This summer, I’m in charge of organizing a hen party, so obviously I wondered ‘how can I add sparkle to the occasion?’ And after my initial thought of prosecco, prosecco and more prosecco, my next idea was to make a Hen Party Survival Kit to give to each of the hens – which would have to be embellished with rhinestones of course! I bought some plain cream cotton make-up bags from eBay for just a few pounds each. They’re plain and boring for now, but with the addition of some rhinestone sparkle, they will instantly look expensive and luxurious – perfect for a hen party.
Why choose iron on transfers?
There are multiple ways to attach rhinestones to fabric, choose between non hotfix crystals and glue, or hotfix crystals and a heat applicator. But the quickest and easiest was to apply crystals to material is by using a rhinestone transfer. Transfers are a pre-made design, (although you can make your own with transfer film and hotfix crystals) that can simply be ironed on. The application of an iron on transfer takes just a matter of minutes, so is a fantastic method if you’re embellishing multiple items such as t-shirts, bags, team uniforms etc. Also, if your project requires the embellishment to be neat, precise and identical (for example when you’re tasked with making 14 identical ‘Hen Party’ bags), you can’t go wrong with a pre-made transfer. And this is the application method I have chosen for blinging up my 14 plain cotton bags.
How to apply the transfer
- The transfer will have a paper backing that needs to be removed before, placing it onto your fabric, sticky side down. The rhinestones are stuck beneath the see-through plastic so you can see exactly what you’re doing. For my bags, I wanted the ‘Hen Party’ wording to sit exactly in the middle. Once you are happy with the positioning of the transfer, press down firmly to remove any air bubbles.
- Next, grab some baking parchment from your cupboard (or a tea towel works just as well), and place over the top of the transfer. Use a household iron on a high heat setting and gently but firmly press down, making sure you go over the entire area. Keep the heat on the baking parchment for around 10 seconds (constantly moving the iron), then remove.
*Top Tip*
Don’t use the steam function on the iron – this will cause problems if the steam comes in contact with the transfer and may loosen the crystals.
3. Gently peel off the plastic covering the crystals, they should all be completely attached to the fabric. If you find that one or two stones are still stuck to the plastic, simply pop it back down, cover again with the parchment paper and continue to iron for a few more seconds. It may be that the heat wasn’t on that area for long enough.
And there you have it, 14 perfectly decorated make-up bags using rhinestone transfers. I can’t wait to fill them with goodies and give them to my fellow hens.
Preciosa crystal transfers
We have recently started stocking Preciosa’s full range of pre-made transfers, and with over 70 styles featuring astrological, mystical and nature inspired designs, professional quality crystal embellishment is made easier than ever. Watch the video here.
Here are some more ways to elevate your accessories using hotfix rhinestone transfers:
