This post is all about how to bling out Converse shoes using flat back crystals to turn regular white converse sneakers into stunning (and comfortable!) DIY wedding shoes.
You're going to learn the easiest, step by step method, to decorate converse with rhinestones by using the best materials and getting high quality results that last!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase something through them, I can receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate ya! For more info, please read the full disclosure here .
Bling Converse Kit - AKA Materials
So, whatβs needed to bling converse? Below you can find the same supplies I used for this project along with other budget friendly alternatives.
Swarovski Crystals / Rhinestones
UPDATE: The brand Swarovski was one of the most prestigious in the market, but unfortunately they have now discontinued their rhinestones, 
and although you could still find some leftover stock with some rhinestone sellers, the good news are that there's other brands in the market offering outstanding quality as well.
My favorite Swarovski substitute is the brand Preciosa and their line "Maxima".
Preciosa Maxima are machine cut stones with 18x and 15x facets and a highly resistant multilayer satin foiling that protects against damage and intensifies their brilliance making them sparkle sooo nicely.
But, if you're on a budget you can get cheaper rhinestones on Amazon, as well!
- [Features] - These flat back crystals are made of glass crystal, and the package includes 1440 pieces flat back rhinestones in clear, enough to decorate a small DIY craft
- [Dimension] - These beautiful round diamante gems measure 4.8 mm in diameter, they are tiny parts in small size, please keep them out of children's reach to avoid choking
- [Beautiful ornaments] - These round diamante gems can serve as beautiful ornaments and shine under the illumination of lights, which adds sparkle and glamour for your things, providing different visual enjoyment for you
What size of rhinestones for converse shoes?
The ss20 size of rhinestones can bling out most of the sneakers.
And, the ss10 size of rhinestones helps you to completely fill in all the little tricky spaces and curves on the shoes.
Having a mix of at least 2 different sizes of rhinestones will help you to move faster and have every single space on your converse shoes blinged out!
How many rhinestones for converse?
For this pair of white converse all star shoes it took me around 1.5 packages of 1,440 crystals in the ss20 size. And around half a package of 1,440 crystals in the ss10 size.
Please note that the size and style of your converse may require more or less crystals.
To make sure you have more than enough crystals to fully bling out your converse shoes, get 2 packages of 1,440 crystals in the ss20 size and 1 package in the ss10 size.
How to bling converse with pearls
Another alternative to bling DIY custom converse for weddings is using flatback pearls. Just like crystals, you can get them in different sizes and colors.
The process to apply flatback pearls is pretty much the same as with rhinestones and crystals.
You can decide if you want to use pearls or create a beautiful design mixing pearls and crystals.
Looking for somewhere to put your pearls and rhinestones while you're blinging things out? These trays, will make the job easier!
- γQuality Drill Trayγ: The diamond art painting tray is made of quality PP plastic, compression-resistance and friction-resistance, which can be used for a long time.
- γSuitable Sizeγ: The size of the rhinestone tray is 3.8x2.2 in, the width of the groove is 0.16 in, suitable for most diamond art painting accessories.
- γEasy to Useγ: Pour the diamond accessories into the plastic tray and shake it gently to make the diamonds arranged in order. In this way, you can easily use the pointed drill pen to paste the diamonds, which will greatly improve the efficiency of making diamond art paintings.
Best Glue for Rhinestones on Shoes!
E6000 has the best strength for sticking flat back crystals on shoes.
β’ Dries clear
β’ Paintable
The only downside is the fumes are toxic, 
so itβs best to use it in well-ventilated spaces, and consider wearing a mask or a respirator during the process so you won't be directly exposed. #BetterSafeThanSorry
- Related post: How to sew a face mask with filter pocket -
When used properly, this glue will keep rhinestones from falling off your shoes and is the best alternative I've found to make rhinestones stay on any similar bling crafts.
