What’s the quickest way to change the look of a costume? Rhinestones! Whether flatback or sew-on, these beautiful bits of color provide the perfect final touch to a plain outfit, transforming it from dull to magnificent!
If you leave this labour-intensive ornamentation to specialists, like Zahira Crystals! We make it cost-effective and easy to add rhinestones to costumes. Here are some tips below on how to add rhinestones to your costume.
Flatten Out Your Costume
Preparing your outfit is the first step! Over a piece of cardboard or another hard surface, stretch your garment flat. You can use a spare piece of cardboard, a smooth wooden board, or even a baking tray.
Placing an object beneath the portion you’re stoning will ensure that no adhesive transfers to the other side of your garment and that the stones stay flat as the glue dries.
Layout Your Design
Before gluing, sketch out a pattern on your outfit for the most amazing rhinestone embellishments. Before committing to a design, this no-brainer step is the most fantastic method to determine what will look best on your outfit!
Once you’ve come up with a design, draw lines to indicate where you want the rhinestones to go on the costume. To keep uniform spacing, use a ruler or tape measure.
For light-coloured fabrics, use a washable fabric marker; for darker-coloured fabrics, use a chalk pencil. Avoid using permanent markers or pens! You never know when an accident will happen, even if you hide your markings with rhinestones!
Prepare Your Work Surface and Glue Applicator
We recommend covering your work surface with scrap paper or additional cardboard when working with glue because it will get messy. This will serve as a storage area for glue bottles and a catch-all for any extra glue drips.
Always use the strongest glue you can find; not all adhesives will keep stones attached to your outfit during a performance.
When you have all your materials gathered, fill your glue applicator with the glue of your choice. A glue applicator enables a more exact and less messy application method if you choose to utilise one. The type of adhesive you use will determine which applicator tool you use.
Add Glue to Markings, Then Place Stones
Place a drop of glue on the positioning marks. It’s crucial to use the proper amount of adhesive, as too much will leave marks and too little will keep the rhinestone from staying secured to the garment.
Allow 24 hours for one side of the garment to dry after being stoned. This will prevent the stones from shifting and glue from accidentally transferring to other elements of your dance or skate costume. After the first side has dried, stone the second side and dry it for another 24 hours.
Use the Finished One as Your Guide, Keep Going
Remove any chalk or marker placement markings with a damp rag once you’ve done one costume and it’s scorched. To get the full effect, take a step back and look at your outfit from a distance. Make any necessary alterations.
Use your first rhinestoned clothing as a template for the remainder of your team’s attire. This will aid in maintaining consistency! You can also count out all of the stones before beginning each dance costume or skate dress to ensure using the appropriate amount. There’s nothing worse than going over budget because you used more stones than intended!
Wrapping Up
Do you need rhinestones to start your project? Zahira is one of the most reliable rhinestone stockists in Australia, delivering top quality stones made from premium crystal glass nationwide. Get the perfect embellishment for your skate dress now!
