# NeoPixel Star Crown with WLED
## Overview
https://youtu.be/aWONra39riU
Sparkle like a 1940s starlet with this DIY star crown, inspired by the iconic Hedy Lamarr in _Ziegfeld Girl_ (1941).
Hedy Lamarr wasn't just another Hollywood beauty—she was also a fearless inventor, and wicked smart. While making headlines with her glamorous and sometimes scandalous roles (like in _Ecstasy_, where she became famous for one of Hollywood’s earliest nude scenes), Hedy was secretly working on a groundbreaking invention to help win World War II. She co-created a “frequency hopping” system to keep Allied torpedoes safe from jamming. That tech became the foundation for what we now use in WiFi and Bluetooth.
This tutorial channels that mix of glam and genius to make a modern, glowing star crown with NeoPixel stars and WLED, perfect for cosplaying the timeless Hedy or adding some sparkle to your next event. Let’s dive into some Old Hollywood glam meets high-tech magic.
The crown is shown here with my [Noods Mask](https://learn.adafruit.com/light-up-your-costume-with-noods/one-nood), a resin [Noods Necklace](https://learn.adafruit.com/moana-glowing-heart-of-te-fiti-necklace), and my [Oozemaster 3000 LED Drip Dress](https://learn.adafruit.com/water-drip-dress-with-oozemaster-3000), running "Carrie Mode" with red blood drips. I was a hit at the Vampire Ball.
## Parts
### Adafruit QT Py ESP32 Pico - WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT
[Adafruit QT Py ESP32 Pico - WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5395)
This dev board is like when you're watching a super-hero movie and the protagonist shows up in a totally amazing costume in the third act and you're like 'OMG! That's the hero and they're here to kick some serious butt!" but in this case its a...
Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5395)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5395/guides)
### Adafruit LiIon or LiPoly Charger BFF Add-On for QT Py
[Adafruit LiIon or LiPoly Charger BFF Add-On for QT Py](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5397)
[Is your QT Py all alone](https://www.adafruit.com/?q=qt+py&sort=BestMatch), lacking a friend to travel the wide world with? When you were a kid you may have learned about the "buddy" system, well this product is kinda like that! A board that will watch your QT...
Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5397)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5397/guides)
### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Star Shape Pixel Strand - 20 LEDs
[Adafruit NeoPixel LED Star Shape Pixel Strand - 20 LEDs](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5982)
Attaching NeoPixel strips to your costume can be a struggle as the flexible PCBs can crack when bent too much. So how to add little shooting stars of color? Use these stranded NeoPixel LEDs that come in adorable 5-pointed star shapes.
Each strand has **20 stars with a single RGB...**
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5982)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5982/guides)
### Lithium Ion Polymer Battery with Short Cable - 3.7V 420mAh
[Lithium Ion Polymer Battery with Short Cable - 3.7V 420mAh](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4236)
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 420mAh for a total of about 1.55 Wh. If you need a larger (or smaller!) battery,
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4236)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4236/guides)
This project uses a lipoly battery because it's very tiny and packs a punch in terms of power. My crown is set to a fairly low brightness and it runs for hours on this tiny battery. If you plan to wear the crown for more than a couple hours, you may want to pick up 2 batteries so you always have a charged one.
The BFF gives us onboard battery charging for LiPoly batteries, so if you wrap the battery up in lots of tape it'll stay pretty safe. Don't puncture these batteries or get them wet or they can catch fire.
If you're planning to make this for a child, you may want to consider using AAA batteries and a battery extension cable instead. It's much bulkier and less glamorous to do it this way, but it's definitely safer. Clip the battery pack to their clothing or drop it into a hood.
