# Lesson for making a Rhinestone Transfer #1



## sjidohair

I am going to post How to make a Rhinestone Transfer by Hand with pictures
If any one has any Questions please ask, Thes are
my own ways of doing things, and my own ideas, No one has paid me to do this , I am doing it on my Own.
Sandy Jo


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## sjidohair

First Materials you will need are 
Heat Press
Tweezer
Transfer tape
Rhinestones
Great Light
Reading Glasses unless you have great eyes

The size of Rhinestones I use most often are 2mm or 6SS the size of a ball point Pen
or 3mm or 12SS these are the size I used in this lesson.

All Rhinestones need to have glue affixed to the back and ready for pressing. Hot fix is a Brand to look For.
I currently purchase my rhinestones and transfer tape, from these 2 sources, but do a search and find some more awesome ones and post here for others,
www.rhinestoneguy.com
www.Hypnotikwear.com
I purchase by 1440 at a time.

ok so now we have our materials all set up,
Time to get your image ready,
go to whatever graphic program you use, draw up whatever you want.
I have done a text pattern for us to practice with.
Our Text reads I Make T-shirts, (see image)
you can copy mine off or make your own,
I play with the size on my computer untill I have printed it and am happy with the size and how the stones will lay on it. Imagine it on a shirt,, to big, to lil,, judge for your self.
Later play with more bold letters and double up your rhinestones so you have 2 wide on each line up to 4 wide.
Once you have your Fonts Right Reverse them.
Print
Now you are ready to take this pattern to your Rhinestone table ( see Image)
With your pattern laying on Table take your Transer Tape lay over it and cut it slightly larger than the pattern. (See Image)
Take White Backer off the Transfer Tape set it aside , you will need this later.
Have 2 pieces of tape ready, 
Set Clear Transfer Tape sticky side up on top of your pattern, DO NOT STICK IT TO THE PATTERN.
use the 2 pieced of tape to stick the clear Transfer tape to the pattern or table, i tape to the table so i can reuse my pattern hundreds of times.
I am Cheap,, lol
It is very sticky be careful or you will feel like a fly in a fly trap.
The Tape is like this so we can place our stones on here and they attach.


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## martinwoods

Thanks for the great info.
Do you have a photo of a finished shirt?

Thanks


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## sjidohair

Yep, Hang on , i have alot of info for ya,, Just had to let me dogs outside,, lol
hang on i will post everything from start to finish tonight,, 
Sandy Jo


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## sjidohair

After you have the sticky tape in place, get your rhinetones out,
The Stones will be placed on the tape face down, the the sticky side. 
all the stones I have ever used have had a Green glue facing me.
so Sparkley side down, stuck to tape.
Start on one side and start to place the stones following your pattern you can see thru the tape. 
Space them how you would like, but leave enough room so you are not over crowding the stones as when you go to press, it will crush them and make them move. ( see image)
I placed these stones in 7 minutes from start to finish.
when you are done, place white piece of Transfer tape you took off earlier back on over the rhinestones, press with your hand to make sure stones are stuck well.
If you ever put a stone in the wrong place, just pick it up. and replace. before the white backer goes back on.
now that the backer in on turn it over, how does it look,, AWESOME,, I BET


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## sjidohair

Ok crank your press, get it ready i press mostly everything at 375 for 17 seconds, so adjust your time and temp from what mine is, I also adjust my pressure, to what I do for sweatshirts, because the stones are think and glass and can break under to much pressure and heat. I adjust up 1 and 1/2 turns.
so now we have the pattern done,, wasn't is easy,, guys the sky is the limit here, you can make lots and lots of transfers in a small amount of time,
so now you have your transfer ready , the press is ready, peel off the white backer again.
prepress your t-shirt or sweatshirt or bag or whatever your medium is.
place your stones that are on the tape transfer on the garment, make sure you have it good and centered, 
the tape will stick to the garment, that is how it is suppose to be.
Place Teflon sheet over garment and rhinestones, and down goes the press, for 15 seconds
take teflon sheet off and wait a few seconds, not to long tho or the transfer will peel and pull, but a few so the glue starts to cool just a few seconds, and peel the tape off making sure the stones stay in place.(see image)


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## sjidohair

So Now you have the pressed t-shirt with the rhinestone image on it, and have peeled it, take the T-shirt and turn inside out , sometimes the inside will be slightly stuck together, while the shirt is hot,, off press gently pull apart , this is from the glue.
ok the shirt is inside out press again 5 seconds.
with teflon sheet over.
turn right side out,, press again 5 seconds, teflon sheet over,,
Yahoooo you just made a awesome Rhinestone T-shirt,, and it was so easy..and Beautiful


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## sjidohair

Tips for making Rhinestone T-shirt Transfers. 
#1 if you are making a saying like Bride or a Graphic, remember a skinny line takes a smaller rhinestone, a thicker line takes 2 rhinestones wide or a bigger rhinestones, and the transfers look awesome when you mix it up, script is beautiful mixed with 2mm and 3mm sizes.
#2 If you have a real thick bold font, use 3 or 4 wide next to each other, to start off try to use a font that is more square untill you get some expierence.
#3 When I have my Transfer made and ready to lay on shirt, I find the middle of Transfer and put a snip with a scissors, in the middle, so I know as I am placing it , that is the middle and to line it up with Tag.(If the Tag is Straight)
#4.Remember to unstick the inside while turning inside out while still hot.

remember this is not just for tees, also sweatshirts, jeans, jean pockets, sweatpants on the butts, ect, as well as canvas bags, and lots more,
I always attach a tag, that says,
If you love this garment now, wash in cold water inside out, hang to dry or tumble without heat, I will stay like this a very long time.
Heat attaches the Rhinestones, it will also make them fall off.
Ok I hope you all can understand all this, if not let me know,, 
I cannot wait to see what you guys make.Please post so we all can see.
This is only the beginning, Just think of everything you can make! I used over 150 stones in this saying.Order lots they go fast when you have found the stones you like, to work with.
Sandy Jo


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## mrdavid

Thank you Monkey for the post very educational can learn lot from you


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## sjidohair

David,
We will all learn from each other,
Thanks
Sandy Jo***MonkeyMeMe


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## Girlzndollz

Dear Sandy Jo,
First off, you are just too cute!!!  
Second, thank you so much for this awesome thread! 




sjidohair said:


> Tips for making Rhinestone T-shirt Transfers.
> #1 if you are making a saying like Bride or a Graphic, remember a skinny line takes a smaller rhinestone, a thicker line takes 2 rhinestones wide or a bigger rhinestones, and the transfers look awesome when you mix it up, script is beautiful mixed with 2mm and 3mm sizes.
> #2 If you have a real thick bold font, use 3 or 4 wide next to each other, to start off try to use a font that is more square untill you get some expierence.
> Sandy Jo


I am not sure what it means to mix the stones? Do you have something you did with script or diff size stones so I can get a mental pic of it? If not, no prob, I can poke around the net, but was just wondering... thanks so much for everything, Sandy Jo... I cracked up when I saw the glasses included in the supply pic!! Too funny! (PS: yes, I need them!!!) 

PS: Just added this to my Favs!


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## mrdavid

you guys are getting older I still have my eyes LOL


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## Threads of Steel

Oooo Sandy I am so excited! Thank you for making it seem so simple. I am ready to stay up late and make stuff even though I know I need to go to work tomorrow. I think I will work on my quotes and do some tomorrow when I get home from work -ooo the ideas are 'a churnin!


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## sjidohair

Kelly,
Here are 2 examples of mixing up sizes of stones,,
Let me know if you need any help, by mixing it means, using different sizes in different areas, making it look a lil more custom.
Sandy Jo
I was going to make a T-shirt forum one, but thought I might be not be able to use it,, on the example in the lesson, and i need the glasses for this and beading ,, lol


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## sjidohair

Kelly,
Look on the T on Taken,
It has the different sizes in it,, click on the pic, that might help.
Sandy Jo / Monkey MeMe


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## Girlzndollz

Ahh, a picture says a thousand words... thank you so much, Sandy Jo... and they look marvelous. You are right, the diff size stones add to the design, but I also like the "I make tshirts" shirt, too.

~sigh~ Must have rhinestones! There is no way around it!

Glitter vinyl and rhinestones... what more does a gal need in life? 




> Look on the T on Taken,
> It has the different sizes in it,,


I see it, and I absolutely love it!!! Beautiful... nice job, Sandy Jo. Your hub is right when he says to you: "You can do that!"


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## sjidohair

Thanks Kelly,
They are a riot to make, even on kids onesies, I have used a few different tools in the past, the Hot fix tool, and another, and this is by far , the cheapest and funniest, and very fast way, if you get graphics or fonts right,, the rest is a breeze, my transfer tape comes in 8x10 sheets and i cut it as i need it.
I have been buying from www.Hypnotikwear.com, alot, and they ship fast order monday here by thursday fri. always the same grade of stones,.
I have just found a new one , and will check it out , to make sure stones are as sparkley, it is hard to take pics, because of the glare,, love it,, love it,,
Sandy jo
Monkey MeMe is the name of my Tees


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## sjidohair

Kelly , and everyone, use the pattern for
I make T-shirts,, one,, I am wearing mine tomorrow.

Sandy Jo


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## martinwoods

Thanks for all the great info, what a great thread. I have been wanting to do these but didn't want to buy a laser engraver to cut out the stencils, so thanks for sharing how you do it.

That is why I love this forum, everyone is willing to share new ideas and always so helpful

Again thanks


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## Gunslinger

Great thread, Sandy Jo ... I never woulda noticed it, save for the blogs (thanks Rodney).

What can a rhinestone tee go for?


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## sjidohair

Guys, I was wondering did i post this in the right place? I am terrible about that,,
Let me know if I didnt.
thanks
Sandy Jo


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## sunnydayz

Wow great rhinestone lesson sandy jo  now I am going to have to make some of these haha, cause I like sparkly girl stuff  Great job.


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## sjidohair

Bobbie lee,
Great hope you understood it ok, If you need any help let me know, this is only the beginning from here you can do tons of colors and graphics.
Sandy JO


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## sjidohair

I wore my t-shirt to work today and eveywhere I went, poeple said you make tshirts, how much would this cost, i got a ton of orders today,,
even at the place i went to pick up supper, a gal yelled across the room, hey do you make tee shirts,, lol
that was way to funny.
So girls get those rhinestones going, and guys get those rhinestones going for your girlfriends, wifes, daughters,, I have been asked about my shirts when i wear them before, but not like this,,
yahooooo

Sandy jo


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## earl

great tut sandy, my only problem is, as i am sure others here have the same problem, how do we fit all these jobs in ? the days are to short, what with transfers--rhinestones- vinyl shirts-signs and banners, when do we sleep? LOL.
REGARDS EARL


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## Gunslinger

sjidohair said:


> Guys, I was wondering did i post this in the right place? I am terrible about that,,
> Let me know if I didnt.
> thanks
> Sandy Jo


It was posted in the right place, I just rarely visit this section. Your blog announcement caught my attention, and got curious about the process.

BTW, I stand by my position (from an earlier chat conversation on rhinestones) ... you CAN and SHOULD make rhinestone designs for guy wear!


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## Girlzndollz

Gunslinger said:


> It was posted in the right place, I just rarely visit this section.


Awww, you should see all the fun you miss out on... you should come by more often... especially after making this following statement:



> BTW, I stand by my position (from an earlier chat conversation on rhinestones) ... you CAN and SHOULD make rhinestone designs for guy wear!


Alright, from a guy's point of view, what would be something a guy would wear with rhinestones? I am trying to figure out what you have in mind and I come up empty handed... Help!


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## Gunslinger

Easy ... skulls always work! But, come on gang ... get creative! All rhinestones are ... just some extra BLING!!


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## Girlzndollz

I'm going to the polls!!!!


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## sjidohair

yep, I would love to make some for guys, but not sure what a guy would wear,,? What color of stones would you wear, or designs, Please anyone, answer. black rhinestones? Nail heads,, ?
get me going in the right direction,, Once i get started there is no holding back,,,, talk to me, guys, from your point of view..
Sandy JO


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## sjidohair

Guys, I had a Message from where i guy my Rhinestones and transfer tape,
I was given another tip,
when applying the Rhinestones use a exacto knife to pick up the glue side of the stone and lay it on the tape,, Precise, placement, 
this was from 
www.Hyonotikwear.com
For those that dont want to make your own (EArl) they have great prices on premade ones ready to press. 
glad you guys are enjoying this thread,, I cant wait to see some pics,
Sandy jo


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## sjidohair

sorry, spelled wrong,
www.Hypnotikwear.com
sandy Jo


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## sjidohair

Earl asked if I bid on the stones or buy it now,, an if they were Korean stones,

Earl, yes i use buy it now,, when i need them i need them. and they get to me fast..
I am not sure if they are Korean or not,, but ask and let us know..
thanks
Sandy Jo


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## earl

hi sandy,
*6ss 2mm HOT FIX Rhinestones Crystals CLEAR 10 gross*

*1440 pcs.*
These are very high quality Korea Greenback Rhinestones​








regards earl


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## earl

hi again, i do want to make my own
regards earl


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## sjidohair

Thanks Earl,, for the info,
Glad you want to make your own,, if I can help, let me know.
Sandy jo


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## Georgies

u can always use a rhinstone machine..more versatile


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## Georgies

u can hook up a vaccume machine, make a hole in the hose(of the vaccume), and run a 1/16" hose to it.
The other end will act as a vaccume pencil (siphoning effect) and you can pick them up easily. Place them in a small pan, so when they are upsidedow, u just tap on the pan and they will flip. 
Guaranteed best way. If you cant make a machine... ill post a pic soon.


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## sjidohair

Goerge, Please post a pic, for us, and the way you do it,, Thanks for the input,,
keep any and all ideas, comin,,

sandy Jo


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## veedub3

I am going to try this out this weekend. I have been designing a cross and i am using corel to make it look like rhinestones but I have been runnning into problems. if all goes well i will post a pic of the finished product next week.

thanks for the thread.


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## mystysue

Hmm I gonna have to try this too.. .. Ill order some stones this week.. and let you all know how it goes lol..
All i need is another addiction.. rof.


