My 'genius' idea for a magnetic dress turned into a $75 disaster

I thought a dress with magnetic panels you could rearrange would be cool, so I bought a ton of tiny neodymium magnets and sewed them into a muslin mock-up. The whole thing just collapsed into a sad, lumpy mess that pinched my skin, and I'm out the cost of the magnets and fabric. Anyone have a better idea for modular clothing that doesn't involve personal injury?

3 comments

3 Comments

black.wesley4mo ago

You sewed neodymium magnets directly into the fabric? That sounds incredibly painful. Those little things are shockingly strong, I can only imagine the pinching. Maybe the idea needs a solid backing layer, like a belt or a vest, to hold the structure instead of the cloth itself.

blair6304mo ago

Okay but how close together did you sew the magnets? @black.wesley is right about the backing, but I'm picturing the magnets just snapping together through the fabric from every angle. Did you try spacing them out more, or was the whole thing just a magnet party from the start?

milap352mo ago

Didn't someone on a crafting show mention using a layer of felt between the magnets?