Welcome to your complete guide on how to bedazzle jeans. We’ll cover what rhinestones to use, tools and design supplies you need, fashionable ideas to inspire you, and the step-by-step process. Read on, and get ready to make your jeans sparkle.
Table of Contents
- Essential Supplies for Bedazzling Jeans
- Popular Jean-Bedazzling Design Ideas
- Step-by-Step Process for Bedazzling Jeans
- Pro Tips for Professional-Looking Rhinestone Jeans
Essential Supplies for Bedazzling Jeans
Before you can slip into your blinged-out bottoms, you need to collect all the proper supplies, including the right rhinestones, glue, application tools, and, of course, your jeans. Here’s exactly what you need to get started.
Rhinestones
The rhinestones are, naturally, the lifeblood of your project, so make sure you pick fabulous ones. Planet Rhinestone has every kind of gem and crystal you could want.
Find shapes like hearts, teardrops, rectangles, rhombuses, circles, triangles, and more. Choose from every color of the rainbow, as well as clear, multi-colored, gold, silver, black, white, and other hues. We also carry a vast range of sizes, so you can create intricate designs with tiny rhinestones or bolder looks with chunky gems.
We have premium collections of flatback rhinestones and hotfix rhinestones. The former type requires an adhesive, while the latter comes with a built-in adhesive that must be heated up to fuse with the fabric.
Adhesive and Heat
We recommend E6000 glue or Gem-Tac glue. These are strong adhesives that form permanent bonds to survive many wear and washes. Gem-Tac is best for more flexible items, which is what makes it ideal for fabrics. But since denim is a stiffer, rougher, thicker material, E6000 works well, too.
For hotfix stones, you can use hotfix tools like heat wands, heat presses, and clothing irons to activate the adhesive backing and secure the stones.
Application Tools
Using your fingers to position the little stones is difficult, so it’s best to have helpful application tools. You can use:
- Tweezers
- Wax pencil
- Rhinestone pickup tool
- Cardboard insert
These allow you to place your stones more precisely, so your bedazzled jeans come out exactly how you envisioned them. The cardboard insert should slide into your jeans' legs to prevent the denim layers from being glued together. It also gives you a firm, flat surface on which to work.
Design Supplies
If you opt for design supplies, it can enhance the final product even more. Freehanding or winging your bedazzled jeans can result in messy designs that don’t exactly meet your expectations. Make your creative designs exceptional with:
- Stencils
- Templates
- Washable fabric markers
- Transfer tape
- Painter’s tape
With these, you can plan out your design before you start, so you know precisely where to place rhinestones for the perfect look. These tools are especially helpful if you plan to add letters, numbers, images, or words.
Your Jeans
Most importantly, you need jeans to bedazzle! If it’s your first time bedazzling, choose a pair from your wardrobe that you don’t care about. But if you’re experienced, you can buy brand-new jeans to bedazzle. Whether they’re old or new, wash them beforehand without fabric softener. You can bedazzle:
- Classic jeans
- Distressed jeans
- Jean shorts
- Jean capris
- Colored jeans
And you can also bedazzle other denim clothes, from hats to jean jackets.
Popular Jean-Bedazzling Design Ideas
From subtle sparkle to full bling, here are versatile design ideas for every skill level.
Easy Beginner Placements:
- Pocket corners and edges
- Coin pocket
- Belt loops
- Bottom hem
- Initials or numbers
Intermediate Designs:
- Full pockets
- Side seams
- Waistbands
- Accents along rips
- Accents beneath pockets
Advanced Projects:
- Full leg coverage
- Ombre patterns
- Crisscross patterns
- Star patterns
- Heart patterns
- Full names
Step-by-Step Process for Bedazzling Jeans
Follow these steps on how to bedazzle jeans.
1. Prep Your Jeans
Pick your jeans out, and wash and dry them, as you normally would (be careful not to use fabric softener). This removes any dirt or chemical sizing.
2. Plan a Design
With your design supplies, plan out your rhinestones on the jeans. You can sketch the design with washable markers, lay out a stencil or template, create lines with painter's tape, or make the design on transfer tape first.
3. Apply Rhinestones
When your design is ready, attach rhinestones. No matter what application technique you use, work in small, manageable sections.
Hotfix Rhinestones
For hotfix rhinestones, place a few rhinestones at a time, and use your heat tools to activate the adhesive. Apply gentle, even pressure.
Flatback Rhinestones
For flatback rhinestones, apply a tiny dot of glue where you want each stone to be. Add small dots to one section at a time. Use application tools to place stones on the dots, and then press down gently.
4. Cure Completely
When you finish placing all the rhinestones, allow them to dry and cure for 24-48 hours. Keep the jeans in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.
5. Do a First Wash
When you’re positive the adhesive has completely dried and fused to the fabric, wash the jeans. It’s best to wash them inside out without any fabric softener. Let them air dry, or use a gentle, low, or no-heat setting on your dryer.
Pro Tips for Professional-Looking Rhinestone Jeans
If you want your jeans to wow people, here are a few helpful tips and tricks the pros use:
- Start small, and build up your skills
- Keep spacing even between stones
- Create patterns that accentuate the denim’s lines and seams
- Avoid high-friction, high-stretch areas like knees and inner thighs
- Use your design supplies!
Remember, practice makes perfect, and slow down to get your design just right.
Upgrade Your Jeans
We’ve armed you with all the essential info for how to bedazzle jeans to match your style. The right rhinestones, tools, design supplies, and techniques allow you to turn any boring, old pair of jeans into party pants. If you have the jeans, you can find everything else you need at Planet Rhinestone.
FAQs
Find more helpful information below.
Will rhinestones fall off my jeans in the wash?
No, as long as you use a strong adhesive like E6000 and take care when washing and wearing.
Can I bedazzle stretchy jeans or jeggings?
Yes! Gem-Tac is great for stretchier materials, but try to avoid high-stretch areas like around your knees.
Should I bedazzle jeans before or after distressing them?
Distress them first to avoid detaching the rhinestones. Fraying or ripping after bedazzling can ruin your design.
Where can I purchase supplies and find inspiration for bedazzling jeans?
Planet Rhinestone has unlimited rhinestones you can choose from, as well as all the adhesives, application tools, and design supplies you may need. You can get everything, but the jeans, right here!