Hotfix rhinestones are beautiful, versatile, and a popular way to add sparkle to textile designs. Also known as heat-activated rhinestones, these crystals have an adhesive coating that makes them adhere directly to the fabric when heat is applied.
Hotfix rhinestones are great for fast-paced garment production because they can be applied by machine instead of by hand, which helps reduce production time and costs. If you’re looking to incorporate easy to use hotfix rhinestones into your next design, read on for a quick guide with everything you need to know.
What are hotfix rhinestones?
Hotfix rhinestones are rhinestones with an adhesive coating that makes them adhere to fabric when heat is applied. They are often called heat-activated rhinestones because they can be applied by machine instead of by hand.
Where to use hotfix rhinestones
Hotfix rhinestones can be used in many different types of designs. The most common place to put hotfix rhinestones is on clothing, and they can also be used as decorations for shoes or other accessories. However, because heat is needed to activate the adhesive backing, hotfix rhinestones can only be applied to fabric.
Hotfix rhinestone color and placement options
One of the first decisions you’ll need to make when using hotfix rhinestones is the color. Hotfix rhinestones come in a wide variety of colors and hues, so finding the perfect one for your design should be easy. The next step is deciding where you want to place your rhinestones.
There are two popular ways to do this: – Strategically placing rhinestones throughout a garment or textile design, or – Creating designs that include rhinestone placement For example, if you want to create a geometric design with rhinestones in all four corners, you would strategically place them along the border of the shape instead of designing a specific pattern around them.
Once you’ve decided on where to place your rhinestones, it’s time to choose the adhesive type that will work best for your project. You have three options: – Permanent (which is not recommended for textile designs), – Iron-on (which tends to only work on synthetic fabrics), or – Hotfix (for all fabric types).
Tips for using hotfix crystals in your designs
The first thing to note is that hotfix crystals are available in a wide array of shapes, sizes, and colors. These rhinestones will make your design pop, especially when you use them as embellishments on knits or woven fabrics. Now that you know what type of rhinestones you want to use, here are a few tips for using hotfix rhinestones in your designs. – Apply the adhesive: Apply a thin layer of adhesive onto the back of the stones with a brush (or by spraying).
Make sure to apply it evenly, otherwise, it may not stick to the fabric properly. – Heat up the stones: Once you’ve applied the adhesive, press heated tweezers or heat gun down onto the stones for 10 seconds.
The heat from this tool will activate the glue and will adhere them to your chosen fabric easily. – Remove any excess glue: Once you’ve finished adding all of your hotfix crystals and have removed any excess glue with tweezers or scissors, place an iron over top for about 15 seconds to seal them in place and remove any excess moisture that may be left behind by applying too much glue.
Wrapping up
Rhinestones are a great way to add glamour and sparkle to any design. Hotfix rhinestones offer an easy, fast, and affordable way for designers to add a sparkling detail to their creations. As long as you know the basics of how hotfix rhinestones work, you’ll be set to create stunning designs that will impress your clients and make them want to come back for more.
