We’ve talked quite a bit about different aspects of rhinestones, their sparkle, facets and sizing. However, sometimes you want to add elegance and not sparkle. There is another embellishment which gives an opulent luster to your projects. I am talking about flat back pearls, also known as half back pearls. These pearls are rounded on the top with a flat back. This enables them to be glued to any flat surface. They are sized in the same way that rhinestones are sized, by “ss”. The “ss” size is usually accompanied by a millimeter size if you are unfamiliar with the “ss” sizes. You can read all about sizing here. Gluing flat back pearls is simple, exactly the same as rhinestones. You’ll want a drop of glue slightly smaller than the pearl. When you press the pearl into the glue, some of the glue should seep out from the sides. Doing so provides a seal that keeps the pearl from peeling off. Like rhinestones, there are different manufacturers of flat back pearls. Some are made from plastic or acrylic components. And they are available in an array of colors. In addition, the price of flat back pearls depends on the material it is made from and the manufacturer. Swarovski, the premier brand of rhinestones, makes flat back pearls as well. Their pearls are made with a crystal core covered by a unique coating technology developed by Swarovski. Moreover, this innovative technology gives their pearl a mysterious glow, which appears to be radiating from within the pearl itself. Also, Swarovski offers many colors as well as the traditional white. Flat back pearls can be used anywhere you would use rhinestones. Add romance to your wedding dress by gluing on flat back pearls. Dress up a pair of shoes. Embellish a Christmas ornament. Add a pearl or two to a handmade card for an extra special touch. Need some bling supplies for you next project? Rhinestones Etc, has a large selection, competitive pricing, and great customer service.
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If you are new to rhinestones, you are probably overwhelmed by the options and choices. Who knew there were so many colors to choose from? And sizes? It’s certainly not one size fits all. Then there are pointed back rhinestones or flat back rhinestones. When are pointed back rhinestones used? Pointed back rhinestones A pointed back is comprised of three main areas: the girdle, crown and pavilion. The girdle is the widest part of the stone. Next, the crown is the part above the girdle and the pavilion below. Facets are cut along the pavilion as well as the crown to reflect light to provide the maximum brilliance. Light entering the crown will be reflected back through the crown by the facets in the pavilion. This method of faceting takes the best advantage of the optical properties of the stone to produce maximum sparkle. Pointed back rhinestones can be used in jewelry making. These rhinestones require a setting in a cup shape for the pointed back to sit in. Browse the internet and you can find settings for rings, earring and pendants. Depending on the type of setting, the rhinestone is either glued in or the prongs are bent to hold the rhinestone. Nail design is another way small pointed-backs can be used. Sizes such as 10ss or smaller work well as the pavilion is small. Videos on YouTube show technicians placing rhinestones into the topcoat or attached with nail glue. You can read how to attach rhinestones to nails here. Flat Back Rhinestones Flat back rhinestones are coated with foil on the backside and facets are cut just on the crown. In this case, the foil coating helps reflect light back up through the facets cut into the crown. Additionally, the number of facets cut into the crown affect the amount of sparkle; the more facets, the more sparkle. Swarovski’s Xirius Rhinestone has the most with 16 facets and most other manufacturer’s having 10 or 12 facets. There are settings for flat back rhinestones in jewelry making as well. Simply glue the rhinestone to the flat surface on the setting or bend the prongs to hold the rhinestone. Nail design allows for more creativity as larger size stones can be glued to the nail surface. Moreover, this allows for a wider variety of rhinestone sizes to be used. So how do I choose which type of rhinestone to use? First, determine its use when choosing between the two types . Clothing, shoes, dancing and skating costumes will require flat back rhinestones. However, nails and jewelry making depends simply on your preference. Rhinestones Etc. sells quality rhinestones with excellent customer service.
