The right materials and tools can turn any DIY session into the ultimate rhinestone project. Give your shirts the wow factor, sparkle up your phone, or show off your art skills with rhinestone-bedazzled shoes. Get sparkling with the right rhinestone crafting supplies.
Table of Contents
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Selecting the Best Rhinestones for Your Style
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Specialized Adhesives and Proper Surface Preparation
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Precision Placement Tools and Efficiency Gear
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Developing an Advanced Rhinestone Toolkit
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Safety and Workspace Maintenance Supplies
Selecting the Best Rhinestones for Your Style
For maximum effect, you’ll want to match the rhinestones to your style and the type of project at hand.
Choosing the Material
Rhinestones come in a surprising array of colors, materials, and finishes. Here are the most common materials to consider when you're ready to buy rhinestones.
Jelly Rhinestones
Also called resin, these bulk rhinestones are made of molded, plastic-like resin and work with everything from kids’ crafts to DIY home and accessory projects. They’re lightweight, affordable and competitively priced, as well as available in all the colors of the rainbow, and more. Glow-in-the-dark gems, anyone? You can even get jelly rhinestones coated in an Aurora Borealis (AB) finish for that extra-sparkly effect.
Acrylic Rhinestones
These gems are lightweight alternatives to glass rhinestones but have as much sparkle. They’re perfect for home decor projects and add instant bling to your belts, shoes, or tote bags.
You can also put them on clothing. When washing, pop the outfit in a mesh laundry bag to prevent rhinestone surface scratches. And skip the dryer. Acrylic gems don’t handle heat well.
Glass Rhinestones
Glass embellishments give an excellent shine thanks to their many facets. They’re durable, shimmery, and sold in many eye-catching colors and shine-enhancing coatings. Sparkly glass rhinestones can add embellishment to projects of all types, with a versatility that makes them the standard for fashion outfits, lounge wear, and costumes.
Crystal Rhinestones
Considered to have maximum shimmer, crystal rhinestones are made of lead-oxide glass. This combination gives superior clarity and eye-catching sparkle. Crystal stones are the perfect choice for ball gowns, stage costumes, luxurious appliqué centerpieces or any look that needs to shine like the stars.
Deciphering Sizes
Rhinestones come in different stone sizes (SS), anywhere from SS3 (1.2–1.4mm) to SS50 (10.0–11.3mm). You’re more likely to use SS6 or SS10 for intricate embellishments like nail art and SS16 or SS20 for apparel. Then again, it’s your project! Smaller or larger gems add a unique look when used uniformly or in a mishmash of shapes and colors.
Understanding Backing Types
For rhinestones, the two most common backings are flat backs and hotfix. Flat-back stones have a smooth, non-adhesive back that needs glue to “stick” to the surface. Hotfix stones are heat-activated. They have a special glue backing that activates with heat, usually an iron or applicator tool.
Specialized Adhesives and Proper Surface Preparation
You have the rhinestones for your project. Now, how do you secure them if you aren't using sew-on or hotfix stones? It all comes down to the glue.
Matching the Glue to the Project
Are you working with flat-back rhinestones, non-hotfix appliques, or rhinestone trims? You'll need the right type of glue. For fabric-based projects, look for flexible glue like Gem-Tac that lets the design move with the body. Otherwise, your pretty rhinestone centerpieces might feel a bit stiff.
Hard surfaces are the opposite. Buy industrial-strength glue like E6000 that secures the stones for a permanent placement. Blinging out your phone case only to discover missing gems a month later is no fun!
Surface Prep Basics
Rhinestones stick best when you prep the surface so that it’s free from any residue. Think fingerprints, factory coatings, food crumbs, or smudgy oils.
You’ll want high-grade alcohol wipes (70% isopropyl alcohol) to remove oil and fingerprints from high-touch surfaces like phone cases and tumbler grips. These items might also have factory coatings that make it hard for gems to stick.
Fabrics covered in lint, pet hair, or other debris won’t make a good sticking surface. Get yourself a handy lint roller (a reusable textured one, not the disposable lint sheets) to smooth the fabric.
Curing Requirements
When creating your ultimate rhinestone design, don’t forget that glue needs time to cure. The time needed depends on what glue you’re using and what surface you’re using it on. In general, plan for 24 to 72 hours for the glue to fully set.
That means you'll need a flat, secure surface where gravity, or cute, curious puppies, won’t interfere with your design.
Check the instructions for specifics, glue down your design, and let it be. Then, come back a day or so later for a quick corner test. It's not cured if there’s any movement or if it doesn’t feel secure.
