Glue-On vs. Sew-On/Set-In Rhinestones

I was reading the most recent questions regarding simple costumes for competitions and wanted to know why it is best to use sew on or clamped crystals.  My daughter is about to do her first competition and I was told to glue the crystals on with E-6000.  Any help is appreciated. Ari

Marie says:
I have often seen glued on rhinestones popping off of dresses before (and at!) competitions (like when a sweater is taken off).  This can be particularly bad when a skater loses them on the ice.  They are hard to see and could seriously hurt a skater if he/she trips over them.

However, there are some glues that are better than others.  If you really want to use a glue, try it out first.  Yank on the rhinestone really hard to make sure it doesn't come off.   But it's usually not any easier to glue rhinestones on than to clamp or sew them.  It's messy.  Also, the dress may not be able to be dry cleaned.

Amanda'sMom says:
Actually, you can use the glue on as well as the sew ons or set in rhinestones on skating costumes. The glue on types are the easiest of the three to apply.

For glue on rhinestones, I have found that a glue gun is best used on Velvets and Velours, while fabric glue (the white type specifically designed for applying glue on rhinestones), work best on Lycra Spandex, Glissinette and Chiffons. Always do a test run on some extra fabric that you plan to make the dress with. For the sew on rhinestones, I use beading thread and apply fabric glue to each of the 'knots' of the beading thread.

Personally, I prefer working with the set in or sew on rhinestones on competition dresses as they're less likely to fall, or be yanked off easily. The glue on types I used on ice show dresses since it would only be worn for 3-4 nights of skating.

Karen says:
What about Hot Fix Rhinestones?  Many inexperienced sewers are afraid to use them.  They are afraid they'll burn the fabric.  All you need to do is practice on a scrap of fabric.  If applied properly, they are machine washable and dry cleanable (according to the manufacturer).