Are you looking to add a uniquely glamorous touch to your next line of best-selling festival fashion staples? Swarovski Crystals are the highest quality, Xillion Rose cut hotfix flat back crystals that you’ll find on the market. The hotfix glue attached to the back of each stone offers excellent grip on every type of fibre-based fabric you can expect to find in a festival field. No matter what the wearer of the garment might encounter; rain, sweat, mud, beer… you name it, that hotfix glue will stay stuck, making your rhinestone embellishment worthy of the wildest rock stars on the main festival stage!
The fantastic secret to hotfix crystals when it comes to the embellishment process, is that they to do not require a separate glue that will require time to dry and can become messy and hard to wash off. Swarovski hotfix crystals come with a heat reactive glue already on the back of the rhinestone and you simply need to apply heat and pressure to securely affix the crystal to your chosen material. Swarovski hotfix crystals come in many sizes and colours as well as a selection of shapes, giving you near endless creative options for your design.
Please be aware that the number of crystals required will vary depending on the size of the garment you are embellishing along with you choice of design, however the techniques you’ll learn in this tutorial can be applied to any project that involves adding hotfix rhinestones to fabric. We encourage you to take this knowledge and explore the creative potential Swarovski Hotfix Crystals can offer!
Bluestreak Crystals are one of one of very few remaining worldwide Swarovski Authorised Distribution Partners which continue to sell the full range of Swarovski Crystals. Register online today and continue to buy Swarovski Crystals for your products or services. Alternatively, we would recommend using Serinity Crystals as the best replacement for Swarovski crystal components used in this rhinestone embellishment project.
The full list of Swarovski crystals, components and tools needed to complete this project can be found below. If you click on the product description (link), the respective product page will open, where each item can be viewed and added to cart:
| Component | Component Name / Link | Quantity |
 |
Festival Top of your choice | x 1 |
 |
Swarovski Hotfix Crystals SS16 in Crystal | x 300 |
 |
Hotfix Flat Back Crystal Applicator Tool | x 1 |
 |
Wax Crystal Picker Tool | x 1 |
 |
Magic Sorting Tray | x 1 |
Step 1
Let the Hotfix Applicator heat up
Turn on the Hotfix Applicator and rest it on the metal stand provided and allow it to heat up, this should take approximately two minutes. There is a handy red light on the handle that will help you know at a glance that the tool is on and hot.
Step 2
Prepare your surface
Hotfix embellishment involves heat, pressure and molten glue that can be pressed down through the fabric and affect underlying layers. Be sure to project your work surface and the various layers of your garment by placing a protective sheet under the fabric that you intend to work on. Baking parchment is ideal for this; however, any smooth surface will do.
Step 3
Place the rhinestones
Use the Magic Sorting Tray to hold the loose crystals while you’re working with them and use the Wax Picker Tool to pick up and place the hotfix flatback crystals along the neckline of the festival top, glue side facing down in the pattern of your chosen design.
Step 4
Apply heat to melt the glue
Hold the Hotfix Applicator by the silicon safety grip handle and press the hot metal tip down onto the positioned crystal for approximately 10 seconds. Heat will conduct down from the tool, through the crystal and into the glue, which will melt and adhere to the fabric. Larger crystals will require a few extra seconds.
Step 5
Repeat until all crystals are secure
Work your way across your design, starting with the outline along the neckline. Take care to not touch any freshly applied crystals that may still be hot, as they take a few moments to cool down once the tool has been removed from the crystal.
