Hot Fix Iron on Design Blog

Sparklers Workshop: Crafts for Those Who Love to Sparkle

Studded Flats

embellished flats

What You Will Need:

Canvas, velvet, unsealed suede or fabric ballet flats. No leather or plastic material. I have gone to GAP, Target and Forever 21 for some great finds! Package of hot-fix metals and/or hot-fix crystals, an assortment is best. Don’t forget your Bejeweler!

1)      I like to begin with a brainstorm. When you apply the metals and/or crystals they are permanent so you want to get it right! You want to stay to two areas of the shoe only, the top of the toe and the back of the heel. If you scatter the crystal or metals along the inside part of your shoes, it will be in the direct path of wear your feet tend to scuff together. I like to place a few very large pieces of crystal of metal on the toe as an attention grabber. When these peek out from under your jeans you will be so tickled.

2)      After I have a good idea of how I want the finished product to be I begin! I start with affixing the large pieces first and then work my way down in size to fill in the gaps. See Bejeweler tips & instructions below.

3)      You don’t have to stick to flats, you can also create some seriously hot pumps with your Bejeweler and a few hot-fix crystals or metal studs

4)      This is a seriously easy craft and the results are absolutely fabulous. Prepare yourself for plenty of complements!

Inspirations and Images

embellished pumps

pumps, sandles and flats

Lots and lots of patience is needed for the overall crystal application, but you still get similar impact with strategic placement of only a few crystals and/or metals

Bejeweler Tips & Instructions

• Before you plug in your Bejeweler, choose the correct size tip to match the rhinestone you are using. Tips are etched on the side with the size number. If in doubt, place the tip over the rhinestone. It should pick up the rhinestone.
• Gently screw the tip into the end of the Bejeweler.
• Prepare your work surfaces and, if applying to fabric, use a firm, flat surface. For sheer fabrics, place a PTFE sheet under the fabric or between layers or the rhinestone may bond the surfaces together.
• Allow the Bejeweler to heat for 3 – 5 minutes.
• Place the rhinestones (face up) on a flat, hard surface. Gently place the tip over the rhinestone – do not push down. The tip will pick up the rhinestone for you.
• Allow the heat to melt the glue on the back of the rhinestone – the glue will begin to look wet. Small stones take very little time – larger stones will require more time.
• Place the rhinestone onto the surface of your item and immediately lift the tip up. The tip of the tool should not be held onto the surface of the item. Turn the tip of the tool to the side and gently press the crystal down to make certain it is tightly adhered to the surface.

Iron-On Instructions

Fabrics That May Or May Not Be Used!

YES: cottons, cotton blends, wool, silk, velveteen, velour, denim (the softer the better), t-shirts and sweatshirts are probably your easiest fabrics; lycra, slinky (a little trickier, but possible), cotton sweaters are easiest.  Always test fabrics if you’re not sure, read the garment hang tag.

NO: nylon jackets, velvet, acrylic, leather, vinyl, trigger (fabrics with a finish).  Don’t forget to read the hang tags.

Sue’s Sparklers takes no responsibility for the application or your iron.

Easy to Apply Directions

1. Always iron on a hard, flat surface (no padded ironing board).  Lay out your shirt.
2. Peel off the white backing of the design.
3. Place the sticky side down onto fabric.  If not in the desired place, you may pick up the design and place it again and again.  Cut it apart, change it, nothing is permanent until you press it on.
4. Put the pressing cloth over the design.  (I prefer the non-stick pressing cloth, because I have scorched all the cotton cloths.  You may use a pressing cloth as lightweight as a man’s handkerchief.)
5. Set your iron on a wool setting – NO STEAM.  Temperature may be adjusted as needed.  All irons are different.
6. Place your iron on the pressing cloth on top of the design.  Your iron will sit there a minimum of 45 – 60 seconds.  Do not move your iron.  Let it sit in place.  This makes you nervous.  BUT – the length of time and your temperature is what is melting the glue.  Make sure your iron sits there long enough.  If it sits there long enough and the glue isn’t getting melted, then the temperature of your iron will need to be adjusted.

   ** Click Here to see pictures of a design applied with too much heat.

7. Once you have let the iron sit in one place for 60 seconds, take the front half of your iron and press down in small sections at a time.  This will help with different size pieces and different heights of pieces in your designs.
8. If your design is larger than your iron, move the pressing cloth with the iron, and do the next section.  Don’t worry about overlap.  It is also a good idea to turn your shirt inside out and repeat the instructions and press from the backside.
9. Now, let the plastic cool.  There should be a slight ripple or bubbling in the plastic.  If the plastic is perfectly flat, your iron was probably not warm enough.  If it looks like the edges are shrinking, your iron might be a little too warm. If it is really shrunken and you have melted the plastic onto the garment – your iron is way too warm.  Check your temperature.When the plastic is cool, the glue has had time to cool off.  Approximately 5 minutes.  Your sticky plastic will remove easier.  If you run the iron over the top of the design.  This will warm up the plastic and make it easier to peel off.  If there are pieces sticking to the clear plastic, you have missed a section, OR if you have let the iron sit there long enough, your iron is not warm enough.  Turn up the temperature and repeat process until you get the glue melted.
10. If there are larger crystals in the designs, size 16ss or 20ss, keep in mind that with the extra depth, you’ll need to use more time to melt the glue.  Approximately 75 – 90 seconds.  If there are small flat pieces next to the larger pieces, make sure they get ironed on securely.

