Can I stone my own dress?

[alejeather]

I'm looking around for a skating dress and I'm sorely tempted to buy a plain dress and decorate it myself, but I wanted to do a sanity check to see if I have what it takes.

From what I've read, stoning a dress is not difficult, but it is tedious. My understanding is that it takes a decent eye, a steady hand, and a lot of patience.

I haven't done this kind of decorating work, but I've done other meticulous arts and crafty type things, but not for some time.

Is this a reasonable undertaking if I have the time and desire to do it? Also, where do I buy stones?

[Skittl1321]

I stoned my dresses.  I put a piece of cardboard into the dress to separate the two layers and LIGHTLY stretch them.

I used E6000 glue, put a bit onto a plate at a time and picked it up with a toothpick and applied it to a rhinestone and placed each one individually.   

I have been able to machine wash it (on delicate) and lost no stones. 

You can see my freeskate dress here: http://skittl1321.blogspot.com/2011/06/freeskate-dress.html
I think it took me like a weekend, but a long one.

[alejeather]

Thanks, Skittl. That's all good stuff to know. Where did you buy your stones?

[Skittl1321]

I got them from beadsfactory.com. You have to buy in bulk but a great price.

[hopskipjump]

I use a white crayon and push it on the top of the stone.  It sticks - then I dip it in glue and then stick it on the dress.  I have also used tweezers, but the crayon makes it go faster.

[karne]

It does require patience and a steady hand, and I had the worst ache between my shoulder blades after I was done, but no worse than what I get from work.

You also don't need majorly expensive stones. My Tango Amore dress has four hundred odd stones, all bought from an arts and crafts shop. They look great.

[davincisop]

Careful if you use a heat gun for stones. I did that for a show dress and got distracted by tv. The gun slipped off the stone and put a little stone sized hole in the skirt. Thankfully it was not noticeable.

[sarahspins]

Using a crayon to place stones is *so* obvious - thanks for sharing that one

I like using a precision glue applicator, aka syringe with a blunted needle (you can just clip the sharp tip off with wire cutters if you're careful), it's easy, precise, and less messy than using toothpicks to apply glue.

It's also easier to mark where you want to place the stones with a washable marker (or chalk marker on darker dresses) while *wearing* the dress, then there's no guesswork about where they will end up later on

[PinkLaces]

I used to stone my DD's dresses.  I think I did 3 or 4.  I gave up because it took me so long to do basic stoning while her coach would do amazing patterns.  She would do them for free so it was just a lot easier to have her do it.  I used a tool that looked like a sticky q-tip for the glued ones and have also done the hot fix flatbacks.  The hot fix ones you really have to pay attention so  you don't burn yourself or the dress.

[Skittl1321]

I like using a precision glue applicator, aka syringe with a blunted needle (you can just clip the sharp tip off with wire cutters if you're careful), it's easy, precise, and less messy than using toothpicks to apply glue.

How do you prevent the glue from drying in the applicator? That was my problem, so I just prefer toothpicks.

[TreSk8sAZ]

I crystal all of my own dresses. Actually, I've been working on one this weekend but had to order more stones. I do different patterns depending on the music, it's really not that hard. I use an adhesive similar to the E6000, and flatback crystals. I use small paintbrushes to apply the glue rather than toothpicks and place them with tweezers. I generally either lay out the pattern on the dress and then just pick them up, or on this current dress (where I needed a perfectly straight line up the middle) I put the dress on and marked center. But normally I don't have to mark out the pattern on the dress too much. The best part about doing it yourself is no one else will have the exact same dress, plus it's fun!

[Kim to the Max]

Here are picture of the latest dress I have done. I am adding a few more stones to the mesh. It took my friend and I a few sittings to do it, but we both have crazy schedules so we were getting in an hour here and an hour there when we could...

[hopskipjump]

Kim - where did you get your dress?  The dye job is beautiful.

[Kim to the Max]

It's a Del Arbour dress. She quotes them online with stones, but Cassie at Northern Ice and Dance was able to get me it without stones.

[hopskipjump]

You'll be a hit.  It's gorgeous.

[alejeather]

Yes, Kimtothemax, that dress looks gorgeous!

I think I'm going to do this. I have a dress in mind and I ordered some stones yesterday. I need to get glue, and maybe something to apply it with. But I think I'm going to take this on and I'm pretty excited about it.

Thanks so much to all who provided information. I'm sure I'm going to have some additional questions once I get started!

[karne]

Tweezers and a toothpick. Cheapest applicator ever.

[SynchKat]

gorgeous dress.

and my synchro team had a dress stoning party once.  We just dabbed the glue on and used tweezers to apply the stones.  Tedious but fun with friends and some wine.  Although my husband did have to open our basement windows because we were all getting a little giggly from the fumes 

[Skittl1321]

Our synchro team did the same thing!  Everyone got together- and man, were those glue fumes strong.

[SynchKat]

I think it says do in a well ventilated area....really though who obeys those warnings. 

[Skittl1321]

Even outside, if you have 15+ people using that glue, there isn't enough ventilation!

When I stone my own dress, I do it in my living room, I've never had an issue with the fumes.  It's a big-ish room.

[isakswings]

I'm looking around for a skating dress and I'm sorely tempted to buy a plain dress and decorate it myself, but I wanted to do a sanity check to see if I have what it takes.

From what I've read, stoning a dress is not difficult, but it is tedious. My understanding is that it takes a decent eye, a steady hand, and a lot of patience.

I haven't done this kind of decorating work, but I've done other meticulous arts and crafty type things, but not for some time.

Is this a reasonable undertaking if I have the time and desire to do it? Also, where do I buy stones?

Yes you can. I stone my daughter's dresses. I am not as good as others are though! Good luck and have fun. It certainly will save you some money if you do it yourself. Dd's current freestyle dress is being made. I will crystal it. Although, I won't have to do much since it has a sequined sheer fabric on it and glitters quite a bit already!

[jbruced]

I know this is an old thread but I was looking for information about putting crystals/rhinestones on skating dresses. From what I had read in general on the internet dresses for skating and dance should be sewn on or done with a tiffany setting. Reading this thread it seems most people are using various glues. Is there any trouble with the crystals falling off when using the glues?

[fsk8r]

I know this is an old thread but I was looking for information about putting crystals/rhinestones on skating dresses. From what I had read in general on the internet dresses for skating and dance should be sewn on or done with a tiffany setting. Reading this thread it seems most people are using various glues. Is there any trouble with the crystals falling off when using the glues?

The odd one falls off but not generally very often, and only when it didn't have enough glue to start with.

[littlerain]

Since this thread has been revived, I would also love to know where you guys get your stones?