How to Select the Perfect Rhinestones for DIY Figure Skating Outfits!
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I was so proud of my daughter when she first decided that she wanted to start competitive figure skating! I wanted to support her in every way that I could. But it didn’t take us very long to start racking up some expensive costs when it came to necessities like ice skating gear and even the training outfits.
I mean expensive training clothes, really? Those practice pants are constantly getting ripped up by skates and the outfits are constantly being outgrown. They have to be replaced way too frequently to be so expensive.
Being the DIY enthusiast that I am, I quickly decided that I could save myself some expenses by getting a little crafty. And that’s exactly what I did! I ordered some affordable black outfits, some hotfix rhinestones, some tools, and made my daughter her own unique, custom training outfits.
And let me tell you, she absolutely loved them! She just can’t get over how unique her own customized figure skating outfits are compared to the limited styles that name-brand companies offer. As a kid she just likes looking cool on the ice, she’s not interested in the price. I make it happen for her easily though by using a simple hotfix rhinestone transfer process.
I much prefer to use the hotfix method on clothes compared to using a fabric glue method. E6000 glue, for example, hardens immensely and that hardened glue can feel like a knot and can make thin fabric stiff from the hard glue. Hotfix crystals are a much better solution for clothing. However, I do use the gluing method for dazzling the skate guards, which I will cover later.
The hotfix rhinestone transfer process can be used to customize training outfits or competition dresses, but you do need to know what rhinestones are right for each job. I like to use pretty yet inexpensive stones for the practice gear and tougher materials like the skate guards, but for the competition outfits, I like to splurge a little and get the nicer crystals.
To give you a helping hand on where to get started, I’m going to share some of my favorite crystals and rhinestones for my daughter’s ice skating outfits, along with a breakdown of the tools I use for the job. Here’s How to Select the Perfect Rhinestones for Figure Skating Outfits!
Picking Perfect Rhinestones
So, let’s talk glitz and glamour! That’s exactly how these outfits turn out with the right knowledge. First, you have to start with picking the right rhinestones. As I mentioned, I like to use inexpensive stones for practice clothes since they have to be replaced more often. There’s just no need to rack up unnecessary costs if there’s a way around it.
The competition dresses call for a little more pizazz though. Even so, you can still find affordable options even with next level stones. Here are my go-to rhinestones for figure skating clothes and some of my favorite rhinestone retailers:
- Mixed Hotfix Rhinestones – I like to use these less expensive stones for decorating the training clothes, Zuca, and skate guards.
- Preciosa Crystals – These are the cheaper option for glitzy competition dresses, but these crystals still give a pretty good blink on the ice!
- Swarovski Crystals – These are perfect and classy for competition dresses, but they can be pretty expensive.
Rhinestone Tip:
If your little figure skater is just starting to compete and starting out on basic levels, I recommend using the Preciosa crystals at first. Then, move to Swarovski crystals when your skater gets to the preliminary level.
Some of my favorite online rhinestone retailers:
Other Rhinestoning Tools
Now that you know what kind of rhinestones to be looking for, it’s time to talk about tools. Everyone knows that you have to have the right tools for the job. To make this hotfix transfer process as easy as possible, there are a few tools that I use and highly recommend for anyone who wants to do this kind of project. Here’s everything I use for DIY figure skating outfits:
Rhinestones Transfer Materials:
- Iron
- Ironing board
- Blue painters tape
- Kitchen towel or clean cloth
- Transfer Paper for Rhinestones – this paper is specifically for transferring crystal patterns.
- Glue Applicator Syringe
- Hot Fix Wand – for individual stones
- Rhinestone Picker Dotting Pen
- Bead Sorting Trays with Tweezer Scoop
Storage:
Pattern Downloads and Transfers:
- My Panda Pattern Download
- My Unicorn Pattern Download
- Sparkle Pattern Rhinestone Transfer
- Ice Skater Rhinestone Transfer
Now that you know what you need, here’s how to do it: How to DIY Figure Skating Clothes with Rhinestones!
Rhinestoning Tips
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind for ultimate DIY ease and a short how-to on rhinestoning skate guards, as promised:
- Use hotfix rhinestones for figure skating clothes.
- For skating guards I use coldfix stones since the guards are made out of plastic and can melt from the heat required for hotfix stones.
- I use rhinestone sizes #10 and #12. These are small enough to use for the patterns but still large enough that I don’t have to use a ton of them.
- Make sure the clothes have been completely cleaned and ironed before starting the rhinestone pattern transfer.
- If you need to leave the stones unattended during the patterning process, make sure to cover them with a piece of transfer paper to protect the sticky parts from collecting dust.
- I use E6000 Glue to attach rhinestones to the skating guards.
- First, pour the glue into an applicator syringe.
- Then, gently squeeze a tiny bit of glue onto the skate guard and use a dotting pen to carefully attach the rhinestones.
- Keep in mind that the syringes do not store well with glue so they are one-time use only.
- Always wear gloves during this process! This glue is really hard to remove from hands.
Tips and Treats Just for Figure Skaters
Want some more goodies just for the little ice skaters out there? Here’s my blog on how to work with these rhinestones and a few easy homemade treats that my daughter and her figure skating friends have absolutely loved:
- How to DIY Figure Skating Clothes with Rhinestones
- Ice Skate Sugar Cookies
- Homemade Lollipops
- Marshmallow Snowmen
DIY Projects
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