Kintsugi Jacket

Kintsugi is a Japanese method of mending broken pottery with precious metals such as gold or silver. It is looked as a philosophy where one treats breakage and repair as a part of history. The metals illuminate the cracks and the pottery is reused, symbolizing the value of the object or one's life.

This garment takes the concept of kintsugi to a wearable light-up jacket.

Step 1: Fabric

First, choosing fabric is important. I chose a wool suiting that is heavy enough to hold the snap closures. Keep in mind color when choosing fabrics as well. The darker your fabric the more illuminating the cracks will be.

Once the fabric is chosen, cut out the jacket pattern. After cut out the same bodice pattern but cropped length with the edges "cracked" (can be cut or ripped apart).

Step 2: Closure

This jacket has a snap closure, which is also a snap switch. When searching for snaps, they must be metal snaps because it has to be a conductive metal to complete the circuit.

Measure the length of the centre front and mark each snap with chalk (approx. 1.5-2 inches apart)

After marking the placement of each snap, use a hammer to place them in.

Step 3: Circuit

To begin the circuit, the coin-cell battery holder needs to be placed in a comfortable position (right or left side of the chest is the best placement). Thread a needle with conductive thread and connect the positive side of the battery holder to the top snap. It must be tied around the snap tightly to have good connection. After connect a different thread to the corresponding snap and continue to sew the positive side of the LED lights together.

For the negative side, connect the conductive thread to the negative side of the battery holder and sew all the negative side of the LEDs together.

Step 4: Checking Connection

Check the connection by touching the snaps together, if the LED lights don't light up, it could mean a couple of different things: 1. the positive thread and negative thread is touching or 2. the thread on the snaps are not tied tightly.

Step 5: Final Look

There you have it! A Kintsugi inspired jacket with light up LEDs

Thank you!