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## sjidohair

I am going to try this out this weekend. I have been designing a cross and i am using corel to make it look like rhinestones but I have been runnning into problems. if all goes well i will post a pic of the finished product next week.

thanks for the thread.
***************************************
Awesome, I would love to see the cross, Please post a picture when done,, these tees feel so awesome to wear,, because they sparkle like crazy

Sandy Jo


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## sjidohair

Hmm I gonna have to try this too.. .. Ill order some stones this week.. and let you all know how it goes lol..
All i need is another addiction.. rof.

**************************************
Yep another addiction for sure, but also another way to make some $$$$.

we can make the tees and sell
we can make the transfers and sell
we can make the transfer patterns and sell, hummm
lost of ideas


Sandy jo


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## mystysue

sjidohair said:


> Hmm I gonna have to try this too.. .. Ill order some stones this week.. and let you all know how it goes lol..
> All i need is another addiction.. rof.
> 
> **************************************
> Yep another addiction for sure, but also another way to make some $$$$.
> 
> we can make the tees and sell
> we can make the transfers and sell
> we can make the transfer patterns and sell, hummm
> lost of ideas
> 
> 
> Sandy jo


Hmm do the stones stay on the tape enuff to be able to make the transfers for others and have them stick? in shipping


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## sjidohair

Sue,
For sure,, they stick really well, you out your backer paper on it, and they will not come off unless you pry them off or press them,,
Sandy jo


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## Gunslinger

Crosses would work male or female, as well. Definately, would catch the eye in rhinestones.

I can't help with design ideas (for males) and such, as I am unfamiliar with the different types, styles and colors available. When I get a chance to dig up some suppliers and see what's out there, I'll be happy to knock around some ideas.


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## mystysue

well i ordered some stones and some tape stuff..lol..I got the assorment pack i figured that would get me started.. It had 3 differant sizes.... Im in the same area of the country so It really shouldnt take to long to get here.. Ill let ya know.


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## sjidohair

AWesome, Susan, 
when you get your stuff, if you need any help let me know..
sandy Jo


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## Kleverrr1

Hi Sandy,

I hope I am doing this right I wouldn't want to mess up your excellent post here. I have a couple of mens designs here for you to see. Maybe this will help you find out what colors to use on mens designs.


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## sjidohair

Chris,
those are awesome, 
thanks for posting, Guys, this is Chris, and Chris is a member of the Forum, here, and I have just learned that she is also the person that is the seller on ebay that sells me my rhinestones,, Small world huh..
If any one is interested in her stuff, dont post here, send her a private message, she is extremely helpful,. and knows everything,.
Between her and I , we will answer what ever questions you have.
thanks again chris for posting those great pics,, i love em all,
Sandy JO


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## earl

hi sandy, chris sure is talented.
i have a question. 
if you are designing with 2 or 3 different size stones, i guess you would have to like, teepadit or similar over the topside to get an even press. or how do you do it ?
regards earl


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## mystysue

Well i got my rhinestones and tape stuff today.. wow.. great service Chris.. and thank you for the samples of the other stones.. Im working on a design i post of picture of it once i get all the stones laid.. Never having done this before Its hard to figure out some what designs will work and not work.. so .. we will see if this little busy bee works..lol.


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## sjidohair

earl said:


> hi sandy, chris sure is talented.
> i have a question.
> if you are designing with 2 or 3 different size stones, i guess you would have to like, teepadit or similar over the topside to get an even press. or how do you do it ?
> regards earl


\******************************
the Depth is the same,, it is the diameter,.that is different,, Chris is very talented, indeed.
Sandy Jo


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## sjidohair

Sue,
I cant wait to see your bee, You'll do wonderful,
Have a fun time creating .
Sandy JO


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## sjidohair

Chris,
On the cross is that red stones, or Red Nail heads,,?
Love it,, 
Sandy JO


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## Kleverrr1

Hello All, 

Press a design with different size stones is the same as any normal rhinestone transfer. The only thing I do is press the a second time for 7 sec. with a little more presure and then pad them down with a cloth before peeling the backing. If some don't stay I push on the plastic to tack them on untill I completly peel backing and them I repress one more time with more presure. I just had this happen to me right now . I made some hoodie with multi stones on them I added a picture this design has 2,3 & 4mm stones and I applied it to the hoodie sleeve.

Sandy the pictures I posted are all Rhinestuds. 
P.S. I am a He not a She LOL.....


Chris


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## sjidohair

Chris,
Sorry, Chris, I had no idea,,,Forgive me,, 
Sandy Jo


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## earl

hi chris, do you prefer the studs to the stones normally. or just for different designs?
regards earl


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## Kleverrr1

Hi Earl,

I prefer Rhinestone, Rhinestud are good as fillers. You can get different colors in rhinestuds that rhinestone are not produced in. Rhinestuds are use by a lot of large companies to cut cost since they are much cheaper than rhinestones. 



The designs I posted are all rhinestuds and look great, but something like that in rhinestones would cost about 60.00 a design to make. Thay have over 9,000 pieces on each and measure about 20 inchs high they are huge. 

Chris


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## earl

Wow!!! You must have a lot of patience. How long did it take to do the phaoro(sp)
regards earl


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## Kleverrr1

Earl,

That is my favorite design I made it for my eight year old son's jacket. That took a long time about 10 hours on and off for two weeks.


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## mystysue

Well my bee dont look like a bee rof.. lol..
so im gonna take the stones off and do somthing else.. .. It kinda looks like a baby cupid .. lol.. with antenas.. .. hahaha..


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## earl

Roflmao :d:d:d:d


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## Kleverrr1

Here is a simple bee picture print it a trace the dots.

Chris


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## mystysue

HAHAHA that looks alot more like a bee then mine did.. I think i was trying to be a bit too complex..haha.. it was fun tho..


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## dan-ann

That is the great thing about crystals - if it doesn't turn you can take them off and reuse and you are only out your time. The simpler the design the better they turn out at first.-- good luck


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## sjidohair

ok, Rhinestoners,,
Now what would you like to see/know in Lesson #2 about making or pressing rhinestones, rhinestuds Transfers. Chris, Will you help me with putting more info on here for rhinestoners?
I will pm you on this.
sandy Jo


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## Girlzndollz

@SandyJo, thanks again for starting this thread... this is the biggest insight into Rhinestones I've seen.

@Sue... lol.. Sues, you crack me up... I am picturing cupid with antennae.. too bad you didn't post a pic, it might be encouraging for us other Rhinestone newbies to see others are having similar results at first. Anyway, if it's like anything else, you'll have it down pat in a week... Next time photos? Please? Btw, Sue, what do you think it was, that the design was too busy? Thanks, Kel 

@Chris, thank you for posting the bee example. Is that a special rhinestone print, or is that something like from kids stuff, where they connect the dots, or, maybe it is a software feature to convert things to dots? Thanks alot, Kelly


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## Kleverrr1

Kelly,

This is just a simple dot patter used by a few companies out there. You can look up free clip art on line and mirror them on what ever program use have. Then just trace the design spacing the stones no to be too crowded on the deisgn. Once you have traced it make adjustments to the design. Once all the adjustments are made and your happy with the design scan it or copy it this way it is now a dot pattern sheet for you to make this design over and over again.
Hope this helps,
Chris


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## Girlzndollz

sjidohair said:


> So Now you have the pressed t-shirt with the rhinestone image on it, and have peeled it, take the T-shirt and turn inside out , sometimes the inside will be slightly stuck together, while the shirt is hot,, off press gently pull apart , this is from the glue.


Hi Sandy Jo,

I have two pieces of teflon sheet. I was wondering what you thought about this idea, having worked with the stones and shirts. 

In order to keep the front of the shirt from sticking to the back, I think I can slide my other teflon sheet inside. Do you think that will work, or not? 

Thanks as always, Kel


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## Kleverrr1

Kelly,
That works well even if you have to cut them smaller to fix right into the shirt. 

Chris


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## Girlzndollz

My sheet is large, and I have no problem cutting it to fit... Being a nonstick surface, I was hoping this would be a solution to the shirt sticking. 

Chris, Sandy Jo, or anyone else, do you think parchment paper would also do the same thing?? Alot of us on the forum substitute parchment paper for teflon, so my guess is parchment or the silicon baking sheets... yes, the silicone baking sheets - like Luis uses - would work very well inside the shirt. Possibly better than the teflon or parchment. Now I am thinking a silicone sheet inside because of the slightly springy, padded quality of the silicone will help with cushioning the stones during the press.... any ideas/feedback from the experienced in the thread?


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## Kleverrr1

Kelly,
I have used parchment paper and teflon to do this and for me the teflon sheets work better. You can simply wipe of the excess glue from its non-stick surface as to where the paper keeps some of the glue on it. The paper will get glue build up on it after a couple times and need to be replaced. As far as padding the stone too much with other material will cause them not to set well into the fabric. The stone must be set on a hard surface for the best application.

Chris


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## sjidohair

Kelly,
I totally agree with Chris, Teflon is the best way, between the shirts,,
Kelly throw us some ideas for the next lesson, Chris and I are going to work together on this,. We want to know what you guys want to see? or learn.
sandy Jo


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## Gunslinger

Stop giving Kelly anymore ideas!!!

She has already hit me up for a new rhinestone clothing line!!!

I can't take it anymore!!!


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## sjidohair

Michael,
The problem is all of us on here have so many ideas, it is awesome to share,
Once a rhinestoner , always a rhinestoner.. lol
Get ready Michael, lets get cracking,, get those tweezers out , lets go...
Sandy Jo


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## Girlzndollz

Gunslinger said:


> Stop giving Kelly anymore ideas!!! She has already hit me up for a new rhinestone clothing line!!! I can't take it anymore!!!


You love it!  Anyway, if you can't bounce crap off of your friends, who can you bounce crap of off? Lol. 



Dear Sandy Jo, 

I think someone mentioned multi color designs for lesson 2 in an email to me. I would like to see:

1. How you guys decide what color goes where in a design, do you use markers or anything for testing different color patterns on paper first? How do you do it?

2. How to mix the rhinestuds with the rhinestones -- how to decide which to use where in the design. (Sounds like the studs could help be more cost effective sometimes.)

3. How to choose a design that works nicely for stones. I'm sure some designs will lend themselves well to stone work, while others aren't as easy to work with. 

Like - what would be an example of a good design for a newbie to choose, then something that's where a medium experienced person could work up to, and well, Chris' examples of his work are literally overwhelming they are so advanced. But, I know for me, I'd like to see what I should look for in a design as a newbie that will give me the best chance for a great outcome while I learn the art of stones. 

Thanks alot for asking... I appreciate that. Even if you guys get better ideas for Lesson 2, anytime you guys get around to those type of things would be awesome.


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## Kleverrr1

Rhinestone clothing lines have great success, with the right designs and cost effective productions. You can add them to a slow selling screened shirt and watch sells rise ASAP.


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## sjidohair

Girlzndollz said:


> You love it!  Anyway, if you can't bounce crap off of your friends, who can you bounce crap of off? Lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Dear Sandy Jo,
> 
> I think someone mentioned multi color designs for lesson 2 in an email to me. I would like to see:
> 
> 1. How you guys decide what color goes where in a design, do you use markers or anything for testing different color patterns on paper first? How do you do it?
> 
> 2. How to mix the rhinestuds with the rhinestones -- how to decide which to use where in the design. (Sounds like the studs could help be more cost effective sometimes.)
> 
> 3. How to choose a design that works nicely for stones. I'm sure some designs will lend themselves well to stone work, while others aren't as easy to work with.
> 
> Like - what would be an example of a good design for a newbie to choose, then something that's where a medium experienced person could work up to, and well, Chris' examples of his work are literally overwhelming they are so advanced. But, I know for me, I'd like to see what I should look for in a design as a newbie that will give me the best chance for a great outcome while I learn the art of stones.
> 
> Thanks alot for asking... I appreciate that. Even if you guys get better ideas for Lesson 2, anytime you guys get around to those type of things would be awesome.


Great, Ideas Kelly,

We will put them on the list,, We will try to answer all of your ideas, in the lessons. if not all in one lesson, in others.
keep em coming.
Sandy jo


----------



## sjidohair

ok guys we need more ideas, on what you want to see. would love to hear your suggestions.
thanks
Sandy Jo


----------



## Girlzndollz

Do you have that heat wand tool? Can we see something on that?


----------



## sjidohair

kelly, I do have the heat wand and my opinion, I am not crazy about it,, I would use it for rhinestones on cups, or dog collars, or something that would be hard to get at,, or just few stones,, The reason i am not crazy about it, is, that after you have picked up one stone, with the glue the wand heats the glue, and the some remains in the wand, and all the other stones get stuck in it.
Just not fast enough for me, i have to take a pin and release every stone from the wand..
No what I mean!
It may work for some but not for me for a lot of things, my opionion here
Sandy Jo


----------



## stuffnthingz

The way I worked around the whole glue on the tip problem with the wand is that I do NOT use the "cup" tips. I use the flat tip (comes with the wand) and I also bought a cluster tip which I love! Then for very sensitive materials that are heat sensitive I made a plastic "protector" using a hole punch and some extra sticky plastic used for making rhinestone designs. I place the stone, put the protector over it and then apply the heat wand. I ONLY do this for very special projects, not normal production. I also am very careful when I accept custom work now, having learned alot about which materials are sturdy enough to withstand the heat if it accidentally touches it. The cup tip can still tough sensitive fabric, and the flat tip slides around enough it is easy to slide it off the stone onto the fabric. Now, over time I do get glue on these tips and I have a wire brush I use to keep them clean.

I prefer to use my premade designs with either my cap press or heat press, 10 seconds.... DONE!


----------



## Girlzndollz

stuffnthingz said:


> The way I worked around the whole glue on the tip problem with the wand is that I do NOT use the "cup" tips. I use the flat tip (comes with the wand) and I also bought a cluster tip which I love! Then for very sensitive materials that are heat sensitive I made a plastic "protector" using a hole punch and some extra sticky plastic used for making rhinestone designs. I place the stone, put the protector over it and then apply the heat wand. I ONLY do this for very special projects, not normal production.


:tipthank:



> I also am very careful when I accept custom work now, having learned alot about which materials are sturdy enough to withstand the heat if it accidentally touches it.


Can you tell us which are sturdy enough? Thanks. 



> Now, over time I do get glue on these tips and I have a wire brush I use to keep them clean.


