuit. So there is a trace in this circuit between the LED and the metal snap. Electricity moves from a point of greater energy to lesser energy.

What is an LED?

A LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. A diode is a component that only allows electricity to go through in one direction. This means that the orientation of your LED matters. The electricity will move from the + (positive) to the - (ground) side. If your project isn't working check the orientation of your LED to make sure that the + is linked to the + of your battery, and the - to the -.

What is a battery holder?

A battery holder holds your battery! One side will connect to the + (positive) side of your battery, and the other side will connect to the - (ground) side of your battery. In the example above the side with the "arm" on top will touch the + side of your battery and the - side will go on the bottom.