Rhinestone Picker Tool
This baby is such a life saver! I'm using the brand Crystal Katana, and I love it! However, if you're on a budget there's also similar rhinestone picker tools that get the job done for a cheaper price tag.
- EXQUISITE DIAMOND PAINTING PENS: You will get 2pcs diamond painting pens (pink+purple), 2 triangle crystal tray, 1 green crystal tray, a complete set of diamond painting tools to help you complete diamond painting faster
- COMFORTABLE GRIP: The diamond art pen is easy and comfortable to hold, and will not easily slip out of your hand. The pen body is inlaid with rhinestones, which is very beautiful
- DUAL TIP DESIGN: These drill pens have a dual tip design. An end is a self-adhesive wax tip, you can stick diamonds where you need it without clay; the other end is a stainless steel tip, you need to stick some clay on the tip to stick the diamonds
How do you pick up rhinestones?
These Rhinestone Picker tools have a wax tip that help you to easily pick up rhinestones, all you need to do is gently touch the crystals or pearls with this tip (do not smash it! 
) and voila! It'll be ready to go wherever you want it!
The stainless steel tip on the other side of the tool helps to perfectly align the rhinestones on your project, before the glue dries.
I like picker tools better than using tweezers (or my bare hands lol) they definitely make the blinging process easier and faster!
Syringe (1OZ)
Rather than using the whole tube of glue while working on any rhinestone project, try using a syringe, it makes the job more comfortable, clean and efficient.
- Easy to observe: the corresponding calibration is engraved on the syringe tube to facilitate users to view or measure the residual amount of the solution
- Range of application: each syringe is individually sealed, clean, safe and sterile, and can be applied for storage of essential oil, perfume, lubricants, sealants, etc.; And it's also suitable for the storage industrial inks, or as a tool for feeding animals
- Package contents: you will receive many packs plastic syringe with measurement, enough for use or replacement
Also, having a way to measure your progress and setting goals like βThis afternoon Iβll work until I finish 1 load of glue in my syringeβ can make working on big rhinestone projects more manageable and motivating!
(Yeah, I'm the type of girl that finds checklists and task challenges fun and highly satisfying! 
)
Dispensing Tips
Excess of glue can turn your converse into a hard, ugly and not so wearable situation for your feet.
Even if you can still wear them too much glue will make the end result look cheap and low quality 
, we don't want that!
- 16 Ga Luer Lock Blunt Needle - Overall Length 1.18οΌ- Gray
- 0.5οΌStainless Steel Cannula - 0.047οΌid x 0.063οΌod - Error in 0.01mm
- Plastic box packing , Pack of 20
The size 16G - Β½β has worked for most of my projects with ss10, ss16, and ss20 crystals in the past 5 years.
If you're planning to use smaller rhinestones check out a thinner dispensing tip size like 19 or 20 G.
White Converse Shoes
And well, of course the star of the show: a pair of white converse shoes.
Here's the white and black all star converse shoes that I'm using on this tutorial and also a completely white option you can order online!
- Fabric: Canvas
- Rubber sole
- Removable insole
- Soft Canvas
- Waffle Tread
- Canvas Lining And Sock
How to Bling Converse Step by Step
Honestly, the first time I did it, I was lost and unsure where to start. But then with practice I figured out how to do it in a simple way that can be easily replicated.
Here's a video tutorial to show you how to embellish converse using flatback Swarovski crystals in the most efficient and easy way.
Check out the timestamps below to help you navigate the video and easily re-watch any part of the process while you're working on bedazzling your Converse shoes. 
How to Wash Sneakers Without Ruining Them?
You can wash your blinged out converse without problems! The process is actually faster than washing converse shoes without rhinestones because crystals won't absorb dirt and stains as plain fabric does.
All you need is a small brush, mild soap and lukewarm water. (No washing machine please! 
)
The process to wash bedazzled converse shoes looks like this:
- Mix some lukewarm water with the soap.
- The brush will help you to scrub the toe-cap, rubber base, and any other front part of the sneakers that doesn't have crystals. Alternatively you can also try this sponge for cleaning and whitening shoe soles.