:tipthank:


----------



## earl

hi all. do the stones stick permanently to ribbed material?
regards earl


----------



## Kleverrr1

earl said:


> hi all. do the stones stick permanently to ribbed material?
> regards earl


 
Yes, They do stay on Ribbed material like Tank tops. As long as you give is a good stretch before you apply this way the design dosn't look off when someone puts in on.

Chris


----------



## Girlzndollz

STretch it and let it return to shape then apply or actually apply the stone to a stretched ribbed shirt that is stretched the whole time during applicationn?

If it's the latter, are there any good tips for doing that under the press? I have an idea, but do not have an idea if it is feasible: Cut uncorrogated cardboard to the right size needed to stretch the shirt, fit the shirt over it, place and press, but one question is, since Chris you mentioned needing a hard surface, is --- would the cardboard be dense enough to provide a suitable surface?

I know folks have used uncorrogated cardboard in the past in inkjet heat transfer to raise image areas up above the seams or buttons, but what about in the rhinestone world... is it possible?

Also, if it's a silly idea, how do you stretch the shirt and keep it stretched? Thanks, thanks, thanks!!


----------



## stuffnthingz

Safe materials are cotton and polyester. Suede is ok, but just be careful as it will flatten from the heat, I "fluff" it with a brush. Leather is no good, the stones will fall off. Microsuede will discolor, I learned that the hard way, be very, very careful with it. You will find this type of material on a vest and horse people love vests so I am stuck working with this material more than I would like. Nylon will melt, be very careful. Gauzy type materials you should read if they are nylon or not and do a spot check. Silk and satin be very careful with. Any materials you are unsure of you should check them first using an inside seam or the part that will get tucked in.

Hey, I just thought of a question that I have... what type of rhinestone will adhere to metal. I know hot fix will not work so do you use flat back with a special glue? If so what kind of glue? And perhaps this will also give me a solution for leather.


----------



## Kleverrr1

You can give 1 good stretch before you place it on the press then a slight tug on the press and then pre-press to help keep streched, apply you transfer and complete the application.

If you do use cardboad make sure to put a teflon sheet between the shirt and cardboard. The paper from the cardboard will stick to the stone glue and you'll end up with a paper backing. I would only use the same piece of board 2 or times before it becomes to soft to support rhinestone applications


----------



## sjidohair

What tm is talking about is the wand applicater that heats up, to a hight heat,, so if it gets close to anything, that could melt, the metal from the wand melts, the thing it touches.
the flat plate she likes to use is about the size of a quarter, not to put rhinestones in place but to heat set them once applied to the transfer.
I have burned far more than fabrics with this lil baby, it is nasy on the fingers, cuz the hot glue gets on fingers as well and you cant get it off till it cools, but for just pressing, it would be better with tms, flat accessory, I believe i had to buy that extra.
I have however used this tool for dog collars and sunglasses.
very small jobs
Sandy Jo


----------



## Girlzndollz

SandyJo, sounds like me with a hot glue gun, lol, my kitchen usually looks like spiderwebs are all over if I'm using more than one work surface! lol.. okay, wand sounds as fun as hot glue gun, but like the glue gun, can have a purpose if you want to really deal with it. Is that about the gist?


----------



## sjidohair

Thats my Gist, now if someone did not have heat press, then they would need to use the wand.
The glue gun was a kitten compared to the wand for me, besides i have to lay out the pattern anyway with the transfer tape, so why not press it. all at once, with pressure with the press.


----------



## sjidohair

Kelly , did you see the sale on gilden and other tees for $1.14 untill fri,
I put a order in on monday but put another in this am. these are white tees.
sandy Jo


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## sjidohair

ok, has anyone done any transfers yet?
I know we had one bee mishap but did you try anything else,?
If anyone needs help please let me or chris know,, 
or post some pics of what you are doing,, 
Sandy JO


----------



## COEDS

WOW, What a thread your awsomes thanks. .... JB


----------



## sjidohair

Thanks Jb,


----------



## SewDarnHot

Hi,
Thanks for the great post.
I have been doing some rhinestone stuff for a while now but always have issues funding a good font. Could someone give a few ideas for good fonts to use? 
Thanks!


----------



## mystysue

sjidohair said:


> ok, has anyone done any transfers yet?
> I know we had one bee mishap but did you try anything else,?
> If anyone needs help please let me or chris know,,
> or post some pics of what you are doing,,
> Sandy JO


I got busy at the shop.. sooo.. I have not had time.. (besides my puppy keeps distracting me lol.).. Im hoping to get some layed out and the stones on the transfer tape today.. to heat press on tommorow.. (i wish i had heat press at home to lol)..
I have some really pretty dark teal boy beaters i got on closeout at kmart a couple weeks ago lol.. (i always check out the clearance section and they had this joe boxer ribbed tanks for like 80 cents each.. so was able to grab about 5 of them..

ill keep ya all posted.


----------



## sjidohair

susan, I also check out k-marts sale items,, and a few months ago i walked out with zip up gray hoodies, for 1.25 ladies style, fem cut for 1.12 a piece joe boxer brand, and long cut womens sweatshirts joe boxer for same price,, i had that cart full,, lol
i went home and Tattoo'd the heck out em, (Tattoo style graphic) and sold every one of em,
Let me know if you need any help,, and remember on the tanks to stretch before applying the stones or studs.

As far as the fonts, I work with simple fonts, or old english, for script. you want square fonts so you can place the stones


----------



## mystysue

Yeah i watch for when kmart has is 50 -70% off the clearance prices..
Its amazing how cheap you can get some cool stuff..
lol
I have 20 pairs of work pants for me.. that i got for 2.00 a piece


----------



## sjidohair

You know we need to do a rhinestone of your dog , dont you,,
1.Take pic, kinda looking at his shape
2.then load it into your computer
3.make his shape all black. or just work with the outlines of his shape. you can also invert the colors, if it shows up better that way
and just work like a screen printer with the image and highlights.
4. do the outline in rhinestone or stud, and then do the jaw line, and eyes,, ect,, the highlights, dont get to intense in it,, as keep it simple, till you get the hang of it,, empty areas, make the stones shine even more.
Sandy Jo


----------



## Girlzndollz

I have a quick Q . With heat transfers, I have to worry about shirts shrinking, so to be safe, I stick to buying thru Alpha what works. (I had a terrible experience with some Circo tees from Target = not preshrunk.)

For Rhinestone work, do you have to use a preshrunk shirt? Thank you so much!


----------



## sjidohair

Kelly,
I always work with preshrunk shirts,if i pick them up someplace else i do wash them, but usually i use gilden ultra cotton preshrunk.
Sandy jo
so far today I have pressed 150 shirts,, yahooo I can hear the money now,,,,


----------



## GlitterbombZ

This is a great imformative thread! I have been working toward selling my shirts. A friend is building my website now and I have a couple contracts already set up. I am not at a point to buy a heat press just yet. I have always applied with an iron. I am just concerned about quality control when I sell my shirts and would love any input on making sure I have the stones on well. The ones I have done for myself, friends and family have always been washed before applying the stones, but I can't do that when I am selling them. 

Also, does anyone have any idea where I can buy sticky mylar paper with the black backing, instead of the white? If someone wants to buy just a design I would like the option of having the black background. I see it used in the designs you can buy in stores like Walmart and craft stores. I just haven't found a source for it online. 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice!
~Roxy


----------



## sjidohair

Roxy Welcome,
I have not run across the black backer ,(Chris have you?) but the white is the professional paper, and does show the item well, however for selling on line after you have the transfer made for photo purpose you could just lay it on black velvet or black paper, for the photo to show the sparkles,, and then lift it off and reapply your white backer for mailing.
Try to buy, pre shrunk garments if possible , or you will have to wash and dry all your garments before applying.
If any of us can help you further, don't hesitate to ask, we are getting ready to post a new lesson on here,, I am pulling it together now,,
So come back and check out lesson #2
Sandy Jo


----------



## Kleverrr1

Sandy Jo / Roxy,

I have yet to come across full rolls of Mylar transfer paper with the black backing. I have seen some sheets on e-bay a while back. I have used wal-mart transfers with the black backing and they seem to be much thiner than the white paper. If it is for taking a better picture, I agree with Sandy Jo use a black sheet, velvet or I just apply them to felt for my sample book as well as pictures.


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## hobbymom

Since I have only placed individual rhinestones, I was really interested in this post, plus I just found out I am pregnant AGAIN and my creative juices are flowing! 

This may be a stupid comment, so I apologize in advance, but I am a little slower when I am pregnant. Since you are using two different backing sheets couldn't you keep your original design (without reversing it) lay a less sticky backing tape down sticky side up, place the stones over the design and then place a more sticky tape over the top (sticky side down) and just remove the bottom one? Essentially, sandwiching the rhinestones. Maybe that wouldn't work, but you would think that would save you the step of reversing and you could better see the design you are working with?? Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Am I crazy? Don't answer that. I know the answer already!!!

I want to have this all figured out so I can make stuff for this new baby once I find out what I am having!!!


----------



## sjidohair

Hi Jessica,, 
congrats on having a baby, whoohooo.
ok, lets get to your answer,
There is only one backer tape, it is clear, and stick and you put your stones, directly on it it, the white part goes on the other side of the stones to hold everything together. Got it?
Before pressing ,
the white part comes off and leaves the stones and the clear tape.
Let me know if i can help any further, 
I have tried to lay my stones out with tape, NIGHTMARE<<<<
Sandy jo


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## hobbymom

So, is the white part not sticky at all? I think that's the part that I thought was sticky too. In that event, you could do it as I suggested, but I guess I wasn't understanding the process correctly!!!


----------



## sjidohair

white part is not sticky at all, just a backer paper to get you to the press or ship out and sell
Does this make sense, to you? if not let me know,
Sandy Jo


----------



## hobbymom

Totally, but wouldn't it be easier if that white one was in fact sticky? Just a thought! Also, what sizes and colors do you typically use? I am going to purchase some. Have you ever purchased from: Swarovski Hot Fix and Flat Back Crystal Rhinestones - Rhinestoneshop.com


----------



## sjidohair

Jessica,
there stones are beautiful, but to start with unless you have done this before, maybe start with someting more affortable, they still bling bling bling like crazy, I use hotfix koren stones, and studs, from Hypnotik wear, www.hypnotik.com, I get 1440 stones for around 7-8 dollars i think, for special orders i will use more expensive but they will have to pay the price, on there end.
Unless money is not a issue than go for it.
My problem is i just want ever color of stone and stud,
i usually use 2mm and 3mm. hope this helps
Sandy Jo


----------



## hobbymom

Did you mean hypnotikwear.com (the ebay store) ? Are they as pretty as the Swarovski ones?


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## sjidohair

yes , that is where i buy mine, www.hypnotikwear.com, If you have any questions,, about the stones,the person who owns it is part of the forum, his name is chris, 
they are very pretty, and stay glued on very well.
Sandy jo


----------



## beckie

Actually I have found instead of placing the rhinestones on the sticky tape - you print out your saying on paper, slide the paper underneath the white paper that comes with the sticky tape. After you lay out your rhinestones you then lay the sticky tape on top - it works a lot faster that way. Hobby Lobby sells a tool that has a gummy substance on the bottom that allows you to pick up the rhinestones that makes it go faster as well. Hope this helps!


----------



## hobbymom

Thanks! Do you know what that substance is called? I'd like to find it locally! Yeah, that sounds like that would work. Do you still reverse your image?


----------



## beckie

No I do not reverse my image. I don't know what the substance is - it reminds me of wax that hasn't dried yet. Also you can purchase your rhinestones and the rhinestone tape from Threadart.com they have many sizes and many colors. So far I think they're the cheapest, I've compared them to rhinestoneguy and others.


----------



## hobbymom

Yeah, I reread your post. That makes sense. I think it should be pretty easy. I just ordered some samples from hyptonikwear.com. I am excited to get them and start playing around. Then once we know what the baby is I can get to work!


----------



## mrdavid

Hi Monkey MeMe/sandy jo 
will I just got some stones and this tool came with it do you know what it is called. And where I can get more makes it so much better to put stones on here is pic thanks.


----------



## sjidohair

David, My friend,, Get ready cuz this tool has a Very confusing name,, It is called the "PICK IT UP",
lol
Really it is, it was designed for nail artist,, we use in the spa, all the time,, but works great for rhinestones,, any way here is where you can get it,, for $1.99

Rhinestones, Swarovski Rhinestones, Crystal Beads & Trims | Dreamtime Creations

let me see what you have made,, i cant wait,,
Sandy Jo


----------



## sjidohair

Once on the website,, go to tools, you will see it there, 
Sandy jo


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## mb7387

Do you know if Chris is making his designs on his store by hand or is he ordering them from somewhere already done. I don't see how in the world he could sell some of the designs for so cheap. They are incredible and have like a billion stones on them. I have a single design that I need 20 shirts of. There's about 400 stones total on the design. Anyone got any ideas on how to "mass" create the stone design?


----------



## sjidohair

Mike, I know Chris makes alot of the stuff, but not sure if he makes everything,, I want one of the large ones he has, that looks like ed hardy style,, but chris checks in to forum all the time,, so I am sure he will answer the question for you,, also He may be able to help you contract stuff out, if you dont want to do it,, PM him,, He is a world of info.
I am very thankful to have him and all you guys to network with,, 
Sandy Jo


----------



## sjidohair

Mike, Please show us some of your stuff,,
Sandy JO


----------



## mb7387

Sandy,
I think I found the answer to my question. Here's the link to a video with a Robot laying out the design. http://www.rhinestoneguy.com/images/RG%20Robot%202.wmv It's off of a site that was posted in one of the earlier postings. Pretty neat but I'll bet they are expensive.


----------



## mrdavid

Ha I got my wife doing them and she can knock one out in 10 to 20 minutes.


----------



## sjidohair

David, thats awesome, about your wife helping, Has she made one for her self yet? I love wearing these shirts,
I just got done screening a order of Tees and now heading to a order of rhinestuds transfers to finish,

Mike, Yes those machines are very very expensive. But if you want to be a dist for rhinestone/stud transfers,, I am sure it pays for itself fast,,

David, I would love to see your wifes work.
please post some pics soon.
Sandy Jo


----------



## Kleverrr1

Hi Everyone,

I have tried the pick it up before it' fine to grab stones facing up but when laying stones on transfer paper it won't work. As far as my designs I make some by hand if they start to sell good I have it mass produced. I takes about 7 to 10 day to mass produce anything you can place on a transfer sheet. I also visit with vendors weekly to keep up with new designs available.


