Wearing rhinestones on your clothing is in right now. Regardless if you are wearing them on your shirt, jeans, hoodie or jacket, rhinestones are a great way to spice up any look. The only problem is that buying clothes with rhinestones already on them can be expensive. This goes double if you are trying to wear European rhinestones. Thankfully, wearing clothing with rhinestones does not have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are two ways that you can go about adding rhinestones to your clothing professionally, and today we are going to talk about both of them!
Gluing on Rhinestones
When you go to pick out rhinestones to put on your clothing, you need to pay attention to more than just what they look like. They come in all sizes and shapes, but they also have a lot of different backings on them. Some rhinestones come with glue already on them. This glue is activated by heating the rhinestone, in which case they would be iron-on rhinestones.
First, let’s talk about glue-on rhinestones. The best type of glue that you can get for this kind of job is called E-600. Most fabric stores carry this kind of glue. This is some of the best glue because it is industrial strength. On top of that, it is also non-flammable, very flexible, waterproof and is even paintable. Keep in mind that just like with other industrial strength glue, you have to be careful when handling it. This glue contains chemicals that you do not want to get on your skin or in your eyes. You will also want a toothpick with a type of tacky putty on the end. This allows you to use the putty to pick up a rhinestone on the sparkly side, and place a small amount of glue on the back. After that, simply place the rhinestone in the spot that you want it. Place your figure on the top of the rhinestone to hold it in place and carefully remove the toothpick from the top. Do this with the other rhinestones until you finish making the design that you want!
If you do not want to mess with glue or you have a lot of rhinestones to place, you might want to try iron-on rhinestones. This is the fastest and easiest way to add some sparkle to your clothing. Since the glue is already on the rhinestone, all you have to do is place them where you want them and apply some heat! Below is a step-by-step guide on how to use iron-on rhinestones to turn any piece of clothing into something sparkly and fun!
First, be sure to wash the clothing you are adding rhinestones to. Next, remove your iron-on rhinestones from their package, and decide where you want to put them. You can choose anywhere on the clothing. Just remember that once you iron it on, it is there to stay! From there, take off the white backing that is on the rhinestones. The back of the rhinestones will be slightly sticky now. Place the rhinestones sticky side down on the clothing where you want them. Plug in your iron, but make sure that there is NO water in it. The steam from the water will actually ruin the glue that is on the rhinestones.
Find another piece of fabric cloth, like an old shirt or pillowcase, to place over the rhinestones. You do not want to place the iron directly on the rhinestones. This may hurt your iron or the rhinestones!
Set your iron to medium heat, and once again check to make sure that your steam setting is OFF. Put the iron on top of your cotton-covered rhinestone and press down for about 30 seconds. Now, turn your piece of clothing over, and place the iron on the reverse side of the rhinestones for about 20 seconds. Once you are done, flip your clothing back over, and place the iron on top of the cloth-covered rhinestones for 20 more seconds.
Turn your iron off, and remove the cloth from the top of the rhinestones. Now let the rhinestones sit for a few minutes before you remove the plastic covering from the top of your rhinestones.
Once you go to remove the plastic piece covering, pull it up slowly. If you see that one or more rhinestones have not fully stuck to the clothing, simply place the plastic piece back down, and turn on your iron again. Put the iron back over the rhinestones for about 20 to 30 seconds. Let it cool again, and try to remove it.
Allow your rhinestones to sit for at least 10 minutes before you wear the item of clothing. You should also let it sit for a full 24 hours before you attempt to wash it. When you do go to wash it, use the gentle cycle.
Author
Jason Pistiner
Google
