Monday Tutorial: Hot Fix Swarovski Rhinestones

Here's a Monday Tutorial for Paper Craft Planet & it's "Hot Fix Swarovski Rhinestones".

If you had asked me 4 months ago what a Swarovski Crystal was I would have turned to Google for the answer.  With my daughter in competitive dance; however, I have had a crash course.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, think of Ice Skating Costumes & how they twinkle.

Now I can't show you any of DD's costumes ... yet ... but here's something we will make, it's a little Swarovski Bracelet.  After you learn the technique & see how it is brighter than any other Rhinestines you will be hooked!

I have a bunch of different sizes that I store in mason jars.

You can buy smaller packs of 22 from Michaels (regular $6, I think, but there are  coupons).  I bought mine at a high end fabric store that caters to the bling. 100 (of the '20 size') for $19, on sale for $17.

Once you plug it in, please, please, please, be careful with this.  It gets hot, really, hot.  Hot enough to melt glue through a stone.

There is no messy glue.  It comes pre-glued & that's why you need the heat tool.

I keep a pin handy for keeping the stone in place.  I have changed my mind of where I wanted to place a crystal & I just reheat the glue with the tool & move it.  No problems.

I though about putting these on a chiffon scarf for a watch wrap, but then I thought I'd use this old belt, that I cut down to fit my wrist.

Figure out your pattern.  If you draw something with illustrator using the path tool & brushes you can have a map of dots draw out, that you can then punch out.  If you are filling it in as much as you can, it's pretty straight forward.

Now just have some fun, almost a meditative process.

And Bob's Your Uncle ... from boring to Bling.

I am wearing this with a lovely pair of yoga pants right now ... :D

Here's the "back", I kept simple.

Hope you have fun with this!