----------



## sjidohair

Chris,
thanks for clarifiying about the stones that were posted before about placing on paper and then putting the tape, on,, I also tried that along time ago and failed,, I didnt want to post just in case, i was the only one who failed at it,, i had them all over the place, half up, half down,, lol
I truley believe the safest, way and reliable is to stick the stones onto the sticky part,,Thanks again,
Sandy Jo
And everybody,, remember the tip, chris gave before about the exacto, knife using it to pick up the stones and setting, works like a charm,


----------



## GlitterbombZ

I need to try the exacto knife trick. I have used the point of tweezers and it worked well. Trying to pick the stones up with the tweezers just doesn't work well. I end up shooting them all around the room! LOL


----------



## Kleverrr1

I feel the x-acto knife is the best way to go. I even added some comfort grips like the ones you slide onto a pencil or pen. You need some type of padding after a few hundred stones. Here is a picture of mine...


----------



## sjidohair

thanks for the pic chris,, i need some of those rubber foam grippy comfort things,, lol
Sandy Jo


----------



## GlitterbombZ

What a great idea, Chris. Thank you for sharing that!


----------



## swirlsandtwirls

This thread is very helpful! I have a guess astupid question how do I reverse the letters? I tried typing it backwards and the question mark is facing the wrong way along with certain letters is there a way I can highlight my saying and "reverse" it?


----------



## sunnydayz

What program are you using, you have to mirror the image. Sometimes there is also a setting on your printer settings that will print the image mirrored.


----------



## sjidohair

Yes, Mirror or reverse the image,,, in my printer settings too there are options to mirror, in the prop of advanced settings,
Hey bobbie, what cha making these days? I am dong Halloween Tees and hoodies, right now!


----------



## sjidohair

Jennifer, there is a rhinestone transfer lesson #2 as well... let us know if you need any help, there are alot of great rhinestoners on the forum.


----------



## mackarate

Thanks for posting such a great, informative thread! I am excited to try incorporating stones/studs into my maternity and infant designs, but I am a bit concerned about opening myself up to liability issues for the baby clothes. (Could be a choking hazard?) Does anyone else have any opinion about this? While I feel comfortable dressing my own little guy in a studded lap tee, the retail aspect has me concerned. Of course, I live in sue-happy California, so we tend to get a little paranoid!


----------



## sjidohair

I would only due what i feel comfortable with,, If your comfort level is to keep these off toddler things,, then dont do it,
I can honestly say, I have never lost a stone or stud, but you know kids,, you may think they are having a nap ,you go in there and they have there awesome studded baseball t down, chewing the studs off,,,,
Go with what you feel, and put them on marternity or what ever else you want,, 
If your gut feelin says no,, listen.
There are so many more options of garments to put them on anyway.


----------



## thejam

Thanks. Great post.


----------



## Lnfortun

Girlzndollz said:


> yes, the silicone baking sheets - like Luis uses - would work very well inside the shirt. Possibly better than the teflon or parchment. Now I am thinking a silicone sheet inside because of the slightly springy, padded quality of the silicone will help with cushioning the stones during the press.... any ideas/feedback from the experienced in the thread?


Why not use it on top as well instead of cloth. It transfers heat better than cloth and definitely helps even out the pressure both on top and underneath (inside) the shirt. It will also deflect heat back to concetrate the heat on the stones/studs. Get them for $7.00 a piece at Target. It last a long time. Will prevent damage to the surface of the upper platten.


----------



## cohencheng

Any comments on the Chinese Rhinestones or studs? What is the difference between Chinese & Korean stones?


----------



## sjidohair

I think they are both good, it totally depends on who the seller is between the 2,, some you get unglued stones and studs, and wierd shapes,, you have to pick thru the stones before you start , i have found that in both .
I buy mine from a forum member here, www.hypnotikwear.com.
I do not have to pick thru or check backs for glue,.
Saves me alot of time.
please post your goods and bads,,


----------



## Kleverrr1

Hi,
Like Sandy Jo said the glue on the Chinese stones is diffrent. They have stones with spots of glue missing which would make the easier to come off. In addition the Chinese are sometimes not shaped correctly and may not be as bright. I use "A" stock Chinese stones that match up well to the Koren stones, but I try to only use them for colored stones. They crystal or clear Korean is brighter than the Chinese so I won't use Crystal Chinese too often. The cheaper Chinese can get really bad it just depends on what someone is willing to sell. I have seen some Chinese stones that are not even faceted the cuts are not there just look like a drop of acrylic.

I suggest if your going to use stones use Korean for you Crystal or Clear stones and Chinese for you color accents.


----------



## cohencheng

Noted with thanks


----------



## thejam

where can i get white rhinestones/rhinestuds to buy? I have looked all over ebay and cant find any.


----------



## Buechee

Funny i came across this. My girl wants me to make her a sample one so we can get some biz for that.


----------



## bizmc42

Hello, I am thinking about making rhinestone shirts and was wondering how to get started. I have some ideas for designs but am not sure how much a heat press is or where it purchase one. I am currently doing embroidery and thought it would be fun to do rhinestone items. I would just like to start out slow to keep the cost down. any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Susan


----------



## sjidohair

Susan, I would suggest reading these online lessons, I have posted here, start by making some shirts by hand, and if they go,and you are making money then upgrade into a machine that can make the templates, or a rhinestone machine like bobs.
But test your market first,, If i can help please let me know.
and I do suggest for best application to get a press,,, the sunie, press's are a good press for the money.
Proworld a sponsor here I believe sells them..
Ed is a great guy to work with.
And they also sell some good transfers as well as other vendors...
or you can also buy some premade transfers and just press them to see if they will go.. again, proworld, or Hypnotikwear.com sells them..
Great Luck
Sandy JO


----------



## bizmc42

Thank You Sandi JO, sounds like great advice. Susan


----------



## dan-ann

Add a little bling to your embroidery- I have been doing that for a year now and people love it.


----------



## sjidohair

I totally agree Dan ann, you can bling everything, or just a lil,,,


----------



## jmj

Hi, Sandy Jo
I've been following the post and now have decided to take a chance and try a design myself. I have one quick question to start, on the instructions it says you used 2mm/6ss or 3mm/12ss, I looked at Hypnotikwear.com and they say 3mm or 10ss????? Are they the same or different.
THANK YOU for all the wonderful help!


----------



## sjidohair

They are the same, i just typed the wrong stuff in,, 
Have fun,, and if you make a mistake, what the heck,, take it off and replace it, on the sticky paper,,

it is a riot and very profitable,,,,
Lets see something when you are done,,,


----------



## chonkymonky

what a coincidence. i have a client that asked me for a rhinestoned tee that i just started on yesterday....and i happen to stumble on this thread. i actually sat here and read through all 11 pages of this thread..pretty interesting topic. 

it's my first attempt at rhinestoning and i must say i think i really like it. hehe. i live in southern cali and i get alot of requests for hip-hop shirts. i can see where the bling of the rhinestones would add a great effect to these shirts. 

i do have a few questions for those more experienced rhinestoners here. i noticed how the bigger stones are a little taller than the smaller ones. i plan on using my heat press and was wondering if the difference in height would make it difficult to get good pressure on the smaller stones? also..do all rhinestones come with adhesive already applied? or is it possible to get stones without any glue on them? the reason i ask is because some of the stones i recieved have gray on the back and some don't. the ones with the gray on back are different color and size than the ones without. you think maybe some manufacturers use a transparent glue? i guess the only way to find out is to press a few of the stones that dont have the gray backside to see if they stick. if they dont stick..i will have to replace about half the stones on the mylar. 

Miguel


----------



## sjidohair

Hey another MOnkey,, love it,,

ok, all hotfix stones should have a green or gray glue on back, but i dont know everything,, and there may be clear,, i dont know about,, better throw some on a testor shirt to make sure,, 
and if those are bad,, let the retailer know about it,, 
and do not order from them again..
if we can help with anything else, please, just ask..


----------



## sjidohair

oh yeah, the 2mm sit down, lower than the 3mm and so on,
it you have a rubber pad on your press, they will be fine,, it gives a cush, and all will press even,,,


----------



## kelikesh

Thank you Sandy for this thread. I have been wanting to try hotfix rhinestones for a while, have stones, the mylar tape, and a heat press. Made my design, and stopped when I realized I didn't know how hot to set the heat press.

As usual, I go to t-shirt forum to find out answers! Stumbled across this thread by doing a search, and have read every one so far on #1. Will continue to the other lessons soon.

It was a big help knowing to pre-wash garments!! Mine is in the wash as I type! 

I do have a question though. I will be doing both a film transfer that is applied at 305 degrees, and I would need that laid down first, so I would have the placement for the rhinestone transfer that would be next. 

What would you suggest for that type of application? I'm thinking shorter time for the film, but you can't always cut those short, or they will not adhere, and come up when you pull off the mylar tape.

Can you bring down the temp on the rhinestone tape application and do it longer?

Thank for your help, and thanks for posting all of you instructions!


----------



## Gunslinger

chonkymonky said:


> what a coincidence. i have a client that asked me for a rhinestoned tee that i just started on yesterday....and i happen to stumble on this thread. i actually sat here and read through all 11 pages of this thread..pretty interesting topic.
> 
> it's my first attempt at rhinestoning and i must say i think i really like it. hehe. i live in southern cali and i get alot of requests for hip-hop shirts. i can see where the bling of the rhinestones would add a great effect to these shirts.
> 
> i do have a few questions for those more experienced rhinestoners here. i noticed how the bigger stones are a little taller than the smaller ones. i plan on using my heat press and was wondering if the difference in height would make it difficult to get good pressure on the smaller stones? also..do all rhinestones come with adhesive already applied? or is it possible to get stones without any glue on them? the reason i ask is because some of the stones i recieved have gray on the back and some don't. the ones with the gray on back are different color and size than the ones without. you think maybe some manufacturers use a transparent glue? i guess the only way to find out is to press a few of the stones that dont have the gray backside to see if they stick. if they dont stick..i will have to replace about half the stones on the mylar.
> 
> Miguel


Just to clarify some of what Sandy Jo is sayin' ...

Hot Fix or Heat Fix rhinestones come with some type of glue (grey, green, clear ... and as my fav Monkey stated - could be other variations, depending on the grade or manufacturer a LOT of new players from various countries entering this market) on the backside.

Flat Backs are rhinestones without any adhesive, and typically applied with a glue like GemTac and a Heat Wand or applicator or stick, for graments such as t-shirts. They can also be mounted (think jewelry, rings, pendants, etc.), typically for costumes and such.

Are these Rhine "stones" or rhine "studs" or nailheads, you are using Miguel?

For Hot Fix Rhinestones, typically speaking for t-shirt decoration, Chinese Grade A (glass) rhinestones use a dark green glue ... while Korean grade AA (glass) rhinestones use a grey glue.

For studs and nailheads, both glass grades appear to just use a clear glue. This can be easy to spot depending on the color of the stud or nailhead, but may appear grey-ish (particularly difficult the smaller the stud or nailhead).

As far as the glue for the Czech Extra Grade (glass), higher grades of Swarovski (Austrian Leaded Crystal) and Preciosa (Czech Machine Cut Leaded Crystal), or Bedazzler variety acrylic rhinestones I cannot say. We just got a sample card of these stones with our last shipment, and they were already glued to the card.

As far as heat pressing different sized stones, the only thing that might have an effect is mixing grades of stones (crystal, glass or acrylic), as they will likely have different heat temperature settings. The workaround is making your templates motif designs in layers (think photoshop or screenprinting seperations), and pressing each design layer in different heatpress stages. This might be also be useful if mixing very large and very small stones, if you find the teeny tiny ones are not adhering to the garment from a single press.

As Sandy Jo stated ... test, test, test EVERYTHING. And look for consistency. When we started in all this (not very long ago, AND still blaming Sandy Jo for getting us obsessed with the BLING), we found the Chinese Grade A quality stones to be dull, or chipped or the green glue backing fell off. Is this typical for all manufacturers of Chinese Grade A rhinestones? ... I'd hate to think so, but the day I get samples of all grades of rhinestones from every manufacturer on the planet ... then, I will simply retire, shave my head and have everyone worship me as a rhinestone GOD.


----------



## JamaikanAngel

I agree there is no reason guys cant have that little bit of umph. Its all how they "rock" it. If they have the right swag they can pull it off and of course the design shoud be appropriate for a male. I am most deff going to incorpiate stones into my designs I am so glad Sandy Jo posted this becasue I will be doing it sooner then later now that I see how simple the process it. I wonder what the dynamic of incorperating stones with other methods and materials is?


----------



## sjidohair

Guys,
I have mixed stones hotfix stones, with twill, Transfers, screen print, and vinyl,, i have layered and all seem fine,, 
it will be ok, to press at 305ish, because the ink wil heat and set the glue as well,, also,, you will be turning this garment inside out and pressing from the backside as a precaution,,,, you also can do what gunny talks about,, make 2 patterns,, small and bigger stones,, and press and then lay the 2nd pattern down, and press again,, when peeling mylar away when using it as a layer say on top of a transfer, peel slow..
the only way i would not use a mylar, is when going over a cold peel, that is when i would hand place the stones on the garment on the press and cover with teflon, and cold peel.
other than that go for it, and have fun, and post pics,, 
gunny, i cant wait to get some of your stones in hand and try them.... 
i would also say,if you start a design with green back glue, stick with them in the same design,, 
also the rhinestuds are totally awesome,, and are filled lil cups of glue,, so they over flow a bit when heated,, but stick like crazy,,, 
here is some patterns to play with
Sandy Jo ****MonkeyMeMe


----------



## Gunslinger

HA, Sandy Jo ... heck, I can't wait to play with my own stones (just got this new stock colors and styles in yesterday)!!! Debz has done all the rhinestone designs for a retail t-shirts, so far ... and while they are nice, and more importantly - sell, they are fairly basic 2-3 color stone designs. I have more ambitious styles in mind. Particularly, for the guy-side of the bling.


----------



## sjidohair

Gunny i was walking out of wally world this week,and a guy came in with a hoodie black with a huge skull in black studs,, it was kickin,,,,,,, 
and then screen print or burnout wings in the background, it looked totally masculine,,,


----------



## sjidohair

and hot,, lol


----------



## Gunslinger

Interesting, wish I could have seen it ... cause I wouldn't have thought of black on black.