- Then, use the brush to scrub the inside of your converse shoes, to clean 100% of your sneakers without compromising the bling. Rinse with clean water after that.
- The crystals can be cleaned gently with a damp cloth. And finish using a dry cloth to keep them shiny and dust free.
- Let your converse shoes air dry. Avoid throwing them in the dryer or using a hair dryer because the heat can reactivate the glue and make the rhinestones lose.
And thatβs it! Clean sparkly converse ready to go.
- Also read: How to price your handmade products -
Custom Converse Ideas
You can take your blinging game to the next level and play with printed chucks like these two! 
Both of these printed converse sneakers would look AMAZING with black shiny rhinestones.
You could fill in the letters on the left pair with crystals and make them shine!
For the floral print, you could turn the black background into a bedazzled background, or go all in and get pink, green and red rhinestones to embellish the whole thing! 
(kinda like painting by numbers but even cooler!)
The possibilities are endless and the process to bling out these converse is pretty much the same as the bridal converse shoes.
The Finishing Touch: Cute Shoelaces For Your Sneakers!
Sparkly Converse deserve cute shoelaces that'll make them even more unique! I just discovered them last week, otherwise I'd definitely included them on the video.
You can choose metallic glitter or ribbon shoelaces for a quick refashion hack .
Wrapping this how to bling converse guide up!
Maybe you landed here looking to bling out your own converse shoes, but this is actually a DIY Craft project you can sell on Etsy! and I've seen a couple ladies doing just that. #BizOpportunity 
- Related post: Etsy product descriptions: BEST tips + Ultimate listing template! -
I actually made these sneakers for a clientβs wedding! I truly enjoyed the process and she loved the results. Full disclosure: those shiny crystals can easily make any girl fall in love.
Whether you're making DIY custom converse for weddings or just want to have stunning shoes that match your inner shine I hope this tutorial has given you all the information you need to start. 
Keep dreaming and keep creating, you can turn any idea into a dazzling reality! 
Related "How to Bling Converse" Articles:
- DIY Rhinestone Fringe Shorts
- How to Sew a Crop Top for Beginners
- Bleached Denim Jacket with Rhinestone Fringe
This post was all about how to bling converse to make DIY Converse Wedding Shoes. For more DIYs and step by step tutorials check out the βHandmade Product Ideasβ section.
was this post helpful?
LOVE THIS. Thank you. I am going to use this to do my own wedding shoes. Question, have you ever got into heat transfer vinyl yet? I want to put my name and date on them in silver glitter and wondered what the best brand for that would be if you used it yet?
Thank you so much Stephanie!π Im sure they will look stunning ππΌπ And I haven’t tried that yet, but I’ve seen all the amazing things you can do with the circuit so I do have it in my wish list too lol, these 2 are the ones I’ve seen: https://amzn.to/3KBL9XX (seems to be one of the more complete option and perfect if you want to start a business with it) and for small projects this one looks good: https://amzn.to/3rBUpmc they also have mini irons like this one: https://amzn.to/343tbNu I hope this helps!π
Thank you so much for this amazing guide. I just finished doing the full outline of my first shoe and it looks great thus far. So excited to keep going.
Yayy!! I’m so happy it was helpful π hope you enjoy your new shiny shoes a LOT when you finish.
How long roughly did it take you? Love the tutorial!!!
Hi Karli! I think I did it in around 3-4 days (like one side of each shoe per day), and maybe 2 hours per side, but honestly, I don’t remember exactly how long each day π It was enjoyable and almost therapeutic for sure! haha
Can you put rhinestones on the rubber toe cap and rubber sides also?
Hi Mysti! Yes, the glue works on rubber too, but please keep in mind that the sides of the shoes can easily get scratched while walking, which may cause the rhinestones to eventually fall off due to friction. However, the toe cap should be fine for applying the rhinestones. Hope this helps!