Precision Placement Tools and Efficiency Gear
Glue and rhinestones are only part of your crafting arsenal. You’ll also need different tools and storage options for maximum efficiency and fun.
The Wax Picker Pen vs. Tweezers
Wax picker pens, or wax-tipped pens, are the #1 time-saving tool for rhinestones. You can pick up stones of nearly all sizes without leaving stick residue or smudgy prints. Wax pencils also work, but you do need to sharpen them.
Stainless steel tweezers are another handy placement tool. They're best for flipping stones. If your face-up gems do a little dance and one or two turn over, grab your tweezers and give them a quick flip back.
You can also use tweezers as a picking tool for extra-large crystals that wax can’t hold.
Sorting Trays and Shaker Boxes
Rhinestones are small. Some are downright tiny. Use sorting trays to save yourself the headache and heartache of watching your pretty gems scatter across the floor or down a floor vent.
Textured sorting trays help turn stones “shiny-side up”, all with a few shakes. These trays can save hours flipping stones by hand and get you to the design fun sooner. Sorting trays usually have a narrow funnel end for quick cleanup of any extra rhinestones. Triangle trays are an alternative for pouring back excess pieces.
Shaker towers are perfect if you’re trying to separate stones by size. Pour everything in at the top and watch your colorful gemstones tumble through each layer until they’re caught by the holes.
Storage Solutions and Organization
Clear stackable jars are a bedazzler's best friend. These container solutions help keep the sizes separate and let you see your dazzling color palette. Alternatively, use a storage box with at least one to two dozen individual compartments in each box.
You’ll also want a labeling system. Think write-on stickers, Kraft labels, or even masking tape. Track brands, color, and sizes so you know what you're working with, and what you need to reorder when a pack runs low.
Developing an Advanced Rhinestone Toolkit
An advanced rhinestone toolkit can take your crafting sessions to new heights.
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Precision syringes and tips: Fill the syringes or simply dip the stainless steel tip into the glue. Wipe off any excess and then place a small dot about half the size of the stone. The glue will distribute evenly once you push down, so you avoid unsightly “seepage” that ruins the design.
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Measurement calipers: This tool is handy for planning symmetrical patterns on curved surfaces like helmets or shoes. Use the larger jaws to measure the width of the rhinestone and the smaller jaws to measure and mark equal spaces between each stone. The calipers should be “zeroed” first for accuracy.
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UV lamps: These lamps help cure gel-based “instant-cure” resin adhesives. Check the manufacturer’s instructions on curing time and where to place the lamp. Generally, most gel-based adhesives set in about 1 to 2 minutes.
Safety and Workspace Maintenance Supplies
To keep your workspace tidy and safe, check out these tips:
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Use proper ventilation. Industrial-strength glue can irritate your lungs if you’re in a confined space. You should consider masks or directional fans that keep your airspace fresh.
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Set out protective mats. Silicone mats help catch glue drips and protect tabletops from accidental cuts, glue spills, or heat applicators.
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Light up your space. Daylight desk lamps help brighten your workspace to protect against eye strain in poor lighting. They also help you spot alignment errors or blemished stones that might dampen the overall sparkle.
Bedazzle Your Next Project
Once you've picked your rhinestone material and size, matched the glue and curing requirements, and sorted your stones into a user-friendly system, it's time to get crafting. Pro accessories like precision tips, silicone mats, and UV lamps can enhance your workspace and give you the ultimate designer's toolkit. Discover your next project with Planet Rhinestone's curated collection of high-quality rhinestone craft supplies.
FAQs
What's the best rhinestone size for beginners?
If you're a beginner bedazzler, look for SS16 (about 4mm) and SS20 (5mm) rhinestones for your first projects. They're easy to grip with a picker pen but still give you design versatility.
Do I need a wax picker, or can I use my fingers?
Wax pickers are incredibly helpful for the precision placement of your stones. They also help you avoid "glue fingers" that can smudge your design and dampen the shine.
Should I buy hotfix or non-hotfix rhinestones?
It depends! Hotfix rhinestones are perfect for fabric projects. You'll also need a heat press, iron, or applicator wand. Non-hotfix stones suit all types of home decor, crafting, accessory, and nail art jewelry projects when paired with the right glue.
How many rhinestones do I need for a project?
You'll want to measure the length and width of the item and consider the stone size and scatter. Rhinestone calculators or charts can help.
In general, you can get about 144 stones per square inch with SS6 and 81 stones with SS10. Most phone cases can hold up to 1,000 stones, while adult sneakers need anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000, depending on the "scatter" density.