The Black Studs on Black Hoodie ... you didn't think it clashed, or was the lighting enough to show off the reflection of the black studs? or did the screenprint burnout wings help bring them out? ... both??

Yeah, just the last video game awards I watched last month ... male celebs and musicians wearing foil-accented t-shirts, and rhinestone accented over screenprinted grunge design.

The possibilities are making my head explode!


----------



## sjidohair

Gunny, The black studs were perfect,, 2mm, 3mm sixe, the skull was like 10x10 at least and the zipper was included right in,, didnt seem to even break up the pattern,, you would just have to know where that zipper sat in the pattern,,
it blended to point of not being femine,, it was great,, i will try to recreate it, when i have time,, it had to have at least 1500 studs on it,,at least.
gosh if only i would have had all this knowledge years ago, i use to hand sew rhinestones and sequins on country western, rodeo, barrel racing, competiton and entertainers, jackets,, ect.
skating competition,outfits,, 
I could have done it way more efficent and costly, with more $$ in mypocket, lol


----------



## kelikesh

Okay folks,

This is an amateur doing her first rhinestone shirt. I mixed it with eco-film, and followed the directions laid out here in the forum.

Pre-washed shirt!!

1. Eco-film for 15 sec. @ 305 deg. on 5 pressure (Hotronix) Teflon sheet on top. Peeled hot.
2. Turned temperature up to 325 deg. Laid a piece of thin cardboard between shirt (right under design)
3. Laid out hotfix rhinestone strips over and onto eco-film design. Teflon sheet on top
4. Pressed for 15 sec @ 325 deg on 5 pressure
5. Waited 2-4 sec. peeled off mylar from rhinestone transfer
6. Turned shirt inside out, placed cardboard in between shirt again. Teflon sheet on top. Pressed for 5 seconds.
7. Turned shirt outside in, placed cardboard in between shirt again. Teflon sheet on top. Pressed for 5 seconds.



Thanks for all the instructions!!

I can't figure out how to upload a picture, so that will have to wait until I do.


----------



## sjidohair

kel sounds great,, ok, here is how to upload a pic

reply, under the box you would type in look under it and you will see 
manage attachments click that
click browse, find your pic,, click 2 times on it,
it will show up in the line from browse, hit upload, let it upload,. when it is done, 
type in the reg reply box what you want and hit submit reply,, 
that easy.
cant wait to see


----------



## Gunslinger

Kelikish ... click "Go Advanced" to get the option to upload an attachment ... under Advanced Options, then Manage Attachments ... I'd like to see that, cause I know squat about eco-film transfers!

Sandy Jo ... on the front of the hoodie, using the zipper as part of the design? ...dang, very cool. Now, I'd be interested in just how much a hoodie like that would *reasonably* retail for? Have you tried that many stones in a design, yet?


----------



## kelikesh

Hopefully, this will show what I did tonight (with the attachment) 

There is a story behind the design. My sister always uses "yippy skippy" when she's happy, and does the 'snoopy dance'. So, I did this design for her.

Thanks again for all your help


I've tried both suggestions for uploading pictures, and they still don't show up. It says it's been uploaded, but I see no verification of it even after several tries.

Sorry!


----------



## sjidohair

ok kel ,
this is for you
1.hit manage attachment
2. upload file


----------



## sjidohair

after the file has been uploaded you will see it under this screen, 
look at pics, 
if you see the writing of the file,, when you click submit,, it will be in the message..


----------



## sjidohair

like this, let me know if this makes sense to you


----------



## kelikesh

One more try on the picture.

Oh, and I used 6mm clear rhinestones.


----------



## DTFuqua

Very cool. Good for you. I'll bet your sister loves you even more after that shirt. Good luck.
Terry


----------



## lizziemaxine

Fabulous. I love it.


----------



## sjidohair

Kel,
that is great,, i love it, .


----------



## Jamey

Awesome thread. I can't wait to make some.


----------



## sjidohair

if you need any help, please ask, there is alot of us on here that are doing rhinestones,,


----------



## DTFuqua

Congratulations. Your learning quick. This stuff isn't rocket science but it can seem to be overwhelming at times. You've come to a good place to get help and inspiration. Keep it up and good luck.
Terry


----------



## sjidohair

Thanks Terry, and you as right about all of that,,


----------



## sjidohair

I just wanted to post a quick note on here , that even in this nasty ecomomy, rhinestone shirts are still selling like crazy, my sales tend to be turning away from skulls and such and alot of wordage, with some grahphics,, so keep sparlking up those garments, and dont forget about swimsuits and hats,, for summer.
Sandy Jo


----------



## macmiller

This is Mac's wife...I used your instructions to do my first shirt - you can't tell in the photo, but I used 2mm with 3 mm accents in some of the letters. I'm really happy with it, even if it did take an hour to lay it out!!


----------



## sjidohair

Hi Macs, Wife,, The pics didnt come across,, please reload them i cant wait to see, 
Rhinestones are addictive you know,, 
lol
Sandy JO


----------



## macmiller

There, I got it now!! 

Now, we will see if demand is high enough to be worth purchasing the DAS software.


----------



## sjidohair

Mrs Mac,, you forgot the pic,,lol
I do it all the time,, i get so excited to share stuff, lol
I have a new system being delivered this week, I will share when it comes,, I cant wait,, 
Sandy Jo


----------



## macmiller

It's in the original post - I was having a hard time with the filename, LOL.


----------



## sjidohair

Mrs Mac,, 
Beautiful,,, what font was that,, 
You did great work,, now wear it,, proudly and take orders,,, 
MMM


----------



## macmiller

Thanks! The font is called Aunt Judy - it's a freebie somewhere. 

I wore the shirt today, but I'm a stay at home mom with four kids so I don't get out much, LOL. 

And you can call me Marisa!


----------



## sjidohair

Marisa,
YOu did a great job,, 
keep posting pics,, i love to see em,, 
and thanks for Aunt Judy,, i like it,,
Sandy jo


----------



## miamirhinestone

Very nice job indeed if I don't say so myself


----------



## tshirtnewbie69

sjidohair said:


> Kelly,
> I always work with preshrunk shirts,if i pick them up someplace else i do wash them, but usually i use gilden ultra cotton preshrunk.
> Sandy jo
> so far today I have pressed 150 shirts,, yahooo I can hear the money now,,,,


Hi Sandy Jo,
Newbie here : ) 

I was wondering if the gilden ultra are boxy or slightly fitted? I am working with Monag BUT the price of five dollars per long sleeve womans shirt is very pricey. I like the quality and style but could use a break on the price. So I am continueing to look. Thanks. I can't wait to start!
Bella


----------



## sjidohair

Bella,
The gildan ladies ultra cotton, i have found to be good for women that dont want a unisex tee but also dont want a fitted,, long cut,,
The fitted long cut i order bella and you are back to the over 5.00 per tee,,, and tissue, but if that is what someone wants,, you just have to adjust our price.
Hope this helps
sandy jo 
MonkeyMeMe


----------



## tshirtnewbie69

Thanks much Sandy Jo. I will go get a sample of that one just to see. I will be using Monage and would like an alternative to the fitted shirts. 
I love this site! You are all so SPECTACULAR with helping!

Bella


----------



## sjidohair

Bella, just remember,, gildan ultra is not fitted,, the bella is,,
let us know,,,,
Sandy jo


----------



## sportkids

good job Sandy Jo! Your new way is MUCH easier, and lots more fun!!


----------



## sportkids

Try the LAT brand. Much better quality and a real ladies cut; not for juniors. Comes in lots of different styles and colors all the way up to 3x. Worth the extra money. Launders like no other t-shirt!


----------



## sjidohair

Debbie, thanks,, 
You know when i find a easier way,, i will always share,, 
sandy jo
MonkeyMeMe


----------



## avril151

i made these t-shirts using my transfer tape and a domestic iron...

this first one i made for the gym lol










and this one....










i made this for a friend...lol once she put it on..the hands were holding up her boobs lol










and i made this one for a gym pal


----------



## sjidohair

Very cute, you did a great job..keep up the good work, and thanks for sharing,
sandy jo


----------



## sportkids

I like District Threads by SanMar. Not paper thin, and is the longer tee (definitely a jr. fit, but holds up better than Bella) If I want a true ladies fit, I like the Anvil Ladies t. Not as boxy as Gildan Ladies t, and sleeves are a little longer, doesn't shrink as much.


----------



## sjidohair

thanks for the input,, a great womens shirt is hard to find,,
sandy jo


----------



## tla1217

This thread is great! Thanks to Monkey for starting it and shring so much. Thanks to everyone else too that has shared. I'm a newbie here and just got my stones and transfer tape a couple of days ago. Going to dive in today and see what happens!


----------



## sjidohair

Terry, 
If you need any help, just ask, there are alof of us on here that love working with the stones, and studs.
YOu will start to see all your designs thru rhinestone eyes,, and trying to convert them over to stone,
Thanks for the kind words, We are here all of us to learn and help each other.
Sandy Jo
MonkeyMeMe


----------



## tla1217

Thanks Sandy Jo! I finished two transfers today and they turned out pretty well. Can't wait to do some more!


----------



## sjidohair

Terry, awesome, glad to know the trails we leave on here help others,,
Sandy Jo


----------



## tla1217

Hey Sandy Jo, Thanks for the mail attempt! I didn't receive it because my mailbox was full but is empty now. Anyway, dying to know what you think about my copyright question.


----------



## sjidohair

If you box is empty it should still be there if not, let me know and i will resend it,, 
oh yeah and my thoughts on copyright are just that, I am not a lawyer, but also wanted to do what is right,, 
Sandy Jo


----------



## tla1217

I totally agree about copyright, just wasn't sure as these are three words in a song. But they just go so well with rhinestones...

Your message isn't in my box so I guess we just don't get them at all if the box is full even after it's emptied.


----------



## sjidohair

resending,, 
sandy


----------



## mrsgege

Thank you so very much. I love it!!!


----------



## RandBPhoto

Thanks for the info. I definitely want to get in rhinestones and it's a start.

But I'm lazy. Are you still doing them by hand? Ever tried making a template?

Richard - R&B Photo & Promo
"Spreading the Gospel through visual communications"


----------



## sjidohair

sportkids said:


> I like District Threads by SanMar. Not paper thin, and is the longer tee (definitely a jr. fit, but holds up better than Bella) If I want a true ladies fit, I like the Anvil Ladies t. Not as boxy as Gildan Ladies t, and sleeves are a little longer, doesn't shrink as much.


Thanks Debbie, 
I tried the above and all were good, for different body shapes, now I have lost of options..
Sandy Jo
MMM


----------



## sjidohair

RandBPhoto said:


> Thanks for the info. I definitely want to get in rhinestones and it's a start.
> 
> But I'm lazy. Are you still doing them by hand? Ever tried making a template?
> 
> Richard - R&B Photo & Promo
> "Spreading the Gospel through visual communications"


I really dont do any by hand, any more as i have 3 different rhinestone design systems, I use as well as one i have devolped my self, So with all of that to choose from, I make a template, and then the transfer.
If you need any more info, please let me know
Sandy Jo
MMM


----------



## heattransfers

Great, it' really useful! Thank you Sandy!


----------



## RandBPhoto

Sandy Jo,

The "systems" that are out there are not within my budget right now. Could you tell me more about the one you developed yourself? (I've been offline lately and see I've got a lot of posts to catch up on)

_Richard - R&B Photo & Promo
"Spreading the Gospel through visual communications"_


----------



## sjidohair

Richard, 
The one I have devolped my self is not for sale, it is one I put together as each of the other systems seemed to have a piece here and there, but nothing totally complete and more than that, be able to hold the cirlce as best as possible, while sending to the cutter, or exporting from one program to another,, 
the hardest thing is holding that circle, and then taking it to the cutter, and making it a perfect circle, not a 3.0mm and a 3.1mm but a true 3.0 mm 3.0mm.
Lots of software as soon as you save and export as a eps it changes the circle slighty.

Do you have Corel, Luis has come up with some awesome tuitorails on creating rhinestone patterns, with just corel,, 
Do a search under, making a tempalte with corel. and you should come across it, if not let me know and i will find it for you.
Sandy jo


----------



## lgjar

sjidohair said:


> Richard,
> The one I have devolped my self is not for sale, it is one I put together as each of the other systems seemed to have a piece here and there, but nothing totally complete and more than that, be able to hold the cirlce as best as possible, while sending to the cutter, or exporting from one program to another,,
> the hardest thing is holding that circle, and then taking it to the cutter, and making it a perfect circle, not a 3.0mm and a 3.1mm but a true 3.0 mm 3.0mm.
> Lots of software as soon as you save and export as a eps it changes the circle slighty.
> 
> Sandy jo


More info would be helpful. 

You're saying all three systems you have purchased don't work? 

I'm cutting from Illustrator CS4, CorelDraw X4 or R-Wear and don't have the problem you describe. 

Can you provide some specific information about the systems you have purchased that do "a piece here and there" but aren't "totally complete" - and also some details about your system that does work?

LG


----------



## sjidohair

Nope I am not saying they dont work, I work with some extreme designs for Rhinestone placement, and I am saying some work faster, and better in certain areas, then the others , so that will be the program i go to , for what I need, When i need it.
They all work fine,, Just each have their own strong points.
R-wear is a great program, as well as others,, We have alot of members here that use it,, 

I also work with alot of different software programs, as different programs have different strong points for me as well, Xara, Corel, Adobe, Inkscape, gimp, photoshop,, I hope you understand what i am trying to say.. 
Thanks Sandy jo


----------



## lgjar

No - I really don't understand what you are saying.
You said you couldn't get a true circle, that all the systems you had were incomplete - now you say they all work fine.
Just trying to get facts as we look toward expanding.

LG


----------



## sjidohair

Lg, 
What i was trying to say in that post was, 
I was just trying to say that the hardest thing I have found is keeping that circle complete, when exporting or importing and cutting, , 
Have you had that issue yet with r-wear or corel?
Maybe it is just me,, being a perfectionist.
That is what i was trying to say.
Sandy jo


----------



## sjidohair

whoops, i just reread the posts, and it was not you that asked the orig questions, sorry,, 
my mistake, 
Sandy jo


----------



## lgjar

I didn't post about finding a system in my budget. 
Like I said, I don't have that issue.
I'll give up asking for specifics though.


