Rhinestone Pattern Ideas

Simple Rhinestone Placement Ideas for Dance Costumes

​Bedazzling a dance costume adds depth, texture, and visual interest. Moreover, adding crystal rhinestones can elevate a simple design into an imaginative composition. However, blinged out costumes are pricey, and the manufacturer may use a lesser quality of crystal bling. Instead, you can DIY bedazzle a competitive dance dress, saving yourself money. Below, we provide a few simple rhinestone placement ideas to help you begin.

Rhinestone Placement Ideas - Design Inspiration

Using templates can help you achieve symmetry and accurate spacing between the rhinestones. And, you can easily replicate the bedazzle pattern on different parts of the dress. Moreover, you can use our templates on competitive skating dresses, as well as other apparel and accessories.

1. Download the template 
2. Print it
3. Punch holes as indicated
4. Mark your garment according to the holes

To use our templates, simply download the pattern and print it out. Punch out holes as indicated on the rhinestone template by using a punch tool. Hollow punch tools create holes in various sizes and are available in many craft stores.

Next, lay the template on the dress and mark the holes with a piece of chalk or disappearing fabric marker. Then, before gluing, lay the crystal rhinestones on the marks to view the effect. Adjust the rhinestone placement according to your liking by moving them closer or further apart.

Sometimes, you may need to modify the rhinestone pattern size to fit the costume size. A pattern that’s too small creates a weak focal point, while a too large design can be over-dominating. Once you like the positions, you’re ready to glue them into place.

Creating Your Rhinestone Designs

Sometimes, a costume will naturally have certain areas to bling for dramatic effect. For example, placing rhinestones along a neckline, hemline, or seamline. Scatter patterns are another easy rhinestone design to undertake.

Other times, the placement may seem easy but prove problematic for someone new to bedazzling. For instance, lines may look perfectly straight when lying flat, yet crooked when worn by the dancer. Using a body form to stretch the material can help achieve a symmetrical look.
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The Importance of the Rhinestone Color In Costume Design

Undoubtedly, color plays an important part in rhinestone design. Particular color combinations create vivid and intense contrasts, while others neutralize each other. Furthermore, color perceptions can evoke different emotions, something very important in a dance piece.

To further confuse the issue, many rhinestone manufacturers offer over a hundred hues. Plus, color variations in saturation and value exist between manufacturers.

Additionally, many companies also offer Aurora Borealis products. These are standard colors with an AB coating, allowing the standard color to show, but with an additional rainbow effect. Combining both the standard and AB colors adds dimension and texture, as movement results in an explosion of color.

Ultimately, choosing the best rhinestone color for your project is a personal preference. Do you want a bold and vibrant pop of color, or subtle, blended hues?   Alternatively, you can choose crystal or crystal AB, with tones and chroma that match everything. Of course, it’s perfectly acceptable to mix stones from different manufacturers to achieve the look you want.
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Rhinestone Sizing

Furthermore, rhinestone sizing also affects the impact of your design.  Depending on the rhinestone manufacturer, flatback crystals range from tiny 5ss to large 50ss. Fundamentally, we can group the sizes into these categories:

• Small rhinestones – 10ss and smaller
• Medium rhinestones – 12ss, 16ss, 20ss
• Large rhinestones – 30ss and larger​

Larger stones offer a greater visual impact due to the facet area of light reflection. However, grouping small stones creates a cluster effect that produces sparkling dazzle from any angle. Typically, designers will use smaller crystals for intricate bedazzle patterns and larger stones for a bold impact. The goal is to achieve a well-balanced design with a sense of equilibrium.

For example, using too many large rhinestones can overpower the other elements. However, smaller stones cover less area, so you will need more of them to complete your design. Mixing sizes adds depth by allowing the light to bounce unpredictably between sizes.  Generally, 16ss, 20ss, and 30ss are the most common sizes for dance costume designs.

Ready to Try Out Your Rhinestone Placement Ideas?

Rhinestones Etc. is a family-owned online rhinestone seller with high-quality crystal components. We offer fast processing times with the same shipping on most orders. Plus, we have competitive prices and responsive, attentive customer service.

Browse our store to find the perfect crystalline product for your project. Plus, check back our our rhinestone template page as we are always adding new stencils. ​