Rhinestones
Useful For
People have been putting rhinestones on costumes for decades. From Broadway stars to a four-year-old's ballet outfit – they are a great way to spice up your costume! Rhinestones add some sparkle, some design and definitely get you noticed. In the past 10 years people have started adding rhinestones to more than just clothing. The new media darlings, like Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson can be seen toting Swarovski crystal covered cell phones and bedazzled pooches.
A Brief History
The original rhinestones came from the Rhine river and they were pieces of faceted glass with a high luster. The sparkle began in 1775 when a French jeweler by the name of George Frederic Stras coasted the lower side of the glass with a metallic powder. The end result? Something that looked a lot like diamonds. Today rhinestones are mass produced and much more affordable than in the past. In 1955 a coating called the Aurora Boreale was applied to the surface of a rhinestone and produced a rainbow-colored sparkle. Rhinestones are now produced mainly in the Czech Republic and Austria.
Fun Facts
To brush up your knowledge of rhinestones here are some fun pieces of information.
Rhinestones are also called crystals or diamantes. The most popular types are the Chaton Rose stones which are used for dance attire, costumes, clothing and bridal wear. They have a faceted front and flat back thus making attachment easier. The most popular color is the Crystal AB which enhances every color it is applied to. As fashions change, so do the preference in colors of rhinestones but blues and reds are always in high demand.
The higher the grade, the more the stone will sparkle--cut has nothing to do with it. Ss20s are the most popular—they are about 4.5mm across. These are large enough to handle easily and give a good sparkle but also small enough to still look delicate when used en masse.
There is not much difference between Czech rhinestones and Austrian rhinestones. For years both produced 8 facetted stones. To distinguish itself, Austria started producing 12 facetted stones but Czechoslovakia copied them and now the two are very competitive and virtually indistinguishable.
There are four ways to attach rhinestones to fabric. Adhesives work well and are the easiest to use. The recommended glue is Beacon Gem-Tac because it is inexpensive, dries clear and is very potent. Settings also hold rhinestones very well. They are set in the back of the fabric and then crimp over the front side. Settings come in silver, gold and black. You can also sew the rhinestones on as some come with holes in the back.
Sewing is much more time consuming but if you are planning on dry cleaning your product or you want to keep whatever the rhinestones are going on for a long time—go with sewing over gluing. The glue will not hold. There are also hot fix stones with heat sensitive glue on the back of them. The Bedazzler tool as seen on TV has these kinds of stones.
Related Links: |
|
