You've picked out the perfect rhinestones, and you've got a specific design in mind. But once it's time to craft, your fingers are too big to place the smallest pieces where you want them. Or glue smears everywhere as you try to dab it away with a tissue.
With the right rhinestone tool, you can spend less time wrestling with tiny stones and more time actually having fun with bedazzling.
Table of Contents
- Do Your Rhinestone Tools Matter More Than You Think?
- What Are the Must-Have Rhinestone Tools for Beginners?
- How Do You Use These Tools for Perfect Application?
- Which Tools Work Best for Different Projects?
Do Your Rhinestone Tools Matter More Than You Think?
People often assume that bedazzling is more about creativity than equipment or skill. After all, anyone can stick a few rhinestones on a water bottle, right?
Sort of. Bedazzling is totally beginner-friendly, but that doesn't mean you can get by with only your fingers and a vision. You need the right tools to place your rhinestones exactly where you want them. Otherwise, you might accidentally flip a stone or space them unevenly. It's also easy to drop and lose tiny rhinestones, wasting materials.
Using a proper hotfix applicator or brush is much faster, too. Say you need to apply 300 rhinestones to clothing for your child's play, or cover a poster board with pink gems for a Valentine's Day party. If you use the wrong tool, it might take you hours of fiddling and readjusting to create something presentable.
What Are the Must-Have Rhinestone Tools for Beginners?
You don't need to splurge on a dozen accessories to become a bedazzling pro. These basic tools will help you get the job done.
1. Hotfix Applicator Wand
If you have a lot of area to cover, the last thing you want to do is glue hundreds of rhinestones on one at a time. Or even worse, peel and stick them.
Hotfix rhinestones have a special adhesive on the back that melts when you apply heat, then hardens as it cools. That makes it easy to bond them to denim and other fabrics.
Planet Rhinestone's 7-in-1 Hot Fixed Applicator Wand lets you apply the heat precisely to each stone to attach it to clothing. All you need to do is set the rhinestone in the right place and hold the applicator to it for a few seconds.
For the most efficient applications, swap the tips of the rhinestone applicator to match different stone sizes (SS6 through SS20). That way, you won't have to worry about accidentally skipping rhinestones or melting your clothes with an oversized tip.
2. Wax Pen / Pickup Pencil
Even the most dexterous people can't always place tiny crystals perfectly with their hands or tweezers. A pickup pencil has a wax tip that sticks to rhinestones, so it's a breeze to pick them up and place them. It's also useful for flipping misplaced stones before they bond to your material.
A wax pen or pencil is essential for denim and detailed work on accessories, such as wallets and dog collars. It's also helpful for smaller stone sizes like SS6 or SS10.
3. Rhinestone Brush and Sorting Tray
When you're working on a large design, you don't always have time (or the patience) to prep your hotfix rhinestones one at a time. Use a small brush to sweep the loose crystals into a sorting tray. This container automatically flips and settles the rhinestones flat-side down, so you can quickly pick them up with your applicator. Frustration gone.
4. Tweezers
Wax pens often struggle to grip larger stones and flatback crystals. Use tweezers to grasp them instead. This tool also comes in handy for tricky placements, like in tight corners where a pen can't easily reach without dropping the stone.
How Do You Use These Tools for Perfect Application?
If you're using hot fix rhinestones, let the applicator preheat for a few seconds. Then press the tip to the flat side of the rhinestone for a few seconds to activate the adhesive. Once it looks squishy, press the rhinestone firmly onto the fabric for 10 to 15 seconds. Voilà, bonded.
Gluing rhinestones takes more focus, but it's often the most secure way to attach flatback stones onto shoes or hard accessories. Use a fine-tip applicator to apply a small dot of glue to the back of the crystal and press it into place. If you use too much glue, you might dim the rhinestone's sparkle.
Always let rhinestones set completely before touching them. That usually takes around 24 to 48 hours for hotfix rhinestones. Beginners often get excited and disturb projects mid-cool, so the crystals don't stick as well. Be patient.
Which Tools Work Best for Different Projects?
The best toolkit depends on the materials you're using and the size of your project.
If you're bedazzling clothing, use a hotfix applicator wand to bond the rhinestones to the fabric. That will attach them firmly enough to last through repeated washes.
Not sure what type of fabric to work with? Denim's tight weave is especially forgiving for beginners, because you don't need to worry about the crystals sliding out of place.
On the other hand, shoes and hard accessories can easily melt if you use heat. Glue on flatback rhinestones instead, using tweezers to place them in the right spots.
For large designs and apparel runs, efficiency is everything. Use a rhinestone brush and a sorting tray to quickly turn your stones the right way. Once all the crystals face the same direction, you can arrange them into patterns and pick the whole design up with transfer tape. Then quickly secure them with a heat press.
This is much faster than picking up individual stones with a wax pen and placing them one by one. Consider this option if you're decorating for an event or working on apparel for a team. For instance, someone who is bedazzling costumes for an entire dance team can use transfer tape to place dozens of stones at once.
Sail Through Your Next Craft With the Right Tools
You don't need fancy or expensive rhinestone tools to create fabulous projects. Simple tools like a hotfix applicator wand and tweezers will help you create designs that match your vision perfectly. Find everything you need at Planet Rhinestone.
FAQs
Can I use a hotfix applicator wand on any fabric?
Mostly yes, cotton, polyester, and denim work well, but heat-sensitive fabrics may need rhinestone glue instead.
Do I need every tool on this list to get started?
No, a hotfix applicator wand and wax pen are enough to begin, with a brush and tray added as projects scale up.
Is rhinestone glue permanent on accessories?
Yes, a quality glue creates a lasting bond on hard surfaces like shoes, but allow a full 24-hour cure before use.