### Part: AAA Battery Pack
quantity: 1
AAA Battery Pack
[AAA Battery Pack](https://www.adafruit.com/product/727)
### Part: Battery Extension Cable
quantity: 1
Battery Extension Cable
[Battery Extension Cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1131)
And here are a few more good things to have on hand for electronics projects:
### Part: Silicone Stranded Wire
quantity: 3
Silicone Stranded Wire in Various Colors
[Silicone Stranded Wire](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2051)
### Part: Heat Shrink
quantity: 1
Heat Shrink Pack
[Heat Shrink](https://www.adafruit.com/product/344)
### [Crown Style Tall Metal Headband (Silver)](https://a.co/d/hhJObnV)
Here's the headband I used. This one is great because it's got a lower band for against my head, and a higher band to attach the decorations to, keeping uncomfortable bumps or wires away from my hair.
## Additional Materials & Tools
- Zip ties in various sizes
- Hot glue gun
- Soldering iron & accessories
- Gold spray paint
- Masking tape
- White gaffer's tape or duct tape
# NeoPixel Star Crown with WLED
## Wiring Diagram
The QT Py stacks back-to-back with the power breakout BFF using headers. The NeoPixel stars plug into the Stemma port on the QT Py: Red to +5v, Black to G, and yellow to DI.
The yellow stemma wire connects to **pin 19** on the QT Py, so that's the number we'll enter under LED Settings in WLED.
This wiring method is fine for a small project like we've got, using only 17 pixels. If you have more than around 30 pixels in your project the Stemma's tiny wires won't carry enough current to get your pixels really bright. This is a simple and lovely wiring strategy for smaller projects. Check out [this guide on powering pixels](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide/powering-neopixels) if you've got a bigger dream in mind.
NeoPixel strips have an IN and OUT end. Be sure you're connecting to the IN end or the pixels won't light up. This is sometimes inconsistent with different lots of pixels so it's a good idea to test before committing with a solder joint. On the build page I'll give some tips about how to figure out which end is which.
The USB port on the QT Py is now available to use as a charging port. This BFF breakout adds USB battery charging to your project. Neat!
# NeoPixel Star Crown with WLED
## WLED Software
## Board Choices
WLED runs on several different boards in Adafruit's collection. There are different benefits to each, but the installation process is largely the same. This page contains instructions for multiple boards -- be sure to use the pinouts and installation instructions for the one you're using,
**Sparkle Motion**
This is our flagship ESP32 board, designed with WLED and Xlights in mind. It has 4 outputs and is set up to drive either 5v, 12v or 24v pixels. It's a workhorse of a board and for larger projects it's the clear winner. It has an onboard microphone for instant sound-reactive support, and an IR sensor built in, to make it easy to control your project with an infrared remote. It also has a couple stemma ports so you can add your own sensors or peripherals.
**Sparkle Motion Mini**
The Sparkle Motion Mini is a smaller version of the Sparkle Motion board. It has two LED outputs, a microphone, and two stemma ports that make it easy to add an IR sensor or other peripherals. It's got an onboard NeoPixel and a small footprint, making it perfect for wearables or smaller projects. It will power a whole lot of pixels through the onboard USB port: it's safe to draw up to 4A through this port, giving you plenty of power for most wearable projects.
Info: For Sparkle Motion Mini use at least the 0.15.1 release of WLED.
**QT Py Pico ESP32**
The [QT Py Pico](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5395) is small and affordable, so usually my go-to for smaller costumes or wearables. It also has a range of BFF add-on boards that add functionality. [Here's a guide with more QT Py info](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-qt-py-esp32-pico/overview). The QT Py will drive up to around 30 pixels through the onboard USB port, so if you have more LEDs than that you may want to consider the Sparkle Motion Mini instead, or you can power the board through the +5v pin.
Note: WLED works on the QT Py Pico but NOT on the S2 or S3 versions, at the time of writing.
**Feather Huzzah ESP32 **
The [Feather Huzzah ESP32](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3405) the top of the line. It's a great choice for projects where you want to add sensors, interaction, or drive a whole lot of LEDs. It's the most reliable as well -- I've run these for two months straight with no power cycling and they just keep on truckin. Adafruit has a very wide selection of Feather Wing boards that connect to the Feather microcontroller line. The sky is the limit with these boards.
