How to Use a Bedazzler Kit? | Getting Rhinestones To Stick

Using a Bedazzler kit means pressing rhinestones into fabric with a hand tool that bends metal prongs or melts adhesive, depending on the stone type.

Figuring out how to use a Bedazzler kit usually trips people up at the start because there are two different kinds of stones and two different methods. One uses prongs that physically clamp onto the fabric, and the other uses a heated tip that melts glue on the back of a stone. Mixing up the two is the main reason a first project ends with rhinestones scattered on the floor.

The Two Kinds Of Rhinestones Change Everything

Before you press anything, check what you actually bought. The original Bedazzler style of tool works with most #20 and #34 rhinestones, which are the two-part kind. These stones come in two pieces: a metal setting with prongs, and the crystal that snaps into it. This type of stone works from the wrong side of the fabric.

Hotfix rhinestones are a completely different system. They have a heat-activated glue already on the flat back, so they work with an electric applicator that looks like a soldering iron, not the classic plier-style press. An Amazon listing for one such hotfix applicator is blunt about the limitation: this tool only works for hotfix rhinestones, and it cannot pick up stones on its own.

Using A Classic Prong-Style Bedazzler

The prong method is mechanical, so it works on a range of fabrics as long as the material is thin enough for the prongs to bend through. The general steps are consistent across the kits that use this style.

1. Mark your design on the right side of the fabric so you can see where each stone goes.
2. Flip the fabric over so you are working from the wrong side.
3. Place the metal rim set over the marked spot, with the prongs facing down toward the fabric.
4. Press the crystal into the rim set from the same side.
5. Position the Bedazzler tool’s arm over the setting and press down firmly to bend the prongs closed over the stone.

The rhinestonebiz.com instruction page, which covers using rim sets and Tiffany sets with a Bedazzler tool, notes that pressing the arm down is what actually bends the prongs to lock everything in place. If the stone wiggles after you release the tool, press again with a little more force. A common beginner mistake is pressing too softly and leaving the prongs loose enough that the crystal pops out on the first wear.

Using A Hotfix Applicator

If your kit came with an electric wand and stones that have a shiny glue coating on the back, you have the hotfix system. This method works from the right side of the fabric, since the glue needs to touch the surface you want to decorate.

1. Preheat the applicator for about 2 minutes, or 2-3 minutes for some kits, until the tip is hot.
2. Place a hotfix stone on the fabric with the glue side down.
3. Hold the applicator tip on the top of the stone for 15 to 20 seconds so the glue melts and bonds to the fabric.
4. Lift the tool and wait for the stone to cool before you touch it.

The same Amazon listing for the hotfix applicator recommends that preheat time and the 15-to-20-second hold, and it warns that the applicator cannot pick up rhinestones — you place each one by hand or with tweezers.

Fabric choice matters more here than with prongs. Hotfix glue bonds best to tight weaves like denim, cotton, and canvas. Loose knits and stretchy materials can let the stone peel off because the glue has nothing solid to grip. Testing one stone on a hidden seam saves you from ruining your whole design.

The Glue Method And What The Kits Cost

Neither tool is strictly required. A common alternative method is to use GemTac or E6000 glue with flat-backed crystals and a gem picker, working in small areas so the glue gets tacky before you place the stones, according to a beginner’s guide to bedazzling from missamymay.com. This method gives you more placement control and works on fabrics that resist both prongs and heat.

Prices vary widely depending on what is in the box. A Newegg listing for a Bedazzler DELUXE MEGA SET puts it at $39.99 and says it includes the Bedazzler, 1050 studs, 150 rhinestones, and a design handbook. A Walmart listing for a Worthofbest electric hotfix kit lists $25.99 and says it comes with a detailed manual and how-to videos. If you are still shopping, our tested roundup of the best bedazzling kits for your first project breaks down what each set actually includes.