# Tips for getting your design square on the garment



## hotwheels (Jul 11, 2008)

Hi
Ive just done a job for a friend which involved a square in one colour and some text running across the shirt in another colour.
This job has made me realise I am truly usless at determining if things are straight or not.
I'll be honest, I was doing it all by eye, not ruler/square etc.
I found i could spend 5 minutes or more trying to get the text straight, press it and it would still be a little wonky.

has anyone got any tips, or will I just get better as time goes on?

many thanks


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## krazycalves (Dec 31, 2008)

I am also very interested in any tips veterans have on this subject. I'm doing DTG and doing garment placement by eye with only intermittent success.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Try Lou's t-square it... HEAT PRESS ESSENTIALS,tee Square it, Logo it, teflon sheets, T Shirt Transfer Paper. JPSS. Jet Pro SofStretch works great and costs less!


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## torodesigns (Jun 24, 2007)

Here is what I do . . . 
I line up the tag to some reference (like the back press post) then make sure that equal amounts of the sleeve are hanging off the platen . . . that will ensure that the shirt is centered.

With Vinyl applications I fold the graphic in half and that gives me my center reference on the graphic. . . then I line up the crease with the tag . . .been doing it for years so of course practice speed up the process. 

give me a shout if you need anything else.


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## hotwheels (Jul 11, 2008)

Yeah i was trying to square tees up on my heat press platen by looking at how much was hanging off each side. It was fine for smaller sizes but the larger tees, say XL and above, you can have 2 or 3 inches off each side before the sleeve even starts, this is where i was running into problems.

And also, even if i managed to get the tee perfectly square, getting a striaght line of text to be exactly horizontal across the tee, well its not easy!

Ive seen the 'tee square it'. So will that actually help with my problems? 
How many people here actually use this piece of equipment?


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## torodesigns (Jun 24, 2007)

You are correct on the sleeve part but the before the sleeve is the seem and that is what I use to determine the length of each side.

As far of the T-Square I am pretty sure there are a good number of people that use. . . but you still have to get the shirt on the platen lined up correctly if I am not mistaken.


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## pukingdeserthobo (Jun 3, 2008)

torodesigns said:


> Here is what I do . . .
> I line up the tag to some reference


that might not always be the best ways most of the time i see that tag isn't centered


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## jmj (Feb 24, 2008)

This may not help but I use the same method as I do for screenprinting. Lay the shirt on your heat press (I always put the collar right over the top edge, then check to make sure the "armpits" are aligned with each other, then put each hand on the side of the platen and run them right under the platen (sometimes if you close your eyes you can fill if you have a equal amount of the shirt on each side) if not just slide the shirt until you get the same amount. After that I put down the transfer find the center, measure from center point out to the edge (mine is 8" for the 16x20 press), take my clear T-square and line it up. I usually do all my own designs so in Corel I just make straight lines rotate one 90 degrees to find my center, then find a a place in the design where I know I can have a straight line usually along the text. This may seem complex and a waste of too much time but when I know my marks, I can put out alot of shirts in a short time. Hope this helps, for transfers already made, I try to do the same thing but sometimes it's impossible.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Euan...do a search for the T Square on the forum..some like some don't, but most do. I think several thousand have been sold world wide..check out the site..but first read what is said on the forum


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## hotwheels (Jul 11, 2008)

OK will do,
I thought i must be missing out something basic, but I am doing what everyone else has said, I guess there is no 'simple soloution' for getting things exactly square and/or centered
thanks all for the advice, if anyone else has anything they can add please do


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## customistic (Feb 10, 2009)

I FOUND THE BEST ANSWER

First, instead of using a ruler, I made these papers (we in the shop call a "trick" (everything has silly names) where it is 7" long and 4" wide. This is the best thing I ever did, much easier than a ruler. I drew it on card stock and laminated it with clear packing tape. I'm Jewish, I do everything the cheapest way possible.










Next, I make all my employees press a "cross" in the shirt, they fold it in half lengthwise, the press it in the press for 5 seconds, then take it out, fold it in half (well, folded by the arm pits) and press it again.

This gives you a nearly perfect ruler right on the shirt that will last for a couple presses (enough to press the front and back). If you see the cross is a little high, you know it's a little high and take that into account.

Next, you take your transfer and fold it in half, creasing it in a couple of places along the way. I try to avoid actually creasing a part with vinyl on it, and just creasing the plastic part, but it doesn't really matter. Now you know exactly where the middle of the shirt and the middle of the transfer are.

I don't usually press the crease in the armpits, I can usually just go off the lengthwise crease.

This trick also works with pressing sleeves, blankets, whatever.


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## GHEENEE1 (Jan 8, 2007)

I use the t square it. Use to eyeball, thought I was good at it,wrong. The t square it allows me exact placement on every shirt.
Mike


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## hotwheels (Jul 11, 2008)

I was going to get a tee square it, but with the poor exchange rate and expensive US shipping rate im looking at around £70 (thats about $150 US)
I cant bring myself to spend that at this stage!


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

hotwheels said:


> I was going to get a tee square it, but with the poor exchange rate and expensive US shipping rate im looking at around £70 (thats about $150 US)
> I cant bring myself to spend that at this stage!