----------



## sjidohair

My mistake lg,, you are right,, it was another poster,, I got mixed up,, 
Sandy jo


----------



## Godissewgood

I have been reading on how to make the templates with cutters and do the art in Corel Draw and all of this other stuff and your way seems the easiest and maybe even the less time consuming (unless you are very good with Corel Draw, in which I am not yet). I am thinking , duh , why couldn't I have thought of that,
Thanks so much appreciate any help I can get with making custom transfers in Rhinestones.


----------



## sjidohair

If I can help you please ask,, doing these by hand is a great way to test your market,, and it is a ton of fun,, when doing a few here and a few there,,,,
MMM


----------



## Godissewgood

I have a project to do now that I have a stock design already, but the text is different for this customers need. So I can't wait to try it. I don embroidery and have stock transfers I have purchased that are Rhinestones. I have a vinyl cutter, so I thought I would try to cut out the templates on there, you have to buy special supplies for the template, and learn how to make it work on Corel Draw. I think your way is alot quicker and right now I'm in to quicker. Thanks again for sharing.


----------



## Quetina

I've seen my nephew wearing several things with some "bling" on them - dragons, angel wings, crosses, skulls. Not as blingy as women's, but just enough to be eye catching. I'm looking into it now....
Thanks for all the info, this forum has been a God-send as I learn this venture.


----------



## sjidohair

Lena,, The guys are wearing Rhinestones black and clear,, but they are also doing alot of Rhinestuds,, as well..
MMM


----------



## Quetina

sjidohair said:


> Lena,, The guys are wearing Rhinestones black and clear,, but they are also doing alot of Rhinestuds,, as well..
> MMM


I'm not sure what the difference between the 2 is....can you elaborate?


----------



## sjidohair

Lena,
Picture #1 is a Rhinestone, a cut faceted glass product,
Picture #2 is a Rhinestud a faceted metal product

ok the last pic did not load right so i will post another,, one, hang on,
MMM


----------



## Quetina

sjidohair said:


> Lena,
> Picture #1 is a Rhinestone, a cut faceted glass product,
> Picture #2 is a Rhinestud a faceted metal product


Thank you very much, that makes sense now.


----------



## sjidohair

Here are the rhinestuds


----------



## sjidohair

YOur very welcome, 
MMM


----------



## Dan2008

Which size is the best for using? As ive ordered 5mm and ive been told they are big ones so might cancel and re-order lol


----------



## ShiroiNekoOnline

Cool tips.
Thank you so much.


----------



## charles95405

Dan2008... a 5mm stone is just shy of 1/4 inch.. and it a bit big for most rhinestone applications. I mostly use ss6 or ss10 and sometimes larger...seldom smaller

You might find this link helpful in sizing:
Rhinestone Sample Card and Rhinestone Sizes


----------



## sjidohair

Dan,, i would just put a addional order in, 
The stones you see in the lesson I did, were 3mm..10ss
Handsetting is the best way to test a new design or test your market at all.. 
when I started that is exactly what I did,, 
If you are making money and selling your items, them progress to Templates or engraving,, 
The other common, Stones size is 2mm-6ss like charles suggested.. 2mm and 3mm(6ss-10ss ) are my most used, but i do create some downloadable designs for others in 4mm and 5mm.
The 5mm will be very easy to work with for you, and a great starter.
If i can be of any help, just ask, 
oh and do not forget to mirror your pattern for handsetting


----------



## Dan2008

Thanks for your replies, No im not selling them just wanted to have a go at doing it myself as they look really good  , Thanks for your help.


----------



## miamirhinestone

Gotta love them Rhinestones 4 years at it and getting better at it everyday especially getting great tips on here


----------



## aztshirtfan

Sandy Jo,

Great thread!

Just thought I would share this link to a great video on making rhinestone transfers.

YouTube - How to Make Iron-On T Shirt Designs : How to Make a Rhinestone Iron-On T Shirt Transfer

Paul


----------



## sjidohair

Thanks Paul,,, even to this day with all the rhinestone software I have,, I still when making one design to test,, will make the Rhinestone transfer with this method to test my market.

It lets me know which designs will sell and which ones would be a slower sell.

If anyone has any questions on how to Make a Rhinestone Transfer please ask

This Lesson can be used for nailheads and Rhinestuds the exact same way,,

Have fun,,


----------



## triciasemb

Sandy,

I love your post on how to make the Rhinestone Transfers. Was thinking about getting the DAS system or the roland r-wear the price of the r-wear wasn't bad but DAS said it wasn't good and that I would be disappointed with it. Of course, they are going to say whatever they can to sell there item. I have a roland gx-24 cutter and have smart designer x3 with corel but they are still telling me it going to be like $2700 and I just really don't know that I will be able to sell that much to make up for it. Is it that hard or will it take that much longer to just do it with the transfer by hand like you did. Most of mine will probably be onesie twosies so I am thinking that the DAS system really isn't feasible unless I am doing several of each design and I if get orders like that I am sure I can always subout to someone that has one of the systems until I decide if it is feasible or not. Any info or suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tricia


----------



## charles95405

Tricia...PM me with phone contact and we can discuss this...I was one of the first to buy DAS system as I had most the of software/cutter needed...At that time I had a GX24...and it did not work so hot..but that was before R-wear came out. So I sold my GX24 and bought a GCC cutter. So I would say you could probably cut with your roland and R-wear. One problem for some of us with the GX24 is the top downforce is 250g. Don't get me wrong, the roland is a super easy machine to use and the optic eye easy to use.. However GCC has just come out with a new 24 inch cutter w/o optic eye but just as good as the roland and has over 400g downforce...and I think it sells for about $350 w/ 1yr warranty.

I know one source that is putting this cutter out with rhinestone software for around $800

Finally I think it might benefit you to ask Hartco for a sample of their sandblast material....s425...which some have reported decent result in using for rhinestone templates. If you get a sample...try cutting any design to see how the roland does... Their website is Series 400


----------



## sjidohair

triciasemb said:


> Sandy,
> 
> I love your post on how to make the Rhinestone Transfers. Was thinking about getting the DAS system or the roland r-wear the price of the r-wear wasn't bad but DAS said it wasn't good and that I would be disappointed with it. Of course, they are going to say whatever they can to sell there item. I have a roland gx-24 cutter and have smart designer x3 with corel but they are still telling me it going to be like $2700 and I just really don't know that I will be able to sell that much to make up for it. Is it that hard or will it take that much longer to just do it with the transfer by hand like you did. Most of mine will probably be onesie twosies so I am thinking that the DAS system really isn't feasible unless I am doing several of each design and I if get orders like that I am sure I can always subout to someone that has one of the systems until I decide if it is feasible or not. Any info or suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> Tricia


Tricia, Thanks for the kind words, I have R-wear and DAS and other programs,
They make our lives really easy when we plan on doing enough templates to bring in the income to pay for the systems, I love all my systems but for onesie transfers , i would set by hand and start your research , as once you start selling wonderful shiney designs and cant keep up with demand that is time to get a cutter and software,, Charles always has great advice, so start your research as you start making the items,, 
And there are suppliers out there that can help you with rhinestone patterns to handset, as well as Eps downloads untill you learn everything your self..
If you need any help please ask
Sandy Jo


----------



## triciasemb

Sandy Jo,

I already have a roland gx-24 cutter. Do you like the roland software r-wear? Is the DAS that much better for the money difference?

Thanks,
Tricia


----------



## sjidohair

I love all my programs,, they each have thier own place in my designs, i also use ACS from www.heatpressvinyl.com that software like R-wear can be purchased alone, without a cutter, and at a very good price.
R-wears strong point for me is its fonts
ACS can do some nice fonts and also fills
Das Can do some nice fonts and fills as well 
work within your budget,, and upgrade when you can, I would not be without any of these programs,, and I am looking forware to getting the new Das upgrade,,,, which for filled designs will be even more wonderful.
There are plenty of threads on All these softwares,, start doing some research and find what is best for you and your budget,, 
If i can help any more please ask,, 
welcome to the world of making Rhinestone Transfers.. 
http://www.digitalartsolutions.com


----------



## sunnydayz

I would really look at all the different options that are out there before making a decision. Here is a thread that I compiled a list of the different systems and softwares http://www.t-shirtforums.com/rhinestone-decoration/t95228.html.

I did notice that on Heatpressvinyl.com site they have a mighty cutter with rhinestone software, which appears to be the same as this machine here http://www.t-shirtforums.com/rhinestone-decoration/t78625-14.html that was being sold by Accugraphics. This machine has already been sold under several different names, with only minor adjustments to the machine. So really take your time and do your research to know what you are actually getting, and what is best for the money. There are several different systems out there, that are much cheaper then DAS stone stencil and could probably do just as good of a job. Just something to think about if you are worried about your budget


----------



## ashamutt

sunnydayz said:


> I would really look at all the different options that are out there before making a decision. Here is a thread that I compiled a list of the different systems and softwares http://www.t-shirtforums.com/rhinestone-decoration/t95228.html.
> 
> I did notice that on Heatpressvinyl.com site they have a mighty cutter with rhinestone software, which appears to be the same as this machine here http://www.t-shirtforums.com/rhinestone-decoration/t78625-14.html that was being sold by Accugraphics. This machine has already been sold under several different names, with only minor adjustments to the machine. So really take your time and do your research to know what you are actually getting, and what is best for the money. There are several different systems out there, that are much cheaper then DAS stone stencil and could probably do just as good of a job. Just something to think about if you are worried about your budget


 
Funny you mention that , sunny, because I almost purchased a falcon when all I needed was a Groove-E!!!
The Groove-e works PERFECTLY with 950 down force too!!!!!!! WOW!!!
Cuts my templates w/ great accuracy and speed!
(AND the knk software that came w/ my Groove-E is just fine...works GREAT for rhinestone templates!!)
...the cutter & the software all for 599.99!!!
This saved me so much money!


SO, A BIG YES to Sunny's comment about taking your time and doing A LOT of research before purchasing anything!!!


----------



## 1Smarter

This is one of the best threads I have read on the forum! SandyJo you are a genius. I tried the Hypnotikwear link and it stated that this store is no longer available. Do you have any suggestions on where else to order rhinestones and mylar tape. Has anyone been able to find mylar tape in craft stores. I have asked in Michaels and Hobby Lobby; the employees look at me like I am from out of space. I have been doing airbrush shirts and want to add the bling.

I appreciate any assistance.

Thanks


----------



## ashamutt

1Smarter said:


> This is one of the best threads I have read on the forum! SandyJo you are a genius. I tried the Hypnotikwear link and it stated that this store is no longer available. Do you have any suggestions on where else to order rhinestones and mylar tape. Has anyone been able to find mylar tape in craft stores. I have asked in Michaels and Hobby Lobby; the employees look at me like I am from out of space. I have been doing airbrush shirts and want to add the bling.
> 
> I appreciate any assistance.
> 
> Thanks


 
I am not sandyj...but here are the 2 best deals in the *U.S.A*. as of now...(that I have found)
Rhinestones(_all types & other products too_) - ShineArtusa
Hot Fix tape -one roll at a time - Threadart


The most beautiful & sparkly rhinestones out there and the best price here in the U.S.A. is 
shineartusa.com
Hot Fix Rhinestone Manufacturer : Wholesale Rhinestones

They have TOP of the line Korean, economy & Lead-Free rhinestones.
They also have the best of the best - machine cut Pellosa. (Pellosa's look like diamonds.)

If you want to purchase in bulk directly from Korea...here are a few companies to start with.

1.
CREART International corp
http://www.creartcorp.com/main.html
Beautiful Korean stones and lots of other products.
They have a huge catalog with real product on every page. Lots of samples too.

2.
MS International
http://mskoreahotfix.com/index.html
Again, 
Beautiful Korean stones and lots of other products.
They have a huge catalog with real product on every page. Lots of samples.

3.
Unique International 
http://www.rhinestone-nailheads.com/unique/main.php
3 smaller catalogs but still very nice. Real product in every catalog.
Beautiful Korean stones and lots of other products. Lots of samples.


The above 3 Korean companies are great.
I have received and tested all samples.
Diamond like stones with super holding power!

I have several others on my "Korean" list.
Still researching and testing.

Just remember, when ordering from overseas the shipping can get expensive.
So unless you are going to order in true BULK quantities it would save you money to just order from Shinert.com as their stones are TOP Korean quality, diamond like and super holding power as well!





And the best deal on Hot Fix tape...one roll at a time
Treadart.com
Hot Fix Tape

100 meters(328 ft.) for 62.50 
...and free shipping on orders over 99.00


If you would like to buy Hot Fix tape in BULK shineart has the best prices.
3 roll and 6 roll cases at unbelievable prices!!!


----------



## sjidohair

1Smarter said:


> This is one of the best threads I have read on the forum! SandyJo you are a genius. I tried the Hypnotikwear link and it stated that this store is no longer available. Do you have any suggestions on where else to order rhinestones and mylar tape. Has anyone been able to find mylar tape in craft stores. I have asked in Michaels and Hobby Lobby; the employees look at me like I am from out of space. I have been doing airbrush shirts and want to add the bling.
> 
> I appreciate any assistance.
> 
> Thanks


Thanks so much for your kind words,, I love what i do and I do what I love, and I guess it shows...For buying stones, I purchase mine in bulk from Korea now as I go thru them very fast.
When I first started I did a google search and ordered a few gross from here and there, find the ones you like that sparkle like crazy and hold even better.
Start with some Korean stones and get a few machine cut or swarovski so you can see the difference.

If i can help any more please let me know and thank you again for the kind words,


----------



## keetch

I have been reading all these posts and its just amazing the amount of info and knowledge in this forum, 
I have a vinyl cutter, what is the product that the templates are made from? Can it just be cut from vinyl and used as a template?
sue


----------



## keetch

also found this tutorial for doing rhinestones in corel
advancedtshirts.com - Rhinestone Design Effects with CorelDRAW X5l
sue


----------



## taricp35

keetch said:


> also found this tutorial for doing rhinestones in corel
> advancedtshirts.com - Rhinestone Design Effects with CorelDRAW X5l
> sue


I remember those days not so long ago when we were doing it that way. So glad it is easier now, just click a button and it's done. Also he made a rhinestone image and I feel that would be more for a graphic rhinestone design just for showing customers not for cutting on a cutter. A while back when we were doing it that way we just used a circle and sent it to the cutter. But like I said with all the software and macros on the market why waste the time when this could have been done in a few seconds.