Your project is now complete! Now make sure the pieces are securely bonded. Rub your palms across the design, up and down, back and forth.  Now, use your thumbnail and aggressively scrape at the pieces. If anything feels loose, you’ll need to re-iron. Once the glue is permanently melted, your garment can be machine washed, machine dried or dry cleaned.  TEST IT!  You have to melt the glue to make it permanent.  Everyone’s iron is different. Turn inside out to launder.  Designs that contain FLAT colored metals should be hung to dry.  (such as red, blue, etc.)

Heat Press: Iron for 10-15 seconds at 350 degrees Fahrenheit using light to light medium pressure. If you are using cabochons, make sure to turn the shirt inside out and press again from the wrong side.  Let it cool, remove plastic and press again with more pressure.  You can also turn it inside out and press from the wrong side.

No responsibility is taken for the reliability of your iron. Irons may heat up after being used for awhile.

We also have cutout designs: a rainbow, large and small cut-out star, small stars, small butterflies, large butterfly, small Christmas bulbs, bear paw quilt pattern, ex-large wreath, lightning bolt, poinsettia. These are super easy to use and very fast. They are already cut out for you! They range in price from $3.00 to $16.00.

As much as we hate to say this, we think the sequins should be air-dried. They will last longer if they are not put into the dryer.

Iron-on pearls come in white, cream & blue in sizes 10ss, 16ss, and white & cream in size 34ss. They are the same prices as the colored crystals in similar sizes.

Instructions for changing metals to crystals on Iron on design

Size 6ss and 10ss crystals will iron on easily with the metals, so feel free to change any metal pieces in a design for the crystals. But with larger crystals (I 6ss and up), you should iron them on in a second step. It’s easier to iron on flat metal pieces, (better iron contact), then to try to work around large crystals. If a design comes with 16ss crystals or larger, peel off the crystals, iron on the metals, peel off the plastic – make sure that the metals are adhering properly, and then iron-on the crystals.

A popular example is the peacock. Peel off the backing, and remove the 4mm metals inside the moon shapes, in his tail, and the 3 3mm metals at the top of his head. Save these metal pieces for another project. Iron on the peacock. Remove the plastic, iron from the backside, and make sure the pieces are securely bonded. Test with your fingernails for security. Now place the 16ss crystals inside the moon shapes, cover with a pressing cloth, and iron for a minimum of 45-60 seconds. Make sure the glue is melted. They won’t be secure if it isn’t. Place the 3 10ss crystals at the top of his head. Iron them on. You’re done! Now thank everyone for all the compliments you will be receiving.

How apply hot-fix crystals

	1. To make your own design you’ll need loose pieces, tweezers, a piece of silicon/mylar tape, (all of which you can purchase here!) a hard flat surface, utility tape, a sketch of what you want to lay out. I like to work on a small cutting board so that I can turn it to work around the design. I also like to lay the loose pieces out on something that I can lift and move too.
	2. You will need to separate the white backing from the sticky back silicon/mylar, probably the most difficult part of the process. Set the white backing aside for now.
	. 3. Handle the silicon/mylar carefully and place sticky side up onto your design. Tape the silicon/mylar into place. It is sticky and will stick to your hand while you are working, so the tape is necessary to keep it in place
	4. You will be working with the pieces face side down, glue side up. Using the tweezers follow the outline of your sketched design.
	5. Keep the spacing of the pieces even and not too close. The reason I like to use a movable work surface is important here, as I can use the side of the tweezers to fit in between the pieces. I rotate the board so that the tweezers always fit into the space between the piece I hold and the piece already in place. Another tip is to work from the center out. The flower center (yellow) is always placed first, and then I can space the petal pieces around it.
	6. Place the white backing on the completed design for storage until you are ready to iron it in place on your project.
	7. When you are making a word motif, you’ll always work with the design in mirror image. You are working face down.
	8. When you pick up the completed design, it will be reading the right

way.

Cabochons are epoxy.
Extremely important steps in pressing on these designs:
1. Press from the reverse side of fabric.
2. Don’t remove the sticky top until it is completely cold

We are now uploading hundreds of images to show you what you can easily do with the various sparkling designs located on our Hot Fix Iron on Designs page of our store.

Here is the Hot Fix Iron on Clothing Samples Gallery to show you great ideas for applying designs to clothing