How to Make Sparkle Applique
Make a sparkling applique to add a custom bejeweled design to an item of clothing. Use crystal rhinestones and other materials to make an iron-on applique that spells your name or features a design that you like. Follow a specific procedure to make sure the design or text isn't backwards and the crystals are set securely on the surface of the fabric. You can find the materials you need to make a sparkle applique at your local craft store.
Things You'll Need
- Computer
- Printer
- Printer paper
- Clear transfer film
- Self-adhering iron-on rhinestones
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- T-shirt
- Clothing iron
Instructions
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Find a design that you want to recreate in sparkle applique and copy and paste it into a simple graphic editing program like Microsoft Paint, Apple Paintbrush or Paint.NET. You can also type some text in the graphics editor. Flip the image or text horizontally so that the image is reversed or the text reads backwards. Print the image or text on regular printer paper.
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Place the printed image or text on a flat work surface in front of you and tape down the corners. Peel the backing off of a sheet of clear transfer film and place it over the image with the sticky side facing up. Tape the corners onto the printed paper sheet. Do not discard the transfer film backing.
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Pick up each self-adhering crystal rhinestone with a pair of tweezers with the adhesive side facing up. Stick the crystal side down on the transfer film along the outline of the design or text. Space the rhinestones out about 1/4 inch along the outline.
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Place the white backing sheet over the clear transfer film that now has the rhinestones on it, and smooth the backing along the self-adhering backs of the rhinestones. You should now have the transfer film backing on top, the rhinestones in the middle and the printed paper on the bottom. Turn this "stack" over. Use yuour scissors to trim around the rhinestone design about 1/2 inch away from the rhinestones.
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Peel the white backing off of the rhinestones when you are ready to adhere the sparkle applique to the t-shirt or other piece of clothing. Hold the sticky side of the transfer film down over the fabric. Make sure it isn't crooked or upside down. Press it down evenly with your hands.
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Preheat a clothing iron to a high setting without steam. Glide the iron evenly back and forth over the non-sticky side of the clear transfer film in circular motions for about 40 seconds. Set the iron aside, turn it off and wait 5 minutes for the transfer film and rhinestone adhesive to cool before peeling the film away from the rhinestones. The rhinestones are now securely in place on the fabric.
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Tips & Warnings
Wash and dry the article of clothing before you add the applique if the clothing is brand new, to make sure it doesn't shrink after the applique has been applied.
Do not apply the applique to an article of clothing that needs to be dry-cleaned, as the chemicals used in the dry cleaning process will cause the applique to come loose.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images