It also comes in a version with a high-powered WiFi range extender! If you're trying to sync multiple instances across distance, check this one out. [Feather Huzzah ESP32 V2 w.FL Antenna](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5438)
**Feather Huzzah ESP8266**
The [Feather Huzzah ESP8266](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2821) will run WLED as well, but won't drive as many pixels: the ESP32 limit on WLED is around 1000 pixels per input, but the ESP8266 tops out at around 500. It's about $5 cheaper though, so for smaller projects it's a great way to save a little money and still have access to all the Featherwing options in the Adafruit store.
## Driver Update
Some versions of our controllers have a new serial chip which needs a driver installed before we can install WLED. Head over to our [How to Install Drivers for WCH USB to Serial Chips](https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-install-drivers-for-wch-usb-to-serial-chips) tutorial, and download and install the new driver.
If you have an older QT Py with CP2102 USB-to-Serial bridge, [use SiLabs’ driver instead](https://www.silabs.com/developers/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers?tab=downloads).
## Install WLED
These next steps require a **_Web Serial_-compatible browser**. As of this writing, that means **Google Chrome** , **Microsoft Edge** or **Opera** “desktop” browsers. Other browsers (Safari, Firefox, Explorer and _anything_ mobile) won’t work.
Visit [https://install.wled.me/](https://install.wled.me/)
Plug your microcontroller into your computer with a known good USB cable. Click "Install" and select the port for your board.
Depending on the USB-to-serial bridge chip on the board, you might see one _or two_ serial ports. On Mac, for instance, there might be both “/dev/cu.usbmodem[number]” _and_ “/dev/cu.wchusbserial[number]”. Use the “ **wchusbserial** ” one.
After successful installation, enter your WiFi network name and password when prompted. This must be a **2.4 GHz** WiFi network; ESP32 does not support 5 GHz networks. If it can’t connect, then as a fallback WLED will create its own 2.4 GHz WiFi access point.
Danger: Sometimes the "Connect to Wi-Fi" prompt doesn't show up. Don't panic, just see the step below on connecting your computer or mobile device to the WLED-AP access point created on the microcontroller itself!
If you don't see the "Connect to Wi-Fi" prompt, you'll need to set up your WiFi network using AP (access point) mode. Open up your WiFi settings and look for a WiFi network called `WLED-AP`. (Note, this access point can take up to 30 seconds to appear sometimes.) Connect to this network using the default password `wled1234`. The WLED interface will pop up in its own captive browser window.
From here, go into **Config/Wifi Settings** and enter your WiFi credentials for the access point you normally use near the top.
Give your project a name in the mDNS field a little further down the page. Now you can type in "projectname.local" (where "projectname" is your mDNS name) into any web browser on the same wifi network to access your microcontroller.
You can also scan the QR code below to open access point mode.
For more help and troubleshooting tips visit the [Getting Started page on the WLED knowledge base.](https://kno.wled.ge/basics/getting-started/)
## Setup & Preferences
### WiFi Setup
Head to the **WiFi Setup** screen under Config and create a good URL so you can control your project from any web-enabled device. Call it something you'll remember, that's easy to type into any web browser on your WiFi network in order to connect to your project.
In Safari or Chrome on your phone or computer, type in this web address to access the WLED interface: [http://projectname.local](http://projectname.local) (where "projectname" is whatever you put into this field).
Check out the Additional Settings page for more info on accessing your project. WLED has an "access point mode" that doesn't require a WiFi network for when you're out on the go. It's also helpful to download one of the WLED apps to help manage and organize your projects.
### LED Preferences
Next, head to the **LED Preferences** tab under the Config menu.
Scroll down to **Hardware Setup**. Put your total number of LEDs into the "Length" field, and change GPIO to the pin number associated with the pin you soldered to. Check the pinout diagram for the board you're using (it's the number in yellow).
- [Sparkle Motion Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-sparkle-motion)
- [Sparkle Motion Mini Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-sparkle-motion-mini/overview)
- [QT Py Pico Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/112309)
- [Feather Huzzah ESP8266 Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/assets/46249)
- [Feather Huzzah ESP32 Pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-huzzah32-esp32-feather/pinouts)
## Use It
Now you can use any computer or handheld device to control your LEDs.