Don’t you just love rhinestone boots? Yet, sparkly boots can put a serious dent in your budget costing you hundreds of dollars. However, you can rhinestone the boots yourself and save yourself a bundle of money. But how many will you need to cover the area of boot you are embellishing? Ugh! You were never good at math and have no idea where to begin. The Math needed to determine how many rhinestones needed for Rhinestone Boots Once you’ve got your boots, you need to pick out your rhinestone size. Most likely a larger size rhinestone will work best, perhaps 20ss. If you are not sure, you can read all about rhinestone sizes here. Hark back to your Geometry lessons, as they’re going to come in handy. First, you need to figure the area of the boot that will be covered in rhinestones. In order to figure out the area of a square or rectangle, you multiply the length by the height. So, let’s say you want to glue rhinestones to a rectangular area that measures 3 x 4. The area of this would be 12 square inches. Now, rhinestones are different sizes, so depending on what size you choose will affect how many you need. Of course, the larger the rhinestone, the less you need to cover 1 square inch. Likewise, the smaller the rhinestone, the more you need to cover 1 square inch. For your convenience, here are the most common rhinestone sizes and the amount needed to cover 1 square inch: 12ss – 67.14 rhinestones 16ss – 42.41 rhinestones 20ss – 29.20 rhinestones 30ss - 15.68 rhinestones Obviously, you can’t glue on .14 of a rhinestone. To compensate, you can leave some space between the stones when gluing. Or you can shrink the area to be embellished to cover a slightly smaller area. Remember, those numbers above will cover 1 square inch, but you have 12 square inches you want to cover. Simply multiply the number of square inches you want to cover by the number of rhinestones in one square inch. In other words, using our example of 20ss rhinestones: 29.20 (the number of rhinestones per square inch) x 12 (the area to be covered) = 350.40 rhinestones. And to continue with our example of boots, this would cover only 1 boot. Multiply the number by 2 to find the number of rhinestones needed to cover both boots. Finding Areas of Odd Shapes Simple right? Of course, the problem gets slightly more difficult when dealing with odd shapes. When confronted with these shapes, try to break the larger shape into smaller, simpler shapes. Then find the area of these smaller shapes. Take, for example, this trapezoid shape above. How do you find the area of it? We can break it down into a square and 2 triangles. Now we can find the area of the square, then the two triangles and add the totals together. (On the occasion that you forgot your geometry lessons, the area of a triangle is ½ the base times the height). Still confused about how many rhinestones to buy to rhinestone boots? Rhinestones Etc. can help. With a friendly staff, contact Rhinestones Etc with your questions. Do you need rhinestones for your project? Rhinestones Etc. has competitive pricing and excellent customer service. Footwear is the foundation of any outfit. Your choice can define your look and presents a particular image to the world. Yet, owning a pair of Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin shoes is way out of many women’s budgets. One way to accessorize your wardrobe ensemble is to create shoes with rhinestones. When you want to keep your shoe collection fresh and exciting, you can add rhinestones for a new look. Adding bling to any type of footwear adds elegance and beauty. Plus, it’s simple to do and you can save money doing it yourself. The Best Adhesives for Gluing Rhinestones to Shoes Generally, you can attach rhinestones to any type of footwear including boots and athletic shoes. To keep rhinestones from falling off, be sure to use a good adhesive with a strong bond. Typically, many people use E6000 for gluing rhinestones to shoes. Another popular glue is Gem-Tac. Both work on a variety of surfaces and dry clear. However, always check the manufacturer’s specifications on the material it bonds and recommended type of rhinestone. Some adhesives can ruin acrylic embellishments. Additionally, you’ll want to avoid areas of your shoe that will be constantly stressed. For example, footwear flexes where your toes bend. This constant folding of your footwear may also cause rhinestones to fall off. Types of Rhinestones If you’ve never purchased rhinestones, you may be confused by all the different kinds available. Google the word “rhinestone” and results will show acrylic, glass, crystal, Czech, Austrian, or Asian options. Furthermore, you’ll notice a vast difference in price structure. Usually, manufacturers base their pricing on the cost of the raw material and the process to create their product. For