Maybe you could go down to your local craft store, and look for a product similar to what I use. 

It is a June Tailor Fringe Cut. I paid $11 for it.

It is a clear, acrylic template. It was intended to be used for cutting fleece to make fringe blankets and scarves, etc, but it is clear, lined and numbered, and does the trick for me. Maybe it will work for you, too. 

I bought mine at Walmart, but maybe a craft store near you, or an online store, will have something reasonably priced that you can use. 

Here is a photo of what I use:


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

I just want to add that I have started to use the method of folding the shirt in half (vertically) and doing my pre-press that way, to remove the moisture and add a center line down the shirt -- and then I use the June Tailor Fringe Cut for the rest of the line up. Cheap, good, gets the job done. =)


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

hotwheels said:


> I was going to get a tee square it, but with the poor exchange rate and expensive US shipping rate im looking at around £70 (thats about $150 US)
> I cant bring myself to spend that at this stage!


Here is a home made that I use and it works. It is made of two yard sticks. It would not cost you $150.00 not even $10.00. The one I made is free. I got the yard sticks at the trade show.



























Here is the detail:


Cut both sticks to the width of the lower platen. I have a 16X20 so the length was 16".
Use one 16" for horizontal bar
Use the two longer pieces for vertical side bars
Lay one of the longer piece in vertical position so that the 1 inch print is pointing on the top end
Sand the area between 8.5" and 10"
Sand the opposite side of 1 inch print with 1 inch print pointing on the left side
Apply a thin coat of Elmer's glue or any wood glue in the sanded area
Lay the horizontal bar on the vertical bar so that the top edge of the horizontal bar is aligned to 8.5" and the end of the horizontal bar is aligned to the left side of the vertical bar.
Check with try square to make sure the horizontal bar is perpendicular to the vertical bar
Clamp the pieces and let it dry
Sand the same area of the right vertical bar and the opposite end of the horizontal bar
Glue the right side vertical bar to the horizontal bar the same way as 9 and 10 except the right end of the horizontal bar is aligned with the right side of the vertical bar.
Sand and glue the flat side of the other 16" piece on the side of the left vertical bar
The last piece will be used to keep the assembly square to the lower platen buy butting it against the left edge of the platen
To use it:


Lay the assembly on the shirt
Push the flat piece against the edge of the lower platen
Slide the assembly so that the horizontal bar is located to where the top edge of the transfer will be located
Align the edge of the transfer against the horizontal bar
Use the printed graduation of the horizontal bar to center the transfer or any horizontal placement desired.
Lay the transfer on the shirt


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## gak1970 (Nov 4, 2008)

Very clever idea.


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## thecaptive (Feb 22, 2007)

I have the t-square it and have never gotten the hang of it. I also fold the shirt in half length wise and press. I am then able to line up the transfer using my eyes, seems to work well for me.


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## Colorfast (Sep 2, 2006)

thecaptive said:


> I have the t-square it and have never gotten the hang of it. I also fold the shirt in half length wise and press. I am then able to line up the transfer using my eyes, seems to work well for me.


I bought the T-square at a trade show. I like it very much. It helps me with the left chest prints. Also great to help center shirt on platen.


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## varns (Dec 28, 2008)

Lnfortun said:


> Here is a home made that I use and it works. It is made of two yard sticks. It would not cost you $150.00 not even $10.00. The one I made is free. I got the yard sticks at the trade show.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very Nice. I'll try it.


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## tdeals (Dec 13, 2006)

Hasn't anyone tried a level?

They come in a variety of lengths and are inexpensive. You can use them to help level/position materials on apparel just as you can for leveling wall vinyl.

Check out these:

Amazon.com: Empire e81.12 True Blue 12-Inch Magnetic Tool Box Level: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Empire Level E250 12-Inch Heavy Duty Professional Combination Square w/Etched Stainless Steel Blade and True BlueR Vial: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Black and Decker BDSL30 24-Inch 3-in-1 Gecko Grip Level: Home Improvement


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## mrbigjack50 (Jun 9, 2008)

There is a member here that sells something for that specific job, I thing Mark at DaGuide?


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## raise (Apr 11, 2008)

mrbigjack50 said:


> There is a member here that sells something for that specific job, I thing Mark at DaGuide?


Heat Transfer and CAD CUT Vinyl Heat Press Alignment Tool - Perfect Transfers

I've used both the T-Square and the Perfect Transfer tool.

I found it easier to do left chest placements with the Perfect Transfer tool.


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## neenaw (Apr 9, 2009)

hotwheels said:


> I was going to get a tee square it, but with the poor exchange rate and expensive US shipping rate im looking at around £70 (thats about $150 US)
> I cant bring myself to spend that at this stage!


You can get it in the UK at The Transfer Press


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## grumpysod (Sep 8, 2008)

hope some of you find this information sheet handy


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## jjstahl3 (Aug 20, 2008)

i have had the same problem getting things straight but also how low or high to place a line of text on a shirt? I have been using 3 to 4 fingers from the collar but what is the standard distance? do you adjust for larger shirts?


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

The depth of the color can vary from brand to brand and sizes. I measure from the cusp where the shoulder and collar meets unless the shirt has V neck.


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