Make sure your device is on the same WiFi network as your board. Navigate to your custom URL (projectname.local/ ) in a web browser. You'll see a color picker above a whole bunch of color palette choices.
Choose a color, choose an effect, and watch your lights animate and glow!
Save your favorite combinations as presets, create playlists, control the speed and intensity of the animations, and lots more. This web app is incredibly intuitive and easy to use.
Head over to the WLED wiki at [https://kno.wled.ge/](https://kno.wled.ge/) to delve into all the particulars.
# NeoPixel Star Crown with WLED
## Electronics Assembly
If you're new to soldering headers, check out this handy [How to Solder Headers](https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-solder-headers/overview) guide for some tips.
Place the included headers short side-up into a solderless breadboard. Solder the QT Py face-up on top of the headers.
Pull the QT Py out and sandwich the BFF on the back of the board, with the USB port and battery port facing the same way and the boards back-to-back.
Solder the headers in place on the BFF. I find it easiest to tape the QT Py to the table to hold it still for this process.
Trim the pokey headers close to the board so you don't stab yourself in the head with them.
Take a look at your NeoPixel strand. It's got a male connector on one end an a female on the other.
Look closely at the wires and you'll also see that one of the wires is marked -- it has tiny dots / stripes all along the length. This is the power (+5v) wire. It's soldered to the red wire on your connector. The black wire is on the far side and is connected to G, leaving the middle wire (green) as the data wire.
NeoPixel strips and strands are directional. There is a data IN end and a data OUT end. The red and black wires could connect at either end, or somewhere in the middle, and the strip will work fine, but that data wire must be connected at IN end or the pixels won't light up.
There's no industry standard for which connector comes on the IN end. Some strands of pixels have male on the IN, some have female. This is kind of annoying, since it means we've got a 50/50 chance of guessing right.
My strand's IN end had a male connector. You can test your setup with [alligator clips](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1592), or just temporarily stick the wires in the appropriate holes in the QT Py loaded with code to see if you get lights. If you don't, try the data wire at the other end.
Cut the connector off. It's easier to solder to the colored wires on the connector than to the LED strip wires, so leave yourself a little space. Strip a little shielding off the wires and use your alligator clips to temporarily connect them to 5v (red), G (black), and A0 (green) on the QT Py. Plug the QT Py in via its USB port (make sure the software's been loaded and pin number updated) and see if the lights come on. If they don't, try the other end.
Trim your stemma connector also, cutting off any fancy ends. Trim the blue wire to get it out of your way.
Slip some small pieces of heat shrink over the 3 remaining wires. Solder the red wire to the red / striped wire on your NeoPixel strand, the yellow wire to the middle wire, and the black wire to the remaining wire.
Cover all 3 connections with a larger piece of heat shrink to keep them secure.
## Test It
Plug your battery in to the JST connector port and your lights should come on! Hooray.
## Troubleshooting
_If your lights didn't come on, here are a few things to try:_
1. Flip the on/off switch on the BFF. Was it just turned off?
2. Head back to WLED and check your pinout configuration under LED Preferences. Be sure you've told WLED that we are using pin 19 (yellow wire.. [check the pinout](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-qt-py-esp32-pico/pinouts))
3. Check your wiring! Be sure you soldered to the IN end of the LED strip. These strips can be inconsistent so this is a pretty common problem.
4. Try re-uploading the WLED software.
5. If the lights come on but you can't control them, make sure you're on the correct WiFi network - if you're on a different network you won't see the WLED connection.
## GRB Color Order
Normally when WLED first boots up, the default is a warm yellow light color. But our lights didn't boot up in yellow.. they booted up in green. What gives?
Open the WLED interface (open **starcrown.local** in a browser window). Choose "solid" as your effect and red as your color from the color picker.
My lights are now bright green. If I choose blue, they turn blue, but if I choose red or green they appear to be swapped. Not to fear: these pixels simply have a different **Color Order** than standard. There's a setting in WLED to fix this.