example, manufacturers produce resin and acrylic rhinestones by pouring raw material into a mold. While manufacturers of more expensive crystal rhinestones cut facets into the surface of the crystal. Another consideration is the number of facets and their arrangement. These two factors, along with the material, determine the stone’s sparkle, scintillation, and dispersion. Moreover, you’ll find many different rhinestone sizes from tiny to large. Some beginners struggle with deciding on the perfect size for their project. Often, the design will dictate which size will work best. Other times, it’s just a matter of preference. Creating Shoes with Rhinestones Once you decide on your kind of rhinestones and glue, the next most important aspect is the gluing process. Many beginners will use too little glue. Over time, these rhinestones may peel and fall off. When gluing rhinestones, it’s very important that a little bit of glue seeps slightly out from the edges. This produces a seal to keep the rhinestone in place. Generally, rhinestones adhesives dry clear, so once the glue dries, only the sparkle shines through. FAQs about Rhinestones Are you ready to begin blinging out shoes, but have more questions? Below, we’ve answered a few commonly asked questions. Which Rhinestone Brand Should I Buy? With so many rhinestone brands available, it can be hard to choose the perfect one for your project. Sometimes only the best will do. Generally, Austrian and Czech manufacturers have a reputation for quality. However, you’ll also find some Asian manufacturers producing excellent embellishments at a fraction of the price. We carry Preciosa Maxima and another high-quality Asian brand, PriceLess. How Many Rhinestones Should I Buy? Generally, many retailers package rhinestones in 1 gross batches. This means each package will contain 144 rhinestones. First, you’ll need to measure the area you want to cover. Then, compare this to the size of the rhinestones you want to purchase. Larger rhinestones cover a larger area, so you’ll need less than if you buy a smaller stone. What’s The Best Color? Usually, this choice is a matter of preference. You can choose to match the color of your shoes to simply create sparkle. Whereas choosing a contrasting hue will give your footwear a nice pop of color while adding shimmer. Many people choose crystal or crystal AB because both colors work great with any background color. Ready to begin your project of making shoes with rhinestones? Rhinestones Etc. offers competitive pricing, fast shipping, and great customer service. Nail designs with rhinestones are the new current rage. Beautifully polished nails embellished with dazzling rhinestones are sure to make a fashion statement. But have you checked out those salon prices? Yikes, definitely not in your budget! However, you’d still like to have the look of rhinestone nails for that upcoming party. But the question is, can you do it yourself? Supplies Needed for Rhinestone Nails Yes, you can for both regular nail polish and gel, although the methods are slightly different. For regular nail polish, you will need nail glue and a quality top coat. While using gel nail polish will require an LED light. Prices run anywhere from $10-$40 on Amazon. Of course, you’ll need some good quality rhinestones. Some nail technicians like to use flatback rhinestones while other use pointed back. Moreover, you can choose from a variety of rhinestone sizes and colors. How to Apply Rhinestones to Nails with Regular Nail Polish Let’s start with how to attach rhinestone to your nails with regular nail polish. First, make sure you use a good quality nail polish. Unfortunately, if you use a cheaper brand, the polish may chip causing the rhinestone to fall off. Furthermore, this can occur even if you glued it correctly. Begin by applying a base coat and then your favorite color and allow to dry completely between coats. With a toothpick, apply a small amount of nail glue to the nail where you want to place the rhinestone. Using a wax tipped tool or tweezer, pick up a rhinestone and gently press it into the nail glue. Next, using a small detailing brush, apply a top coat around the edges of the rhinestone. Do not apply the top coat over the top of the rhinestone, only the edges. This helps seal the rhinestone so that it doesn’t peel off. Using Gel Nail Polish to Attach Rhinestones Now let’s go over the method of creating rhinestone nails with gel polish. Apply the gel foundation and cure under your LED light. Then apply the gel color again curing under the LED light. In the area where you are applying the rhinestone, roughen lightly with an emery board. Wipe nails clean with rubbing alcohol using a lint free wipe. Next, apply a gel top coat over the entire nail. Pick up a rhinestone using a wax tipped tool or tweezers and apply