----------



## DTFuqua

Because I hate dongels!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## tla1217

keetch said:


> I have been reading all these posts and its just amazing the amount of info and knowledge in this forum,
> I have a vinyl cutter, what is the product that the templates are made from? Can it just be cut from vinyl and used as a template?
> sue


 
Hi Sue, 

I use the Hartco 425 Sandmast from www.signwarehouse.com

Also, there is a new product out called Sticky Flock which works better than anything out there. Some of the forum members at winpcsign2010.com carry it.


----------



## Wifie Inc

Thank you for your kindness


----------



## tla1217

Wifie Inc said:


> Thank you for your kindness


 
You are very welcome! Also, there was a typo - It's Hartco 425 Sandmask....


----------



## CYoung

I have been combing the internet for weeks looking for information on applying rhinestones to tees. I have 3 daughters and they're into that stuff and I'm the kinda mom who'd rather take the time to learn how to do it versus paying someone else to. I've come across machines from 3K up to 20K. I don't remember how I found this website but I'm so glad I did. Thank you for taking the time to share something like this. Thank you for sharing avenues for getting supplies.


----------



## sjidohair

Welcome and glad you found us,, 
Any questions let us know, and we will be glad to help,, 

And your girls may want to help,, alot,, once they see what can be done,, 

Sandy jo
MMM


----------



## Dawn29

Hi Sandy Jo! I know this post is old, but you were so thorough!! I feel I can do it! I'm just starting out, so I really appreciate this post and this forum.


----------



## sjidohair

Dawn29 said:


> Hi Sandy Jo! I know this post is old, but you were so thorough!! I feel I can do it! I'm just starting out, so I really appreciate this post and this forum.



Dawn, you can do it, and we will be here to help too.. 

Thanks for the post above,, just go slow and learn as you go, 

Handset designs are still the most beautiful as you can but those stones on up to each other nice and tight unlike other techiniques... 

Have fun and let us know when you need help .We are here to do just that.


----------



## DTFuqua

Well I do believe there are some "umpteen thousand dollar" machines that can place the stones exactly next to each other but I can't afford any of them to know for sure.


----------



## sjidohair

DTFuqua said:


> Well I do believe there are some "umpteen thousand dollar" machines that can place the stones exactly next to each other but I can't afford any of them to know for sure.



Terry,,, I know what you mean,, lol


----------



## generalj

what a great read! Thanks Sandy Jo for all this great info!


----------



## sjidohair

generalj said:


> what a great read! Thanks Sandy Jo for all this great info!


Your very welcome,
Back when i created this threads a few years ago, we were all learning how the heck to we make this stuff we love.

So this thread actually went from how to hand set patterns ( Which is still very relaxing for me to do ,) to how to create templates,,,,

I love Creating Rhinestone designs for me and I love Creating the the Rhinestone Templates and the Rhinestone Transfers, but I also love to Research all techniques and equipment to Teach others how to do this and work with all the machines, and tools to Create these blingy Treasures.
Thank you again and if you need anymore help ,Just ask.
Sandy jo


----------



## oldsewandsew

I am new to ALL this!! I bought a used commercial embroidery machine and decided that I needed to be able to offer heat transfer stuff too. I bought a heat press and have been cramming information into my brain as fast as I can!! I have used rhinestone transfers from MyRhinestoneTransfers.com and have loved them BUT would like to be able to create my own.......thank you for taking a newbie through this step by step. I may get to the point some day of wanting software and a machine, but I really want to stay small. Again, thank you!!!


----------



## generalj

I did love reading how much technology has been created in the past few years! I remember making a t-shirt for myself about 3 years ago and I was thinking there has to be an easier way than setting a stone one by one. Don't get me wrong it was fun for a while but I wouldn't of had the patience to do that all day everyday. I watched a few of your videos on you tube today and learned so much! Thank you thank you thank you!! It finally gave me enough confidence in my ability to learn this that I'm installing my DAS stone cut pro tonight and ordering my cutter in the morning!


----------



## miamirhinestone

The Bling thing has really evolved and grown I LOVE IT BLING BLING BLING all the way home


----------



## sjidohair

oldsewandsew said:


> I am new to ALL this!! I bought a used commercial embroidery machine and decided that I needed to be able to offer heat transfer stuff too. I bought a heat press and have been cramming information into my brain as fast as I can!! I have used rhinestone transfers from MyRhinestoneTransfers.com and have loved them BUT would like to be able to create my own.......thank you for taking a newbie through this step by step. I may get to the point some day of wanting software and a machine, but I really want to stay small. Again, thank you!!!


Your very welcome, if I can help I would be glad too, 

setting stones by hand you can get those stones so nice and close,,,, they really do look beautiful.


----------



## sjidohair

generalj said:


> I did love reading how much technology has been created in the past few years! I remember making a t-shirt for myself about 3 years ago and I was thinking there has to be an easier way than setting a stone one by one. Don't get me wrong it was fun for a while but I wouldn't of had the patience to do that all day everyday. I watched a few of your videos on you tube today and learned so much! Thank you thank you thank you!! It finally gave me enough confidence in my ability to learn this that I'm installing my DAS stone cut pro tonight and ordering my cutter in the morning!


You will love the Das program,, there are plenty of us here that use it, let me know if you need any help.


----------



## sjidohair

I totally agree Alex, It has been a ton of fun watching it evolve and being a part of it.


----------



## selanac

Thank you Sandi Jo. I'll have to surprice my wife with a t-shirt. 

Later I'll start looking into equipment. This post is so long I don't have time to read all 19 pages. I read 1, 18 and 19, lol.


----------



## sjidohair

selanac said:


> Thank you Sandi Jo. I'll have to surprice my wife with a t-shirt.
> 
> Later I'll start looking into equipment. This post is so long I don't have time to read all 19 pages. I read 1, 18 and 19, lol.


She will love it i am sure, the first time i pressed a rhinestone shirt I fell in love with this process. I have never looked back.
Sandy jo


----------



## oldsewandsew

HELP!!! After reading all 18 pages of this thread yesterday, I was ready to purchase some rhinestones and try my hand at custom designs. I have no drawing software (like Corel Draw or Adobe Paintshop), and don't know how to use those. I do not have any type of cutter/plotter so I cannot make templates, right? So I was just going to play around making some off my Pages documents and see what happened. I went out to ShineArtUSA and ThreadArt websites and there are SOOOOO many choices!!!!! I have no idea what type of stones to buy, what size, what tools do I need, etc. Can anyone out there help me experiment with this stuff without breaking my bank account? I LOVE BLING!!!! Also, Sandy, you mention turning the shirt inside out or putting something inside the shirt so the glue doesn't go all the way through to the back of the shirt, right? Well, why don't I have to do this with the commercial bling designs that I've been using? I heat press those on, let them cool for the specified time, peel, and heat again and they are done. So why do I have to add the extra step? Also, there are chinese and korean stones - I read the comparison. I get that the korean stones are better, but there are other stones out there too, right? Like I said, HELP!!!


----------



## sjidohair

Ok, so the Rhinestone Bug has bit you,, lol 

I know it well. 

When I have a customer starting out ask me what Stones to purchase first, I ask a few questions but it usually comes down to, 

What are you local school colors, what are your favorite colors 
And these are the ones to start with.

I ship more Clear stones out than any other color.

and ss10 or 3mm are my most popular size as well.
2nd most popular size is ss16-4mm

When I am doing a very detailed or filled design and want to keep a design small that is when I use a ss6 or 2mm stone.

When you heat press a Rhinestone/nailhead design I always suggest putting a protection product inside the shirt to collect glue seepage.

I am not sure why you have not had a shirt stick together yet. But glad you have not, as when that happens sometimes you can pull it apart while the garment is still hot, but glue seeps onto the back of the tee as well and can ruin the shirt.

Some people use teflon or cardboard or teflon pads with and without cush.

The teflon pads with cush help to even out pressure with different sizes of stones. So small and large are all pressed at the same time well.

Now the images you grab,, to stone, Coloring books are a great source for images , just make sure to not do anything that holds copyright.

You can also do a google search for line art. These images will be very easy to follow.

Iclipart.com or clipart.com also have many jpgs you can download, both of these are yearly subscription clipart sites.

If you need any more help,, just let me know what you need. Glad to help.
Sandy jo


----------



## dancebling

Like so many others - this forum has been my number one source for information.
I should be embarassed to say this but I started rhinestoning by hand in the early 1980's. <lol> At that time hot fix stones/stud with glue were not available, at least not locally. So I used flat back stones typically used in jewelry making to glue and set each stone on garments. At that time baseball hats with rhinestones were HOT!!!
So one would think I would have been an expert at "stoning" by now. NOT!!! - Life and career took control of my time. 
Anyway -( sorry for the babbling) I came back to my joy (apparel embellishment) about 9 years ago and purchased 2 embroidery machines. Within 6 months of those purchases - I purchased a heat press. It has been my number ONE money maker. 
So much so that I am reluctant to promote my company as an embroidery company. I just added a 4th heat press to be equipment line up.  So now I am planning my business expansion to phase 3 - cutting my own templates. Currerently I outsource all of my designs (excepting the one offs - which I STILL set by hand). Because of the demand I need to be able to respond faster to smaller quantity orders. 
I was seriously considering the Roland GX24. But I have read good things about other systems which cost a little less than the Roland. I am not looking to expand into banner/sign making. I realize that it is good quick income - but I just don't have anymore time left in the day. 
I have Corel Draw and Funtime Software. 
If I can cut templates EASILY with a cutter which has a less expensive price point than the roland then I am open to it. 
I've been reading forum posts for the last couple of days and I must say I still am uncertain as to what cutter.
Your guidance is appreciated.


----------



## oldsewandsew

Sandy, I'm really just interested in clear stones right now and I will add colors as I need them. Do you have a starter kit to recommend for someone wanting to play with this stuff by hand?


----------



## dancebling

sjidohair said:


> You will love the Das program,, there are plenty of us here that use it, let me know if you need any help.


 
Sandy - letting you know - HELP!!!


----------



## sjidohair

oldsewandsew said:


> Sandy, I'm really just interested in clear stones right now and I will add colors as I need them. Do you have a starter kit to recommend for someone wanting to play with this stuff by hand?


Where ever you purchase your supplies, i would send them a note and ask what kind of a starter kit they could prepare for you with your interests, so it is specific to your needs.


----------



## sjidohair

dancebling said:


> Sandy - letting you know - HELP!!!


I will be glad to help,, 

There are many great cutters out there, I would make sure whatever you choose is compatable with many programs so you can expand as your business dictates.

I have a new expert 24 Gcc that I love.

Sandy Jo


----------



## dancebling

Charles/Roger
Thanks for all of your help today. Pending approval from "the boss" (^_^) - GCC Puma III 24 is the "chosen one".


----------



## sjidohair

You will love that cutter,, great choice


----------



## selanac

Who sells this cutter you're talking about: GCC Puma III 24 

Paul


----------



## dancebling

@ Sandy - I sure do hope so.



selanac said:


> Who sells this cutter you're talking about: GCC Puma III 24
> 
> Paul


Paul - I found it here GCC Puma III

I also plan on purchasing the new Winpcsign Pro 2012


----------



## selanac

That link says something about out of stock. I looked at HeatPressNation only because I found it via google. 

There's was about the same price.


----------



## brewersthings

Sounds Great allways love the info looks Great thanks


----------



## dancebling

selanac said:


> That link says something about out of stock. I looked at HeatPressNation only because I found it via google.
> 
> There's was about the same price.


Paul
I believe the link indicates the equipment is pre-order and is expected to be available Dec. 12, which is this Monday. 
I did access the site you mentioned as well. Certainly, your choice on which way to go- but I feel VERY comfortable with making my purchases at the link I provided. 
Pricing, flexibility, knowledge, reputation, pre and post customer support were all factors which lead to my decision. 

By the way "THE BOSS"' <lol> has approved.


----------



## Bling It On

oldsewandsew said:


> HELP!!! After reading all 18 pages of this thread yesterday, I was ready to purchase some rhinestones and try my hand at custom designs. I have no drawing software (like Corel Draw or Adobe Paintshop), and don't know how to use those. I do not have any type of cutter/plotter so I cannot make templates, right? So I was just going to play around making some off my Pages documents and see what happened. I went out to ShineArtUSA and ThreadArt websites and there are SOOOOO many choices!!!!! I have no idea what type of stones to buy, what size, what tools do I need, etc. Can anyone out there help me experiment with this stuff without breaking my bank account? I LOVE BLING!!!! Also, Sandy, you mention turning the shirt inside out or putting something inside the shirt so the glue doesn't go all the way through to the back of the shirt, right? Well, why don't I have to do this with the commercial bling designs that I've been using? I heat press those on, let them cool for the specified time, peel, and heat again and they are done. So why do I have to add the extra step? Also, there are chinese and korean stones - I read the comparison. I get that the korean stones are better, but there are other stones out there too, right? Like I said, HELP!!!


 

The first shirt I pressed rhinestones on was very thin and it stuck to itself and this was before I bought a heat press and was just using a trouser press to heat the stones. A very inexpensive way to protect your fabric from the glue is to go to Target to the baking section and they sell Teflon sheets as oven liners. They are around $10 for a sheet large enough to cover the inside of an oven and may be cut to whatever size you desire. I often put rhinestones on small areas such as cheer bows and the Teflon sheets are invaluable for protecting the ribbon.
Good Luck!!~!


----------



## sjidohair

Bling It On said:


> The first shirt I pressed rhinestones on was very thin and it stuck to itself and this was before I bought a heat press and was just using a trouser press to heat the stones. A very inexpensive way to protect your fabric from the glue is to go to Target to the baking section and they sell Teflon sheets as oven liners. They are around $10 for a sheet large enough to cover the inside of an oven and may be cut to whatever size you desire. I often put rhinestones on small areas such as cheer bows and the Teflon sheets are invaluable for protecting the ribbon.
> Good Luck!!~!


Are those the black ones? I have those also, they are stiffer than reg teflon and slide in the garments great,, 
thanks for sharing,


----------



## selanac

When I'm ready I'll probably purchase my next cutter from Steve one of the companies on this forum.


