# NeoPixel Matrix Snowflake Sweater ## Overview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_UgyBGbRIQ Create a tacky sweater controlled by your phone! It's easy to put together this Bluefruit and NeoPixel matrix circuit to display snowflakes in a sweater, and control the animation and color using the Adafruit Bluefruit LE Connect app for iOS or Android.  This is an easy project to build but probably not best for a "first project" as there are a lot of concepts being mixed together and the matrix can use quite a lot of power. You can build it with any of our Bluefruit products and the microcontroller of your choice, such as FLORA with its BLE module, or the all-in-one Feather 32u4 Bluefruit LE. Before you begin, read and understand the following prerequisite guides: - [NeoPixel Uberguide](../../../adafruit-neopixel-uberguide) - [Adafruit Feather 32u4 Bluefruit LE](../../../adafruit-feather-32u4-bluefruit-le) or - [Getting Started with Adafruit FLORA](../../../getting-started-with-flora) and [FLORA BLE](../../../adafruit-flora-bluefruit-le) - [Battery Powering Wearable Electronics](../../../battery-powering-wearable-electronics) - [Adafruit Guide to Excellent Soldering](../../../adafruit-guide-excellent-soldering) For this project you will need: - [Flexible 8x8 NeoPixel matrix](http://www.adafruit.com/product/2612) - [Feather 32u4 Bluefruit LE](http://www.adafruit.com/product/2829) or [FLORA](http://www.adafruit.com/product/659)+[BLE](http://www.adafruit.com/product/2487) (or other microcontroller + Bluefruit module of your choice) - [Lipoly battery at least 1200 mAh](http://www.adafruit.com/product/258) - [JST extension cable](http://www.adafruit.com/product/1131) - Adafruit Bluefruit LE Connect app for [iOS](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj38Li_3uPJAhVBJB4KHV_LBvcQFggyMAM&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fapp%2Fadafruit-bluefruit-le-connect%2Fid830125974%3Fmt%3D8&usg=AFQjCNG9LE0KAP6z_DCHpYxovk6MIDLAhg&sig2=gQmDIQYDk5HCgHyACvU6Zw&bvm=bv.110151844,d.dmo) or [Android](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj38Li_3uPJAhVBJB4KHV_LBvcQFgg6MAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fplay.google.com%2Fstore%2Fapps%2Fdetails%3Fid%3Dcom.adafruit.bluefruit.le.connect%26hl%3Den&usg=AFQjCNGjS0YF6KydiYLpLM090alcvZaRzg&sig2=YFsqMiB-__QPg8OfSH--Uw&bvm=bv.110151844,d.dmo) # NeoPixel Matrix Snowflake Sweater ## Assemble Circuit Use your soldering iron to heat up the connections on the back of your NeoPixel matrix, and remove all but one power, one ground, and the data in wire. Reposition the wires to face towards the center of the matrix instead of outwards. If using FLORA and the FLORA BLE module, solder the collowing connections: - matrix DIN -\> FLORA D6 - matrix 5V -\> FLORA VBATT - matrix GND -\> FLORA GND - BLE 3.3V -\> FLORA 3.3V - BLE TX -\> FLORA RX - BLE RX -\> FLORA TX - BLE GND -\> FLORA GND Plug your battery into the JST port and a USB cable to the micro USB port. The USB port on your computer may not be able to supply adequate current to the matrix, so be sure your FLORA's power switch is also set to ON to be sure the battery is supplying power. ![led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-flora-soldered.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/029/137/medium640/led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-flora-soldered.jpg?1450298027) ![led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-flora-ble-with-wires.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/029/138/medium640/led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-flora-ble-with-wires.jpg?1450298041) ![led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-flora-assembled.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/029/139/medium640/led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-flora-assembled.jpg?1450298053) ![led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-flora-plugged-in.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/029/140/medium640/led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-flora-plugged-in.jpg?1450298063) If you're using the Feather 32u4 Bluefruit LE, it's even easier with only three connections: - matrix DIN -\> Feather 6 - matrix 5V -\> Feather BAT - matrix GND -\> Feather GND ![led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-feather.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/029/141/medium640/led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-feather.jpg?1450298082) # NeoPixel Matrix Snowflake Sweater ## Code These are the snowflakes we designed to go with this project-- we sketched them out as bitmaps in Photoshop and then coded little snowflake functions using the GFX library for Arduino. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/029/136/medium800/led_matrix_Screen_Shot_2015-12-14_at_5.20.10_PM.png?1450298026) ## Download the Code for Your Application All the code resides in [GitHub in this repository](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/tree/master/Bluetooth_NeoMatrix_Snowflake). There are three sets of code: 1. A basic test program, no Bluetooth, 2. Using a Feather 32u4 Bluefruit and 3. Using FLORA and the FLORA BLE module. See the following pages for each variant. Download the code that matches your board (Feather or Flora), then open up the .ino file inside that folder with Arduino. # NeoPixel Matrix Snowflake Sweater ## Basic Test To test out your matrix or build this project without bluetooth control, you can use this basic "snowflakes only" sketch: https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/Bluetooth_NeoMatrix_Snowflake/basic/basic.ino # NeoPixel Matrix Snowflake Sweater ## Feather BlueFruit LE [For Feather](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/tree/master/Bluetooth_NeoMatrix_Snowflake/feather_neomatrix_bluetooth_snowflake) (hardware SPI) - click