Head to the LED Preferences tab under Config and scroll to the Hardware Setup section. Find the box for Color Order and change it from GRB (green, red, blue) to RGB (red, green, blue). This will swap red and green so your strip matches the interface.
FYI: This can be a problem when mixing different types of strips or strands. Normally you can solder together any kind of NeoPixels as long as you match the pins and get the data order right, or solder multiple strands or rings on different pins on your QT Py. But if the color order is different on one of the strands, there's no way to tell WLED to treat the different strands differently. Changing this dropdown will affect your whole project, so take that into account when you're doing your planning. You may need an additional controller if you want to add a different type of lights.
Fixed! Now the pixels show red when I choose red and green when I choose green.
# NeoPixel Star Crown with WLED
## Build the Crown
I built the spokes on my crown from zip ties. I made 8 spokes with some embellishments in between using a couple different sizes of zip tie. There are 20 pixels to work with, so 8 spokes is about right for want two stars per spoke plus a light in the middle -- I ended up using 17 stars total.
Use strong, stiff ones for the tall spokes. I also zip tied the spokes together using the smaller embellishments, which really helps with stability.
Make the zip ties as tight as you can around the crown. Use pliers to really pull them taut. Even with all the support I added, my crown drooped a little bit with the weight of the LEDs. I'm planning to add some E6000 glue to reinforce -- but don't do that yet since you may change your layout a bit as you add the lights.
I added a coat of gold spray paint at this stage so the zip ties are totally covered.
Starting on one edge, use hot glue to secure the stars in place on the zip ties. I put the wires down the back of the zip ties to hide them as much as possible. Place the lights carefully, folding the wires down behind the stars.
I placed a star on the tip of each spoke, and one on each of the smaller embellishments. The length of the wire will determine where you can place them. Take your time and make it look as neat as possible. I also found it helpful to pull the strand through the embellishments and wrap it around to take up any extra slack.
Once all the lights are on, cut off any additional pixels that didn't get used. My crown ended up with 17 pixels total so I have 3 left over.
I wrapped some gaffer's tape around the wires and the microcontroller, leaving the tiny switch and the battery port accessible. I taped the controller to the side of the headband as unobtrusively as possible.
I left my battery dangling because I like to be able to change it easily. However, this project has onboard battery charging so another option would be to secure and hide the battery and just keep that USB port accessible for charging. This is a neater / tidier solution but limits the glow time, since you need to stop and recharge.
For all-night wear, get a couple of batteries so you can swap them out easily.
I finished up by putting masking tape on all the stars and spray painting the whole assembly gold. This worked really well and gave the crown a "finished" look -- the wires wrapping around now look like fancy wire-wrap jewelry instead of electronics. I may use this technique again!
Add more glue or zip ties as needed to keep the crown upright. I wish I'd used slightly heavier gauge zip ties, since these bend really easily.
# NeoPixel Star Crown with WLED
## WLED Additional Settings
### Brightness Limiter
Find this on the LED Settings screen.
WLED automatically limits the brightness of your project so your power supply doesn't get over-taxed. The default amperage is 850mA, which is a little low for most power supplies.
For some projects, especially battery-powered projects, having the limiter turned on is a good idea. But if you're not getting the brightness you expect, try adjusting this number to match the amperage of your power supply or battery pack.
### Access Point (AP) Mode
While you're home, it's easy to control your project over your local WiFi network. But when you're out at a festival you probably don't have WiFi access. It's still possible to connect to your project and control it using WLED's Access Point Mode.
Turn your project on and give it a minute or two to start broadcasting. Look in your WiFi networks and find **WLED-AP** - this is a mini WiFi network being broadcast by the microcontroller. Connect to it - the default password is "wled123". An instance of WLED will automatically pop up and you can control your project from anywhere.
If you're putting your lights up in public, it's a good idea to change the AP Mode default password so strangers can't log in and control your lights. This could be a security risk.
AP Mode only broadcasts for a few minutes after you boot up the board so if you don't see the WLED-AP network try rebooting.