the rhinestones to the nail. Then, cure under the LED light. Finally, using a small detailing brush, apply the gel top coat around the edges of the rhinestone. When you are finished, cure under the LED light one final time. With a little practice, you’ll be creating fabulous designs on your nails suitable for every occasion. Plus, you won’t pay those high prices at the nail salon. Practice enough times and you’ll be creating your very professional own one-of-a kind nail designs. Want to get started on your nail designs right away? Buy quality rhinestones from Rhinestones Etc. He’s popped the question, and you said Yes! And while you want the fairytale wedding of your dreams, reality has set in and you do have a budget. A wedding dress is one of the biggest expenses of your wedding, yet you only wear it one day. You could spend thousands of dollars on a dress with hand sewn bead work. Or you, could buy a plain one for a lot cheaper and embellish a wedding dress yourself. The money you save you can use to splurge on your honeymoon. Pearls or Rhinestones? First, you need to decide on what type of embellishment you are going to use. Pearls are one option that look fabulous with lace. Flat back pearls or half pearls have all the luster of real pearls but have a flat side so that they are easy to glue. In addition, pearls are sized the same as rhinestones using the “ss” system. They range as small as 10ss to as large as 34ss. These are easily glued to fabric the same as rhinestones. Rhinestones are another choice for enhancing wedding dresses. For rhinestones embellishment, you can choose the glue on method or sew-on. There are many shapes available both in the sew-on and glue on rhinestones. Sew-on rhinestones have predrilled holes at opposite ends enabling you to attach with a needle and thread. Non-hot fix flat back rhinestones can be attached with fabric glue. If you are unsure about how to glue, you can read our blog here about gluing rhinestones. So, which do you pick, rhinestones or pearls? Can’t decide? Well, you don’t have to pick one over the other, simply use both to accent different parts of your gown. Both are beautiful on formal gowns and will make your wedding gown the fairy tale you dreamed of. Save money and sparkle on your wedding day by embellishing a wedding dress. Rhinestones Etc. sells quality embellishments at competitive prices while providing excellent customer service.
There are so many different types of fabrics available: velvet, polyester, tweed and silk, chiffon just to name a few. These range from light weight to medium weight and heavy weight woven fabrics. Some of these are sheer like chiffon, net or georgette. Others are very thick like velour or denim. With so many different choices, are all fabrics suitable for rhinestone embellishment? The short answer is yes. Certainly, there are some fabrics that you cannot embellish with hot fix rhinestones. Chiefly, these are fabrics that have low absorbency or have been chemically treated with water repellent treatments, easy to care treatments or softening agents and sheer fabrics. Glues for Attaching Rhinestones to Fabric However, providing you use the correct glue and technique, non-hot fix rhinestones can be used to embellish many more types of fabric. Glues such as super glues, hot glue and those containing acetone are NOT recommended. Two of the most popular glue for attaching rhinestones are E6000 and Gem-Tac. Gem-Tac is my favorite glue for using on fabrics for ease of use. You can squeeze it directly out of the bottle and easily control how much glue you apply. E6000 is gloppy and harder to control the flow. Technique for Gluing Rhinestones to Fabric Notably, most important aspect of gluing rhinestones is the amount of glue. Ultimately, the glue needs to seep out from the edges when the rhinestone is pressed into the glue drop. This provides a seal to protect the rhinestone and keep it from falling off. Adhesives tend to shrink when curing. If too little glue is used, there may be too much space between the rhinestone and the glue. As a result, this can cause the rhinestone to peel off. All suitable rhinestone fabric glue dries clear, so it will not be seen if you accidentally use too much. And it is preferable to use too much rather than too little and have your rhinestone peel off. Sheer fabrics can be embellished with rhinestones too. Place a piece of wax paper underneath when gluing. Then, glue as described above. When the glue is done curing, simply peel the was paper off from the underside of the fabric. Applying rhinestones to fabric seems daunting but is actually very easy. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Rhinestone Etc. We will be happy to answer your questions. Rhinestones Etc Storesells quality rhinestones while providing excellent customer service.
