How to Use Pointed Back Rhinestones on Fabric

Rhinestone Fabric Guide

What is Rhinestone Fabric

Rhinestone fabric is any fabric covered with rhinestones or crystals. It can be lightweight and see-through like tulle or mesh, or thick and opaque like tweed or wool cloth. There are dozens of rhinestones that differ in shape, size and material. From acrylic to Swarovski, from flat-backs to pointed, from tiny caviar beads to statement crystals, there's one for every design.

What are rhinestone fabrics made of? Rhinestones are decorative items that look like real gems or precious stones. Machine-cut or molded, they have various degrees of light refraction that depend on their cut and quality. E.g., lead glass rhinestones are better at transmitting light than their counterparts made of pure glass. Among the most common rhinestone shapes are round, oval, square, octagon, and navette.

Types of Rhinestone Fabrics

There are two ways to classify rhinestone fabrics: by the ground material and by the type of rhinestones. Let's start with the first criterion.

• Rhinestone silk fabric: chiffon, georgette, satin, taffeta, organza, charmeuse and others.
• Rhinestone cotton fabric: batiste, lawn, muslin, poplin, tweed, boucle, twill, denim, jersey, etc.
• Rhinestone wool fabric: suiting and coating wool, tweed, boucle, mohair, alpaca, wool jersey and so on.
• Rhinestone tulle or mesh: sheer netlike fabrics with or without stretch.
• Rhinestone lace: Chantilly, guipure, corded, Alencon, Lyon lace and much more.

Rhinestones can be attached all over the surface (think maximum brilliance!) or to some areas of the fabric, usually to highlight the pattern.

Now, let's get to the second criterion. Based on the type of rhinestone, all fabrics can be divided into:

• Swarovski rhinestone fabrics. Also known as Swarovski crystal fabrics. These are crème de la crème fabrics ideal for luxury evening wear, festive jackets, bridal dresses and more. Swarovski crystals are made in Austria and usually have 14 facets. They are extremely bright and come in all shapes and sizes.
• Preciosa rhinestone fabrics. Preciosa crystals are produced in the Czech Republic. They are slightly duller than Swarovski rhinestones, but are still 100% glass.
• Acrylic rhinestone fabrics. These fabrics are covered with imitation acrylic stones. They also come in an infinite array of shapes and colors, but do not expect them to be as bright as glass crystals. Such fabrics are the cheapest of the three.

How exactly do manufacturers add rhinestones to fabrics? They can simply glue them, which is the least durable method. Such fabrics are usually on the cheaper side of the price range. They can also use hot-fix rhinestones with heat-sensitive glue on the back. Such rhinestone fabrics are popular among fashion designers because hot-fixing creates a strong bond between rhinestones and the surface they are applied onto. Other durable methods include sewing, which is done by hand, and the use of rhinestones in metal settings.

Quick Tip

If you're looking for a truly brilliant rhinestone material, choose Swarovski crystals. Mind that machine cut rhinestones have a brighter sparkle compared to molded ones. The more cuts, the brighter your rhinestone sparkles!

How to Use Rhinestone Fabric

Rhinestones are mostly associated with special occasion and haute couture wear. Indeed, no fashion show goes without sparkling fabrics turned into luxury evening wear and wedding gowns that leave speechless. High-end designers prefer rhinestone tulle or mesh, but from time to time we get to see models marching down the runways in opaque crystal-strewn outfits like coats, jackets and trousers.

How can you use rhinestone fabric in your designs?

1. Main material. An ideal option for bridal wear, prom, evening and cocktail dresses. You can also use rhinestones as an overlay.
2. Panels and insets. Rhinestone fabrics can be sewn into sleeves, collars, bodices and more. Such details make any outfit a bit dressier but in most cases it can be still worn on a daily basis.
3. Trims. Use strips of jeweled fabric or ready-made rhinestone trims to elevate your design without the risk of 'overdoing it'. A glittering hem, neck or cuff will boost your spirits.

Rhinestone Fabric in Fashion 2018

When it comes to fashion, there's always a room for more bling. In 2018, the rhinestone trend is as strong as ever. From Gucci and Zuhair Murad to Elie Saab and Valentino, lots of star-level designers opt for crystals. Rhinestone lace and tulle are the top two materials on the list of special occasion fabrics. Below are just a couple of head-turning ideas from the 2018 couture collections:

• a V-neck cardigan trimmed with rhinestones all over;
• a rhinestone mini sheath dress with matching heeled shoes;
• an oversized zip jacket covered with rhinestones;
• an A-line tulle dress embroidered with rhinestones;
• a long sleeve gown with crystals and a matching bow detail cape;
• a silk satin and tulle high split gown embroidered with tiny rhinestones;
• a military style jacket trimmed with rhinestones and caviar beads.

Choose fabrics strewn with crystals for outfits meant to impress: there's no such thing as too much sparkle when your plan is to capture everybody's attention. And if you want to create a dressy item to wear every now and then on no special occasion, it's better to keep it toned down. Think rhinestone-trimmed sleeves, necklines, cuffs, pockets – these elements will add some fun to your daily wardrobe. Easy on the silhouette, too! In the case of rhinestone fabric or trim, the simpler the cut, the better!

Rhinestone Mesh Fabric

One of the hottest trends seen on catwalks includes rhinestone mesh fabric. This is a special occasion type of cloth which is easily transformed into couture style gowns. To wear one, you don't need to be a famous singer or movie star. All you need is some creativity and a piece of high quality rhinestone tulle of your favourite color.

Use it alone or with accompanying fabrics like satin, crepe, organza and chiffon. Generally, rhinestone mesh is lightweight and see-through, and in some cases you're going to need lining. If you wonder when it is appropriate to wear rhinestone mesh, here's our list of attention-grabbing events:

• proms;
• cocktail parties;
• weddings
• baby showers;
• homecoming parties;
• birthday celebrations.

Rhinestone tulle fabrics can be used for girls' dresses – imagine all sorts of princess style gowns you can create with these sparkling materials!

Tissura Collection

The selection of rhinestone fabrics at Tissura store comes impresses in terms of quality and design. Be sure to look at the fabrics offered by:

• Jakob Schlaepfer
• Aldo Bianchi
• HOH
• Riechers Marescot
• Sophie Hallette
• Solstiss SA
• Fair Lady

Rhinestones on tulle, lace, tweed, satin, faux fur, cotton jacquard – we've got you covered!

Embroidered rhinestone fabric, 395 € (486 US$) per one running metre;

Swarovski rhinestone fabric, 485 € (597 US$) per one running metre;

Rhinestone guipure lace, 1,160 € (1,427 US$) per one running metre;

Embroidered rhinestone fabric, 520 € (597 US$) per one running metre.

How to Use Pointed Back Rhinestones on Fabric

Source: https://tissura.com/articles/rhinestone-fabric

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