### WLED App
There are a couple different apps available to manage your WLED projects. Name and organize your projects, and find them quickly without having to type in a URL. Check the Apple or Android store for downloads.
My favorite is "WLED Native". It allows you to organize multiple instances and easily switch between devices without having to remember any URLs.
### Backup Config & Presets
Under Config / Security & Updates you will find a place to back up your data. It's a good idea to back up your config file as soon as you're happy with the settings. Save it as a .json file on your computer. Now you can prototype and experiment to your heart's content, and if everything breaks, just re-upload this file. Or, if you're doing another build you can use this feature to copy all your settings from one board to another.
# NeoPixel Star Crown with WLED
## Programming in WLED
Now it's time for the fun part: make the stars animate and glow and twinkle! This is easy in WLED: you've got a design interface with buttons and sliders and color palettes that all update and animate in real time. What a departure from the Arduino code wrangling one had to do just a few years back! WLED makes programming lights accessible to anyone, coder or not.
Head to [starcrown.local](https://starcrown.local) (or whatever you named your crown during setup) on your phone or in your web browser. The crown needs to be powered up, but not plugged into your computer -- it will connect over the WiFi. Be sure you're on the same WiFi network you set up in settings or you won't be able to connect.
Choose an effect and choose a color palette. Play with the sliders at the bottom of the Effects panel to speed up or slow down the animation. When you find a combination you like, save it as a Preset in the Presets panel.
Once you have a handful of Presets, you can create a Playlist and run each preset sequentially. WLED gives you control over the amount of time each preset runs plus transition time. It's pretty self-explanatory, and there are a ton of tutorials available online if you get stuck.
### Custom Color Choices
For my crown, I want exclusively shades of gold: gold twinkles, gold with glitter, gold blinking, and gold gradients. There aren't any gold-only palettes available, but luckily we don't need them. Most effects can use one or two custom colors chosen from the color wheel.
Click the circle below the color wheel to select it, then choose a color to populate it. Select the next circle to choose that color, and so on. The top few palette choices get populated with the colors you pick, and that becomes the palette for your preset.
- Color 1 just shows the color you've chosen.
- Color Gradient shows a gradient between colors 1-2 or 1-BG.
- Colors 1&2 mixes those colors
- Colors Only places colors 1, 2, and 3 next to each other
Not all effects have this option - for example, you can only choose one color for "Solid" since that effect only shows one color. Some effects have a background color you can choose and some don't. Some use palettes and some don't. Play around until you find effects that give you the control options you want.
There are also custom palette tools available so if you want a specific, complex color pattern you can make that happen. Click the + at the bottom of the palette list to find the custom palette editor.
### Backing Up Presets
Once you're happy with your animations, go to Config / Security & Updates (from your computer) and choose "Backup Presets". This will save your presets as a .json file you can share with your other projects.
## Featured Products
### Adafruit QT Py ESP32 Pico - WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT
[Adafruit QT Py ESP32 Pico - WiFi Dev Board with STEMMA QT](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5395)
This dev board is like when you're watching a super-hero movie and the protagonist shows up in a totally amazing costume in the third act and you're like 'OMG! That's the hero and they're here to kick some serious butt!" but in this case its a...
Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5395)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5395/guides)
### Adafruit LiIon or LiPoly Charger BFF Add-On for QT Py
[Adafruit LiIon or LiPoly Charger BFF Add-On for QT Py](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5397)
[Is your QT Py all alone](https://www.adafruit.com/?q=qt+py&sort=BestMatch), lacking a friend to travel the wide world with? When you were a kid you may have learned about the "buddy" system, well this product is kinda like that! A board that will watch your QT...
Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5397)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5397/guides)
### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Star Shape Pixel Strand - 20 LEDs
[Adafruit NeoPixel LED Star Shape Pixel Strand - 20 LEDs](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5982)
Attaching NeoPixel strips to your costume can be a struggle as the flexible PCBs can crack when bent too much. So how to add little shooting stars of color? Use these stranded NeoPixel LEDs that come in adorable 5-pointed star shapes.
