Hi all!
I'd like to put some swarovski crystals on a skating dress, Do you know how to do that?
I was thinking about buying something like those but I don't know what Hotfix means, Do I have to search for a special machine like BeDazzler or I can put the rhinestones without it?
thanks..and sorry for my english

Hot fix crystals have an adhesive on the back that must be heated up first, then the crystal can be attached to the fabric (or other item). I've never done it but I know you can use an iron for this. I don't know if anyone one the boards had done this--anyone??? I use the heat tool and it works good.

A bedazzler only works with crystals that are set into a separate piece-a metal bezel. It could work with austrian crystals, but you end up covering up part of the crystal with the bezel plus the bezel is metal and has prongs on the back which scratch and could cut the fabric. (That's why I switched to the heat tool).

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

The 2 best known tools for applying the hot-fix crystals are the BeJeweler and the Kandi Kane. Both work in a similar manner. They have different size tips for the different size stones. You pick the stone up with the device and the hot tip melts the glue, then you apply the stone to the fabric, glue side down.

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American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

You can also just get the regular flat back ones & glue them on. E6000 glue seems to work the best.

I also use the regular (non-adhesive) kind. I find that the best glue is the Velcro brand of fabric glue. Use a tweezers with a slight angle at the bottom. It goes just as fast, if not faster, than the heat-up ones.

That's what I use too. I put the glue on a paper plate (not styrofoam - I discovered that the glue melts styrofoam!), hold the crystal in the angled tweezer, dip into the glue (don't need much) and place it on the dress. Haven't had one fall off yet!

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

The only dress I've stoned (so far), I drew the pattern on with one of those pens whose ink evaporates within 24 hours, then put the glue on the fabric and pressed the stones in place. A dressmaker told me the other day that she does it that way, too. And the stones were firmly fixed.... but the dress is 3 sizes too big, and flaps, and isn't suitable even as a practice-dress.....

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

it melts plastic ones too...

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Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...?

Wang chung!

I use Gem-Tac glue and do it the way Mrs Redboots did. That is, I put the glue directly on the fabric, then apply the stones, using either tweezers or a toothpick with a bit of sticky wax on it to temporarily hold the stone in transit.

After you've done a few glue spots, you get the hang of how much glue is the right amount for the size of the stone and the fabric to which the stone is being glued.

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American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

Also, if you're gluing, put a sheet of waxed paper behind the fabric so any glue that goes through won't glue the front of the dress to the back!

**phoenix refuses to share how she knows this......

the slick side of freezer paper works very well also. I also learned this the hard way (i.e. what happens when you don't have a glue protector in the middle)

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American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

I use a lot of hot fix, I buy them in bulk from iKandi and got tired really quick of putting them on one by one, although the kandikane/bejeweller does have it's uses.

I lay out the crystals in the pattern that I want. Over that, I place a teflon press cloth ( costs about $10) looks like large sheet of plastic but it's teflon). Then I use my household iron to iron over the whole thing. Using the presscloth eliminates iron marks and burning on the spandex, and bonus, any crystals that stick to the press cloth can be popped off and re-used. After that, if I want to do more, I'll use the kandikane.

I like hotfix because if I don't like how they work out, heat them up and they'll come off again.

Thank you all for your advices
I'm going to order some swarovski and I'll try to put them on the dress following your instructions

Ah-HAH! I knew there was another way to iron bunches of them on! I have the teflon sheet (it has saved me from disaster...)

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Don't you think Swarovski Crystal sounds lovely?

"Oh, I'm just going to buy some Swarovski Crystals..."

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http://www.yourphotoalbums.co.uk

Does anybody have any photos of good or interesting stoning on costumes?

As crystals are quite expensive, how do you decide what colours to use, how many you need, etc?

Generally, Crystal AB look good on almost anything other than a really busy print.

I like to use either Light Siam AB or Siam AB on red/burgundy dresses.

the typical black/red Latin-style dresses often look good with a mixture of Crystal AB, Fire Opal and Hyacinth AB stones

Light Rose, Aqua or Light Sapphire often look good on black or on dresses in the appropriate color family.

Volcano is a really neat effect stone that goes well on a lot of colors.

Re quantity, it's hard to estimate, but generally it's best to err on the high side. A lot of people when they start stoning will go light on the stoning and then from a distance, the effect of the stones is hardly noticeable, especially with scatter-stoning.

I've used upwards of 2-3 gross on a dance skirt before, and my latest competition dance dress, which is heavily stoned on the bodice and bottom of the sleeves, but not stoned at all on the skirt) has about 15 gross of volcano and Crystal AB stones on it.

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American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

Oh, yeah to this!!!

My first dress, we bought a 100 stones, thinking that was a lot. Believe me, 100 is nothing!

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

Hi!!

This is Ted Seo from Juwon Company in Korea.
We are the manufacturer of hotfix rhinestone in Korea.
We can supply you with various color and size hotfix stone.
If you have any questions, please contact me by email.

-Company Name: Juwon Co., Ltd.
-Address: #655, Juwon B/D., Bugok-Dong, Sangrok-Gu, Ansan-City,
Kyuggi-do, KOREA (Zip Code: 426-820)
-TEL: 82-31-416-4750
-FAX: 82-31-416-4754
-Website: www.juwonstone.com
-EMAIL: ted@jw-stone.com


Thanks,
TED SEO

I had a cardboard side between sides. Make it easier to keep the outfit flat too, so I could easier push in the stone to the cloth. (Got this tip from a skating mom who stones a LOT of our skaters' dresses...)

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Cheers,
jazzpants

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Thank you for the support, you guys!!!