Download: Project Zip in the .ino file listing below. https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/Bluetooth_NeoMatrix_Snowflake/feather_neomatrix_bluetooth_snowflake/feather_neomatrix_bluetooth_snowflake.ino # NeoPixel Matrix Snowflake Sweater ## FLORA For [using FLORA](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/tree/master/Bluetooth_NeoMatrix_Snowflake/flora-neomatrix-bluetooth-snowflake), this code has been formatted to work with the FLORA BLE module over hardware serial. Click Download: Project Zip in the .ino file listing below. https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/Bluetooth_NeoMatrix_Snowflake/flora-neomatrix-bluetooth-snowflake/flora-neomatrix-bluetooth-snowflake.ino # NeoPixel Matrix Snowflake Sweater ## Sew into Sweater & Wear! To temporarily attach the matrix to your sweater, use a needle and thread to tack down the corners of the matrix. Plug your battery in through a JST extension cable so you can tuck the battery into your pocket. Wear over another shirt so the circuit is not shorted by your skin! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/029/145/medium800/led_matrix_neomatrix-snowflake-feather-sewn-in.jpg?1450298158) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/029/147/medium800thumb/led_matrix_snowflake-sweater-in-use.jpg?1450305284) ## Featured Products ### Flexible 8x8 NeoPixel RGB LED Matrix [Flexible 8x8 NeoPixel RGB LED Matrix](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2612) For advanced NeoPixel fans, we how have a bendable,  **Flexible 8x8 NeoPixel LED Matrix!** Control all 64 ultra-bright LEDs using a single microcontroller pin, set each LED as you wish to scroll messages or draw little images. This matrix has a thick flexible PCB backing that... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2612) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2612/guides) ### Adafruit Feather 32u4 Bluefruit LE [Adafruit Feather 32u4 Bluefruit LE](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2829) Feather is the new development board from Adafruit, and like its namesake it is thin, light, and lets you fly! We designed Feather to be a new standard for portable microcontroller cores. This is the  **Adafruit Feather 32u4 Bluefruit**  - our take on an... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2829) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2829/guides) ### FLORA - Wearable electronic platform: Arduino-compatible [FLORA - Wearable electronic platform: Arduino-compatible](https://www.adafruit.com/product/659) FLORA is Adafruit's fully-featured wearable electronics platform. It's a round, sewable, Arduino-compatible microcontroller designed to empower amazing wearables projects.FLORA comes with Adafruit's support, [tutorials and...](http://learn.adafruit.com/category/flora) In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/659) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/659/guides) ### Flora Wearable Bluefruit LE Module [Flora Wearable Bluefruit LE Module](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2487) Would you like to add powerful and easy-to-use Bluetooth Low Energy to your wearable FLORA project? Heck yeah! With BLE now included in modern smart phones and tablets, its fun to add wireless connectivity. So what you really need is the new Adafruit Flora Bluefruit LE! The Flora... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2487) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2487/guides) ### JST-PH Battery Extension Cable - 500mm [JST-PH Battery Extension Cable - 500mm](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1131) By popular demand, we now have a handy extension cord for all of our JST PH-terminated battery packs (such as our LiIon/LiPoly and 3xAAA holders). One end has a JST-PH compatible socket, and the other end has a matching plug. Between the two, 500mm of color coded wire. Handy for wearable... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1131) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1131/guides) ### Lithium Ion Polymer Battery - 3.7v 1200mAh [Lithium Ion Polymer Battery - 3.7v 1200mAh](https://www.adafruit.com/product/258) Lithium-ion polymer (also known as 'lipo' or 'lipoly') batteries are thin, light, and powerful. The output ranges from 4.2V when completely charged to 3.7V. This battery has a capacity of 1200mAh for a total of about 4.5 Wh. If you need a larger battery, Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/258) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/258/guides) ## Related Guides - [3D Printed Case for Adafruit Feather](https://learn.adafruit.com/3d-printed-case-for-adafruit-feather.md) - [Chameleon Scarf](https://learn.adafruit.com/chameleon-scarf.md) - [Flora TSL2561 Lux Sensor](https://learn.adafruit.com/flora-lux-sensor.md) - [Sunscreen Reminder Hat](https://learn.adafruit.com/sunscreen-reminder-hat.md) - [STEAM-Punk Goggles](https://learn.adafruit.com/steam-punk-goggles.md) - [Glowing Skullcandy Headphones Mod](https://learn.adafruit.com/glowing-skullcandy-headphones-mod.md) - [Flora-Powered TARDIS Costume (for Dogs!)](https://learn.adafruit.com/wearable-flora-powered-tardis-costume-dogs.md) - [Phone-Activated Talking Dog Collar](https://learn.adafruit.com/phone-activated-talking-dog-collar.md) - [PianoGlove](https://learn.adafruit.com/pianoglove.md) - [Glowing LED Chair](https://learn.adafruit.com/glowing-led-chair.md) - [Flora+NeoPixel LED Skateboard Upgrade](https://learn.adafruit.com/flora-neopixel-led-skateboard-upgrade.md) - ['Sup Brows](https://learn.adafruit.com/heybrows.md) - [Memories of an Arduino](https://learn.adafruit.com/memories-of-an-arduino.md) - [Flora Brake Light Backpack](https://learn.adafruit.com/flora-brakelight-backpack.md) - [How to Find Hidden COM Ports](https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-find-hidden-com-ports.md)