Make Your Winter Gloves TouchScreen Compatible

[nickhesson]

With winter right around the corner, things are going to start go get a little chilly. That might be an understatement for myself, as I live up in Canada, and when winter comes around, it essentially means no using the iPhone outdoors because of clunky gloves. That is unless you're a trooper and want to risk some frostbite.

However, we have noticed a much cooler season for various parts of North America, so this could come in handy for quite a few of you who want to stay warm but still use their iPhone or iPod.

Thankfully this little trick won't require you to have any sewing skills whatsoever, but you will need to be able to thread a few stitches without hurting yourself. You could always buy special gloves, but why do that when you can use your own gloves you already own and love.

Such existing gloves in the marketplace include TouchTec, Dots Gloves (these ones look super nice, and inexpensive if you don't feel like making your own), as well as the good old rumor a few months ago that Apple filed for a patent on winter-friendly iPhone gloves.

From [Instructables]

Most modern touch screens use "capacitive touchscreen" which in short means that for a glove to work with a touch screen it needs to complete a circuit with your finger. So that's what we're going to do by putting some conductive thread between the screen and our finger.

Supplies You will need:

* A glove.
* A needle.
* 12" (30cm) of conductive thread.

#1 Thread your needle
You don't need a whole lot of thread, just a foot or so.

#2: Sew a few stitches in the finger of your glove.
On the outside try to make the stitches pretty close so it only touches the screen in a smallish area (about 1/4" or 6mm in diameter.) This will help your finger touches be more accurate.

Tip: Don't make it too small! The iPhone, for example, will ignore small touch areas. If it doesn't seem to work very well, try increasing the size of the stitches on the outside.

On the inside of the finger, it's actually good for it to be messy (See #3).

3-5 stitches should be enough.

#3: Leave some extra inside the glove.
You want to make sure the thread touches your finger or your hand on the inside, so leave some extra. Leave danging thread on your knots, etc. You might even tack a bit to the lining of the glove

#4: Repeat on other fingers (optional)
If you use other fingers or thumbs to use your screen repeat the step on them too.

Hope this is useful for any of you guys that have cold weather during the winter. If you have to take the bus everywhere, this could be a big plus too. And I would imagine this would be great for snowboarders.

[Images from ChipChick and Instrutables]

[itsnolongfing]

I want one of this.......

[carlos916]

wut a waste of money!!
1.. go to the store and look for some gloves
2. put them on and see if you can control ur iphone with them on.
3. buy!

i had a pair of icon leather motorcycle golves and they worked with my iphone!...

save ur cash kids!

[snap1500]

What happened to my post? I was first....

[wiltok]

What the heck is 'conductive thread'? Is that just regular thread like for a button or something?

[jwalkd9]

With winter right around the corner, things are going to start go get a little chilly. That might be an understatement for myself, as I live up in Canada, and when winter comes around, it essentially means no using the iPhone outdoors because of clunky gloves. That is unless your a trooper and want to risk some frostbite.

However, we have noticed a much cooler season for various parts of North America, so this could come in handy for quite a few of you who want to stay warm but still use their iPhone or iPod.

Thankfully this little trick won't require you to have any sewing skills whatsoever, but you will need to be able to thread a few stitches without hurting yourself. You could always buy special gloves, but why do that when you can use your own gloves you already own and love.

Such existing gloves in the marketplace include TouchTec, Dots Gloves (these ones look super nice, and inexpensive if you don't feel like making your own), as well as the good old rumor a few months ago that Apple filed for a patent on winter-friendly iPhone gloves.

From [Instructables]


Hope this is useful for any of you guys that have cold weather during the winter. If you have to take the bus everywhere, this could be a big plus too. No more gold hands trying to use your phone while waiting for that warm bus!

[Images from ChipChick and Instrutables]

But i want gold hands

[nickhesson]

But i want gold hands

bahahaha. Gold hands would be pretty sweet.

wut a waste of money!!
1.. go to the store and look for some gloves
2. put them on and see if you can control ur iphone with them on.
3. buy!

i had a pair of icon leather motorcycle golves and they worked with my iphone!...

save ur cash kids!

lol that's the whole idea of this article. To make your own if they don't work!

What the heck is 'conductive thread'? Is that just regular thread like for a button or something?

Check out this article on Conductive Threads to learn more

Conductive Thread Overview - Fashioning Technology

[i3exa]

actually this comes in handy for those of us motorcycle riders that have specific gloves and still wanna use their iphones.....might stitch mine up

[adsonjustin]

interesting...

[unholy3000]

Perfect for when im snowboarding no more freezing my fingers off just to cahnge songs

[nickhesson]

Perfect for when im snowboarding no more freezing my fingers off just to cahnge songs

Exactly what I was thinking. Great for snowboarders that want yo use their snowboarding gloves.

[ez.life]

...Just a question; are you from Quebec MMi Staff writer 'cuz there were plenty of mistakes in that text.

"start go get a little chilly" --- *start to get*

Anyways, great idea; let me ask my grandma, seriously?

-e.

[IPAMAN]

Hey for everyone saying the spelling mistakes i mean i wouldnt be complaining he just told you how to keep your favourite gloves and use your iphone in the winter. Everyones going to make a spelling mistake or two or three for that matter.

[bobsco]

Hahaha.....I can't believe some people. First Carlos thinks jwalk is trying to lure people into spending money while he's actually trying to save people money and then Carlos has the bright idea to tell people to not use jwalk's idea but to go out and spend money on new gloves and then another guy complains about spelling mistakes. Gimme a freakin break. Great idea jwalk. Thanks.

Oops......actually the thanks goes out to nickhesson.

[ifonemaniac]

Our staff writers don't know the difference between "your" and "you're"?

Pathetic.
Edit Poseidon: Ur pethetac.

Rota, I really enjoy your insight and your f-the-system attitude but some guys on here might be a little too sensitive...please don't get urself booted. :-p

[ip3]

There are another pair of iPhone / touch screen friendly gloves made by north face, they are called e-tip gloves and I have been using them for about two yrs and they work fine for me, retail is about $40

[Josheesh]

How coarse is this thread? Any chance of this causing scratches on the screen?

[matthew1111]

Thats just awesome.

[rhekt]

conductive thread..very nice..

[hollow0]

actually this comes in handy for those of us motorcycle riders that have specific gloves and still wanna use their iphones.....might stitch mine up

Using your phone while riding your motorcycle??? That's dangerous!

i like the idea of the gloves because using my phone in the cold is quite hard. However, bulky gloves won't work for me. i wonder how think this glove is...but then again you dont' want it to be too thin or else your hands will get cold...sigh* decisions decisions!