Applying Swarovski Hotfix Crystals with an Iron / Heat Press

If you’re going to be applying Swarovski hotfix crystals to garments and fabric, you have two main application options. Firstly, applying the crystals with an iron, and secondly, with a heat press.

So, which application method is better? Below you’ll discover more about each method, and which one is right for you.

Do you need an iron or heat press?

In order to determine whether you’ll need an iron or a heat press, think about how frequently you’ll be attaching crystals to fabric. Do you receive a large number of orders? If so, a heat press would be the fastest application process. However, they can also be really expensive. So, unless you're handling a lot of orders, you’d probably be better off using an iron.

Preparing your garments or fabric

Before using an iron to secure your Swarovski hotfix flat back crystals, it’s important to do a little prep work first. This includes figuring out where you want the design to go, ensuring you’re using a hard, flat surface, and having a Teflon sheet handy.

You’ll only have one opportunity to get the design placement right. So, you may need to try on the garment before marking where the crystals need to go. It’s important to note that if you use a wooden surface to work on, the heat from the iron could damage it. This means it’s best to use an ironing board wherever possible.

If the fabric is particularly thin, you’ll need a Teflon sheet to protect the layers. If you don’t use one of these sheets, it’s possible the front layer of the garment could stick to the back one. Placing the sheet between the two layers will prevent this.

Things to consider

There are a few things you’ll want to consider when using an iron to secure Swarovski hotfix crystals. The type of iron you’re using will make a big difference to the results. Ideally, you’ll want to ensure you’re using an iron without a steam function. If it does have a steam function, ensure it is turned off when you’re using the iron.

When it's time to secure the crystals, it's best to place a teflon sheet over the top of the crystals, then place the iron on top of the teflon sheet and apply heat to secure the crystals to the fabric.

This is a very basic guide on how to apply Swarovski hotfix crystals with an iron. If you can get hold of a heat press, then this would be a faster and easier process. However, the majority of people would be better off using the iron method.

Hotfix Application Tutorial 

The tutorial below shows how you iron-on Swarovski Hotfix Crystals / Swarovski Hotfix Transfer onto a dress:

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