Each strand has **20 stars with a single RGB...**
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5982)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/5982/guides)
### Lithium Ion Polymer Battery with Short Cable - 3.7V 420mAh
[Lithium Ion Polymer Battery with Short Cable - 3.7V 420mAh](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4236)
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 420mAh for a total of about 1.55 Wh. If you need a larger (or smaller!) battery,
In Stock
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### 3 x AAA Battery Holder with On/Off Switch and 2-Pin JST
[3 x AAA Battery Holder with On/Off Switch and 2-Pin JST](https://www.adafruit.com/product/727)
This battery holder connects 3 AAA batteries together in series for powering all kinds of projects. We spec'd these out because the box is slim, and 3 AAA's add up to about 3.3-4.5V, a very similar range to Lithium Ion/polymer (Li-Ion) batteries and have an on-off switch. That makes...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/727)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/727/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)
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### Heat Shrink Pack
[Heat Shrink Pack](https://www.adafruit.com/product/344)
Heat shrink is the duct tape of electronics, it keeps your stuff all safe and kept together. Especially when wiring and soldering, use heat shrink to add mechanical strength to cables. We use this stuff all the time and having a zip-lock bag of all the possible sizes is super...
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### Silicone Cover Stranded-Core Wire - 2m 26AWG Red
[Silicone Cover Stranded-Core Wire - 2m 26AWG Red](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1877)
Silicone-sheathing wire is super-flexible and soft, and its also strong! Able to handle up to 200°C and up to 600V, it will do when PVC covered wire wimps out. We like this wire for being extremely supple and flexible, so it is great for wearables or projects where the wire-harness has to...
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## Related Guides
- [Adafruit LiIon or LiPoly Charger BFF Add-On for QT Py](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-qt-py-charger-bff.md)
- [Adafruit QT Py ESP32 Pico](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-qt-py-esp32-pico.md)
- [Jellyfish Umbrella with easy WLED WiFi Control](https://learn.adafruit.com/jellyfish-umbrella-with-easy-wled-wifi-control.md)
- [CircuitPython on ESP32 Quick Start](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-with-esp32-quick-start.md)
- [Sparkle Motion Christmas Tree Lights](https://learn.adafruit.com/sparkle-motion-christmas-tree-lights.md)
- [Tiny LED WiFi Companion Cube](https://learn.adafruit.com/tiny-led-wifi-cube.md)
- [Light-Up Costumes in Harsh Environments](https://learn.adafruit.com/light-up-costumes-in-harsh-environments.md)
- [Wireless ESP32-S2 Touch Screen Controller for Pure Data](https://learn.adafruit.com/wireless-esp32-s2-controller-for-pure-data.md)
- [WiFi Jellyfish Lantern with WLED](https://learn.adafruit.com/wifi-jellyfish-lantern-with-wled.md)
- [EPCOT Spaceship Earth with WLED](https://learn.adafruit.com/epcot-spaceship-earth-with-wled.md)
- [3D Scans for Low Poly Statues](https://learn.adafruit.com/low-poly-3d-scans-for-3d-printing.md)
- [Icicle Crown with Pebble Pixels & WLED](https://learn.adafruit.com/icicle-crown-with-pebble-pixels-wled.md)
- [Wireless LED Juggling Balls with ESP-NOW](https://learn.adafruit.com/wireless-juggling-balls-esp-now.md)
- [How To Install Drivers for WCH CH34X / CH340 / CH341 / CH342 / CH343 / CH344 / CH346 / CH347 / CH9101 / CH9102 / CH9103 / CH9104 / CH9111 / CH9114 / CH9143 USB to Serial Chips](https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-install-drivers-for-wch-usb-to-serial-chips-ch9102f-ch9102.md)
- [Sound Reactive LED Top Hat](https://learn.adafruit.com/sound-reactive-led-top-hat.md)
- [Wireless Control Button for WLED Projects](https://learn.adafruit.com/wireless-control-button-for-wled-projects.md)
- [Remote Effects Trigger Box](https://learn.adafruit.com/remote-effects-trigger.md)