Tips for Placing Rhinestones

A good glue to use is GemTac Glue by Beacon. Do not use any glue when relative humidity exceeds 75%. There is a chance that the glues will take on water from the air and prevent normal drying and adhesion.

E 6000 Glue: When used correctly, it holds stones very well, and survives washing very well. Even clothes thrown into a washing machine seem to survive just fine, losing no rhinestones. The down side of this glue is that it: dries very quickly, so must be used carefully, or full adhesion of the stones will be harmed. AND, it dries shiney. Excess glue that is required to surround the rhinestone WILL show. When you pull the tube back from applying a spot of glue, the glue leaves a 'string' of glue that dries almost immediately. You will have a 'hairy' look to the garment if you do not take the time to remove all the 'strings' of glue. This will be especially apparent if the clothing is seen under spot lights.


To glue rhinestones. Place glue spots onto fabric in whatever pattern you want. The glue spots MUST be of a size that when the rhinestone you are using is pushed into glue, glue will just come around the rhinestone edge. You want to glue the rhinestone glass edge to the fabric, NOT JUST THE BACK or the rhinestone. (the bond of the mirror backing to the glass of the rhinestone is not sufficient to hold the stone to the fabric. Eventually, if abused, you will have nice, bright shiny metallic spot of backing with missing glass...the rhinestone separated from its backing!
It stands to reason...you will use smaller spots of glue with smaller stones, larger with larger.

Do not apply any more spots of glue than you can set stones into within 60 seconds. If it is a dry day, do fewer at one time...you do not want the glue to skim dry on the surface BEFORE the stone is set into it.

When gluing large jewels, use glue so that glue comes up over all edges of the stone. Otherwise, the stone will fall off. (The bigger/heavier the stone, the better the edges must be glued)
Glue is white when it comes out of the tube, and is water soluble. It becomes clear when it dries, and is no longer water soluble. This (these) glue(s) will bond to glass, metal, etc. Please note: The use of these glues outdoors is at your own risk. Most glues on the market will amber over time when exposed to UV light.

Use an APPLICATOR STICK to make your life much easier. It's hard to grasp with your fingers and tweezers won't work well, there is no friction between the metal and crystal. Just when you think you have hold of the stone it will pop out of the tweezers and fly feet away. I've found one of the best, cheapest and most readily available applicators to be a small BIRTHDAY CANDLE. The candle is just the right size. Lay the stones on a hard surface, face up. Push the end of the candle (not the fire/wick end) onto the cut top of the stone. It should pick the stone right up. Push the stone into the glue and it the candle will easily release it.

Allow rhinestone glue to begin to clear before moving to another part of the fabric (if you have to move the fabric) and handle gently, being careful not to loosen stones that are drying.

Usually, 24 hours is a good drying time before wearing garment. Wait one week to hand wash.

DO NOT DRY CLEAN GARMENTS WITH GLUED STONES. The glue will discolor (yellow) and eventually become brittle. You will loose your stones. If you loose a stone, reapply glue to same spot and replace stone as above.