----------



## dancebling

selanac said:


> When I'm ready I'll probably purchase my next cutter from Steve one of the companies on this forum.


Understood and agreed. That is one of the main reasons I am going to plan b 

Good luck on your selection.


----------



## selanac

Don't know the difference between your plans.

Steve's user name is Diver Steve or something like that. 

He gives support on this forum.


----------



## dancebling

selanac said:


> Don't know the difference between your plans.
> 
> Steve's user name is Diver Steve or something like that.
> 
> He gives support on this forum.


I was using a pun with the "go to plan b" statement. I thought you would have clicked on the hypertext link and it would be self-explanatory.

Nonetheless, "plan b" is the t-shirt forum name for the man behind the supplier I've chosen and he also provides forum support, as shown at the link. Again, just a matter of personal choice on which to use.


----------



## sjidohair

I am reposting to this thread for those that are just starting this wonderful venture of Rhinestone and will be handsetting stones, There was a request for information on hand setting patterns and how to in a different thread I read today,


----------



## leadergrafx

How much would you charge for these shirts if you were doing , say 100 pcs

Thanks
Rick


----------



## sjidohair

Rick ,
There are a couple things to consider, the size of the image and the amount of work to get the art work ready or logo as well as color of stones as some colors like the pinks are way more expensive than basic colors.

Sandy jo


----------



## leadergrafx

sjidohair said:


> Rick ,
> There are a couple things to consider, the size of the image and the amount of work to get the art work ready or logo as well as color of stones as some colors like the pinks are way more expensive than basic colors.
> 
> Sandy jo


Do you know of a wholesaler who does the finished product that you recommend.


----------



## Bling Art USA

leadergrafx said:


> Do you know of a wholesaler who does the finished product that you recommend.


I trying to understand what you are looking for 

Do you want:

The Finished Rhinestone Design

The Finished Rhinestone Transfer

or

The Finished Garment?


----------



## polychic

Hi all! I'm new here obviously.  I'm actually looking for someone who can make the rhinestud transfers for me with my own custom designs. I've got about 30 designs that I've saved as .jpg from CS5. We could stick with one sized rhinestud, but there are multiple colors on each design. Thanks so much for any help!!!


----------



## artswear

Sandy Jo, Hi and thanks for bumping up this older thread. I just finished reading thru all 21 pages! 

I am just starting out with rhinestone designs having done basically ink heat transfers prior. I work mostly with the dance and cheer competition industries and so I think the market is certainly there for me to include rhinestone designs as well. I have created a few and the reception was great, but I sent the designs away to have the rhinestone templates made and I would now like to try to in-house some of this to cut down costs.

So I have a few questions relating to rhinestones/studs and sizing....

1. Can rhinestud designs be created from the same templates I use for a rhinestone design? Or do the template have to be specifically cut for rhinestuds?

2. Do rhinestuds come in the same sizes as rhinestones? (pretty much the same a quest #1, lol)

3. What size circles do you cut when creating a template? I think you have to cut a larger circle than the actual rhinestone? For each of the sizes (ss6, ss10, ss16, for example), what are the actual sized of the cut circles?

I use Adobe Illustrator to create the templates, basically creating brush sizes for the circles and hand placing. I am considering rhinestone software and purchasing a cutter. Thanks in advance for any advice.


----------



## sjidohair

artswear said:


> Sandy Jo, Hi and thanks for bumping up this older thread. I just finished reading thru all 21 pages!
> 
> I am just starting out with rhinestone designs having done basically ink heat transfers prior. I work mostly with the dance and cheer competition industries and so I think the market is certainly there for me to include rhinestone designs as well. I have created a few and the reception was great, but I sent the designs away to have the rhinestone templates made and I would now like to try to in-house some of this to cut down costs.
> 
> So I have a few questions relating to rhinestones/studs and sizing....
> 
> 1. Can rhinestud designs be created from the same templates I use for a rhinestone design? Or do the template have to be specifically cut for rhinestuds?Yes you can use the same templates, for Rhinestones, Rhinestuds, nail heads and domes.
> 
> 2. Do rhinestuds come in the same sizes as rhinestones? (pretty much the same a quest #1, lol)Yes they come in the same ss or mm size,, a 10ss in Rhinestones is a 10ss in Rhinestuds
> 
> 3. What size circles do you cut when creating a template? I think you have to cut a larger circle than the actual rhinestone? For each of the sizes (ss6, ss10, ss16, for example), what are the actual sized of the cut circles?
> 10ss i cut a 13ss or 14ss or in mm i cut a 3.5
> 16ss i cut a 19ss or a 4.5 size
> 
> I use Adobe Illustrator to create the templates, basically creating brush sizes for the circles and hand placing. I am considering rhinestone software and purchasing a cutter. Thanks in advance for any advice.


Hope this helps let me know if you need anything else,, if you have the dance and cheer Clients, you will be very very busy.


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## artswear

Thanks for the quick reply!! Its good to know the templates are versatile with the different types of stones, yay!. By domes, are you referrring to pearls? These are used alot in the cheer world! 

What size circle do you cut for the 6ss?


And yes, I keep very busy with both dance and cheer, even though it's the off season for both, I'm preoccupied with thinking of and preparing new designs.


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## sjidohair

artswear said:


> Thanks for the quick reply!! Its good to know the templates are versatile with the different types of stones, yay!. By domes, are you referrring to pearls? These are used alot in the cheer world! There are domed half round metal hotfix pieces ,If your pearls are half rounds they may be called teh same not sure.
> 
> What size circle do you cut for the 6ss?Wow i must of deleted the 6ss,, I cut a 9ss or a 2.5 mm for 6ss
> with these sizes i can use Korean, machine cut, Pellosa, or swarovski, just fine.
> 
> And yes, I keep very busy with both dance and cheer, even though it's the off season for both, I'm preoccupied with thinking of and preparing new designs.



I would grab a hunk of scrap template material and cut the sizes i suggested to make sure you like the size, if you want it smaller go down and Larger go up, these are just a great place to start.


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## artswear

Another questions regarding templates... if I have a design with different SIZE stones, I assume that can all be accomplished with one template since the stones can be brushed in starting with the largest and working down to the smallest, is this correct? But if I have a design with different COLOR stones, whether they are the same size or not, then I would need multiple templates for each different color?


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## BML Builder

Yes Patrice. That would be the easiest way to do it. As you said you go down from large to small with the different sizes, but with the different colors unless you tape off the areas for the different colors it is so much easier to just have the different templates for the different colors.


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## sjidohair

I agree with Marilyn,

If i have example this image,, 
with 16s and 10ss in one color, I will use one template and sweep in the largest stone first, then the smallest.

But if like in the picture it is 2 sizes and 2 colors, then I seperate out the colors and cut a template for each.

There are a few ways of lining up your templates,when creating the Rhinestone Transfer

1. Weeding boxes

2. Reg marks

3. eyeballing


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## artswear

sjidohair said:


> I would grab a hunk of scrap template material and cut the sizes i suggested to make sure you like the size, if you want it smaller go down and Larger go up, these are just a great place to start.


 
The problem is I don't have a cutter at this time so I wanted to make sure the sizes are correct before sending it out to be cut. I would love to purchase a cutter soon....


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## sjidohair

Patrice, 

When i have clients send me files to cut for them. 
I ask that the stones sizes are 13ss or 3.5 for a 10ss stone.

But I also check each stone over for a complete round circle and size before we cut them.

If you use that size or the others I gave you , you will be fine,, 

Now spacing is as important as Stone size,, 

What spacing are you using? 

There needs to be membrane between the stones to hold the template together for repeated use.

A good space is a 0.05 space,,,


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## artswear

Another logistical questions regarding sizing.... if, when I create the design on screen, I use the larger size circles for cutting purposes, won't that result in a different representation from what the actual rhinestoned piece would look like as far as spacing between the stones? The stones (on the screen) will look much closer together on the screen than the actual layout of the pressed rhinestones since the circles are larger? Do you have to wait for the template to be cut and rhinestones placed before seeing the real spacing? Hope this makes sense, not sure how to communicate this question..


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## sjidohair

Patrice,

Yes you are right, We create a one of Sample Shirt to show spacing and the real image on some of our images , which will show proof, and then real sample.

After you have been doing this for a while you kinda see what it will really look like , when done even though the holes are not the real size when creating the template.


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## artswear

That's what I thought, thanks. So the pictures forum members post (the pretty ones that add the sparkle to the design) that are coming from the screen pics of the software they use, are actually the larger size circles? If you are creating an electronic sample for your client, is there and ability in software (any of them) to actually display the smaller, real size of the stones?


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## sjidohair

You sure can,, and I will only talk for myself,, Because I have no idea how others do this.

When i do a proof i do the real size stone and spacing,for my mock up for a Client.

Which will be different than the cuttable version.

I thing with most rhinestone softwares you can create the 2 sizes very easy,, just a lil more work.

You are asking some great questions..


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## artswear

Lol, I tend to be an information gatherer, hope you don't mind the interrogation!

I use illustrator now, but am seriously considering purchasing coreldraw and a macro for rhinestones. I'm just so frustrated a plug in doesn't exist for AI. The other alternative would be to purchase a stand alone rhinestone software, costs are about the same with either option. With the coreldraw purchase I would have the added benefit of a graphics design software package in general, however, since I already own and know how to use AI, would I really need another graphics program? Ugh, so many decisions. Thanks so much for your input, it gives me the ability to make intelligent choices.


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## jackyd52

Hi Sandy Jo,
Just wanted to say I really find your posts great, you are so helpful and encouraging to folk. I am in the UK and just starting up, have dabbled little a few years ago but am really keen to get started properly now. It really is just a hobby at the moment but hey if I can make a few quid as well all the better!

Jacky


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## sjidohair

Thank you Jackyd for the kind words,
If I can help with anything please let me know.

I love what I do and I do what I love.
Sandy Jo


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## jackyd52

I can't wait to get started, have ordered some rhinestones and other bits and pieces. My head is whirling with ideas, I think I am on overload!
I'm sure I will have lots of questions once I get going.
Just one question for now, are there any brands of t shirts you can recommend?

Also, how do I find your demos on youtube?


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## TerriH

So here we are 2 years after the last post in this thread, is anyone still around to answer some questions?

1. I don't have a business currently, I do have a Silhouette Cameo and the software. For starting out, will that work?

2. I will be using my iron (will that work?)

3. There are various types of Mylar tape at Home Depot and such, will they work?

I'm in Canada, and so very, very new to this concept and since a lot of the info in this thread was quite technologically outdated, could someone who is experienced (and has the time) update the process to current steps?

Thanks so much, thoroughly loved reading all 22 pages, leads me to believe I may have found a passion, provided I can figure it out!!


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## pknavarro

TerriH said:


> So here we are 2 years after the last post in this thread, is anyone still around to answer some questions?
> 
> 1. I don't have a business currently, I do have a Silhouette Cameo and the software. For starting out, will that work?
> 
> 2. I will be using my iron (will that work?)
> 
> 3. There are various types of Mylar tape at Home Depot and such, will they work?
> 
> I'm in Canada, and so very, very new to this concept and since a lot of the info in this thread was quite technologically outdated, could someone who is experienced (and has the time) update the process to current steps?
> 
> Thanks so much, thoroughly loved reading all 22 pages, leads me to believe I may have found a passion, provided I can figure it out!!



I also have the Silhouette Cameo cutter. I just made my first rhinestone tshirt 2 days ago and it came out awesome. I got everything I needed from specialty-graphics.com (with the exception of the software). I'll provide the links below to everything I bought including the software needed for rhinestone template creation.

*Rhinestones*: Hot Fix Rhinestones - SS10


*SGS Rhinestone Template Material*. I use this template material for single color designs because they do not need layering: SGS Rhinestone Template Material


*Sticky Flock Template Material*. I bought some of this because it's the easiest to use when creating designs for multiple color rhinestones (layering). Sticky Flock Template Material. There are videos on youtube that show you how to use it for layering multiple color designs. Check out this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ8H8INIF9I

Rhinestone Application Tape: Used for adhering the rhinestones to for heatpressing. Rhinestone Application Tape

*Rhinestone Template Backboard*: This is used for placing your SGS Rhinestone Template. Once you cut the rhinestone template out, you'll need to place it on this backboard, and then apply your stones, and then use the transfer tape to place on top of the stones to pick them up. Rhinestone Template Backboard


*Rhinestone Brush*: Used for brushing the rhinestones into place on the template. Rhinestone Brush


*Cameo Silhouette Studio Designer Edition*: You need the Designer Edition to be able to use the Rhinestone feature for working with rhinestones. The software that comes with the cameo is the basic version and does not have this feature. The cheapest I found it was on amazon. Amazon.com: Silhouette Studio Designer Edition Software Card for Scrapbooking



I hope all this information helps you or someone else out. I did a bunch of research and I'm still learning. Hope this saves you some time.


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## TerriH

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!


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## pknavarro

TerriH said:


> Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!


You're welcome Terri. Glad I could help.


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## miamirhinestone

It is best to use a proper press as listed above. If you only have access to an iron then:
Ironing -temperature 170°C - 200°C (338°F - 392°F) 
Pressing time 20 - 30sec 
Pressure ca.0.3-0.5 kg/cm2 (4.5 PSI - 8 PSI)


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## kingwoo

1. I don't have a business currently, I do have a Silhouette Cameo and the software. For starting out, will that work?
*--Yes, it totally will. The Silhouette is definitely a helper, to make templates.*

2. I will be using my iron (will that work?)
*--For your first try or tests, you can go with the iron. But if you are to make big orders, I suggest buying a heat press machine. There are second-handed machines on Ebay. You can look into there, if you need to save the cost of getting a new one.
The iron can melt the glue of the hotfix rhinestones. But it's so small that it won't cover the whole motif, so you need to move forth and back on the motif while ironing, which will lead to uneven-heating. That may give you a bad result sometimes.*

3. There are various types of Mylar tape at Home Depot and such, will they work?
*--I'm not sure what these things are. But guess you are talking something of sticky flock? Anyway, for the tape, you'll need something not only sticky, but cuttable for the Silhouette machine. Then you stick the template on the backing board and start brushing. So the thickness of the tape must be perfect for stone brushing.*



Hope above helps.


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