Have you checked the price of figure skating dresses which are embellished with rhinestones? Bargain prices can range up in the $300 range. If you shop around, you can find a plain skating dress for about $75. That is a big difference when you are paying for skates, lessons, testing and competitions. Do you want your skater to dazzle on the ice? Buy the cheaper figure skating dress, glue on rhinestone yourself and save yourself a pocketful of money. Even factoring the cost of rhinestones, you will not come close to paying $300. How to glue rhinestones to Figure Skating Dresses Interested in learning more but don’t know where to start? First learn the basics of finding quality rhinestones. You can read about the 4 C’s determining rhinestones quality here. Once you’ve decided on the brand of rhinestone, you’ll need to choose the color and size. Since you are new to gluing rhinestones to figure skating dresses, you many want to stick with either Crystal or Crystal AB. Both are popular colors which will enhance any dress. Crystal is a clear rhinestones and Crystal AB is the clear rhinestones with an iridescent coating on it. The size you choose is also a matter of preference and dependent on the type of design. Generally, most skating dresses are embellished with the larger size stones, 20ss and 30ss. How many you need depends again on the design and the size. Helpful tips on size are discussed here on this rhinestone sizing blog. Next, pick out your adhesive. Both E6000 and Gem Tac are widely used. I prefer Gem Tac for the ease of application. Whatever adhesive you choose, make sure it is suitable for gluing rhinestones to fabric, permanent, washable and dries clear. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. A pair of tweezers or wax tipped tool is essential for picking up rhinestones and pressing into the glue. Prewash the figure skating dress before beginning to glue. Additionally, if the material is thin, you may want to put a piece of wax paper between layers. When gluing rhinestones, use a drop of glue slightly smaller than the rhinestone. Some of the glue should seep out from the edges when you press the rhinestone into the glue drop. This is very important as it creates a seal to keep the rhinestone from peeling off. Allow the garment to dry flat for 24 hours.
After you start gluing rhinestones, you will see how easy it is! As you get more confident, you can experiment with different designs and color. With practice, you’ll be good enough to design those fancy skating dresses you see during the Winter Olympic Games. Bedazzling is a hot fashion trend turning an ordinary item into something spectacular. Yet, when you’re looking to buy crystals online, you’ll find different brands, colors, and sizes with varying costs. Generally, the product’s distinguishing characteristics determine the rhinestone prices. How Rhinestone Characteristics Help Determine Pricing While name brands offer familiarity with quality, they often come with a steeper price. Often, you can find a lower priced product with good quality. Knowing a bit about crystal bling can help you find a good rhinestone at a competitive price. Generally, retailers base pricing on the following factors:
Secondly, rhinestones use facets to create the play of light. Generally, more facets mean increased light performance and greater sparkle. Rhinestone manufacturers create facets by machine cutting or through molding. Typically, manufacturers of higher quality rhinestones use machines to cut facets. This process allows high precision cuts with perfectly aligned facet alignment for optimal light reflection. Comparatively, manufacturers also produce molded rhinestones at a higher volume rate minimizing cost. Next, color is a determining factor in rhinestone prices. Usually, most manufacturers create standard colors like reds, yellows, blues, and greens. Additionally, many brands use a special coating to create a rainbow effect over standard hues. Sometimes, companies may also use special surface or backside coatings to create a metallic or multi-color effect. Often, the processes used in making these unique colors increase the cost. Finally, the size and shape of the crystal will affect the price. Obviously, a larger size rhinestone will use more material than a smaller one. While shaped crystals require unique, intricate cuts. Furthermore, many manufacturers only create shaped rhinestones in larger sizes.
Hotfix, Flatback, Sew-on, or Pointed Back Rhinestones?
When you’re looking to buy rhinestones, you’ll see them grouped by hotfix, flatback, sew-on, or pointed back. What can be confusing is that flatbacks, hotfix, and sew-on, all have a flat side. Only pointed backs have depth on both sides. Hotfix rhinestones have an adhesive attached to the flat side of the embellishment. To activate the glue, you heat the crystal to a temperature range of 250° F - 340° F. The glue will melt into a liquid and then solidify after cooling to form a permanent bond. You can attach hotfix rhinestones using a heat press, hotfix wand applicator, or non-steam iron. Typically, hotfix rhinestone prices are slightly higher than flatbacks. Sew-on rhinestones are exactly as their name implies. Some rhinestones have holes drilled into the sides of the embellishment while others have a hole in the middle. Another type of sew-on rhinestone is the montee. These are rhinestones in settings with channels on the back for