For many crystallizing projects, especially gifts, you may wish to write something in crystals such as a name, initial or age. It can be harder than it looks to get the text looking professional - it takes a bit of practice! Firstly, we recommend you practice gluing the crystal lettering onto a piece of paper, before you attach them directly to the surface of the object you are crystallizing.
WHAT TO CRYSTALLIZE WITH LETTERING?
There are many things you may wish to embellish and use letters or numbers as the design. For example:
- Champagne flute
- Shot glass
- Mobile phone case
- Clothing
- Wedding stationery
- Photo frame
WHAT WILL I NEED?
- E6000 glue - special craft glue for crystallizing
- Preciosa or Swarovski crystals in your colour of choice
- A digital text print-out or a stencil
- Crystal Katana to pick up and put crystals in place
STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO CRYSTAL LETTERING
Sometimes you will have to try and crystallize freehand, depending on what you are embellishing - but it’s always good to try and use a lettering stencil. Even when you can’t use a stencil, for example on a glass because it is round, there are ways around it.
- Find a suitable stencil or print out the word/number you want to make with crystals, in your chosen font.
- If you have a stencil, place it where you would like on the object. Use the glue to make dots of adhesive, carefully placing one crystal in each hole. Don’t remove the stencil until all holes are filled or the design may become skewed.
- If you are using a paper printout to trace from, place it behind whatever you are crystallizing. If you are embellishing a wine glass or a shot glass, fold the paper and place it inside the glass, letters facing out. Once you have it in the right place, it’s a good idea to secure it with tape or blu tac.
- Now you have a template, you can see where to place the crystals along the line of each letter or number. You have to be slightly more careful with this method, as to not get glue in the wrong place. Be as accurate as possible to the printed design.
- Leave to dry for an hour or so, before removing the stencil or paper printout.
Remember if you are crystallizing straight onto paper or card, for a birthday card or wedding invitation, you can draw the design yourself. Simply add one crystal at a time until the ink is covered, and remember not to use a pen with ink that bleeds into the paper.
Feel free to share your finished projects with us!
OUR COLLECTION OF CRYSTALS
We have a stunning collection of trimmings, the latest fashionable crystals, custom tools and design elements for your crystal costumes and nail art.