sewing. Generally, sew-on rhinestones cost more than flatbacks too. Normally, most craftsmen use pointed back rhinestones in jewelry making. Sometimes, manicurists will also use smaller pointed back rhinestones in nail design. Although comparable in price to flatbacks, you’ll have fewer color selections. Finally, the most popular type of rhinestone is the flatback. Suitable for many projects, this type of rhinestone requires an adhesive. Your choice of glue depends upon the object to which you’re attaching the rhinestone. Buying Bulk Helps Reduce Rhinestone Prices Often, you can also save money by buying rhinestones in bulk packaging. Usually, these quantities are direct from the manufacturer without the need for the retailer to count or repackage the bedazzling crystals. Rhinestone retailers will pass these savings on to the consumer. Generally, less expensive brand retailers will sell rhinestones by weight so the number of pieces can vary. Comparatively, brand name rhinestone manufacturers have specific bulk quantities:
Selling embellishments since 2011, Rhinestones Etc. wants to help you create beautiful bling projects. We share informative articles like this one to help consumers choose rhinestone sizes, colors, and brands. If you liked our discussion of rhinestone types, share it with your friends. Rhinestones add sparkling brilliance to many elements. Jewelry, clothing, handbags, and shoes become elegant and brilliant with crystal components. Certainly, the rhinestone size can dramatically affect the finished look. If you’re the rhinestone designer and are unfamiliar with sizing, you could be facing a dilemma. Manufacturers produce rhinestones in a variety of sizes. Moreover, manufacturers use a unique way to measure the size of the rhinestone. What Does “ss” Mean Anyway? Many years ago, local gem hunters found sparkling quartz along the banks of the Rhine River. Finders of this natural resource would sort each specimen according to its stone size or “ss”. Later when manufacturers devised a way to produce sparkling crystal, they kept this way of measurement. Today, manufacturers and retailers of rhinestones will supply an equivalent millimeter size next to the “ss” size for clarity: ss mm ss mm ss mm 3 1.4 8 2.35 20 4.7 4 1.6 9 2.65 30 6.41 5 1.8 10 2.85 34 7.17 6 2.0 12 3.1 40 8.54 7 2.15 16 3.9 48 11.11 Choosing the Perfect Rhinestone Size When deciding on the rhinestone size, consider the size of your project and the area you want to cover. Generally, if you’re bedazzling a smaller object, you want to use a smaller rhinestone. However, larger rhinestones cover a bigger area requiring less. For example, if you’re bedazzling a small child’s shoe, you’ll probably want to use a smaller size. Smaller size rhinestones are also perfect for lettering on t-shirts. Moreover, nail technicians will often use smaller sizes for a sparkling manicure. Whereas other projects may require a larger size rhinestone. Larger stones have a greater surface area to reflect light making a bigger impact. Typically, you’ll find bigger rhinestones on competitive sports costumes like gymnastics and skating. Often, designers of dance outfits and bridal wear will use larger sizes as well. In addition, you can also mix sizes. Scatter patterns tend to use a combination of proportions to produce a glittering show of sparkle. You may also want to use a combination of sizes when covering an emblem or logo. Larger sizes will cover more area while the smaller sizes give the appearance of depth. FAQs about Rhinestones If you’re new to purchasing and applying rhinestones, you probably have many questions. We’ve answered some of your most commonly asked ones below. Does the Quality of the Rhinestone Matter? Generally, you determine the quality of a rhinestone by the material, the number of facets, and consistency in manufacturing. Determining the amount of sparkle, scintillation, and impact will help you choose from the many types available. Typically, the pricing of the rhinestone will give some indication of the characteristics of the product. For example, manufacturers produced acrylic, glass, and crystal rhinestones. Usually, acrylic is the least expensive to make while crystal is more costly. However, even among these materials, you’ll find different levels of quality. Your budget and type of project will guide your decisions for the best rhinestone to choose. What Type of Glue Works Best? Basically, you can attach rhinestones to virtually anything. Clothing, shoes, handbags, eyewear, keychains, and cell phones are just some of the many objects people bedazzle. Your choice of glue often depends upon the surface structure of the object. Although many different adhesives will work on fabrics, some are easier to apply than others. For example, you can use E6000 on clothing but it can be difficult to use. This glue tends to be gloppy and dries quickly. Alternatively, Gem-Tac is easy to apply and works well with fabrics. However, for a stronger bond to glue to glass or metal, E6000 is the preferred choice. Check the manufacturer's instructions for recommended surfaces before your start. Where Can I Buy Quality Rhinestones?
Since 2011, Rhinestones Etc. has been offering competitive pricing, fast shipping, and great customer service. Currently, we carry the brand name Preciosa Maxima Rhinestone and the cost-effective PriceLess brand. |
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