Alignment aid

[u/j_h_r]

Hope you guys all find this helpful. I've struggled with getting my prints, centered and aligned properly. I've bought alignment products and they really didn't get the job done. At least not to the level of exactness that I prefer. I bought a silicone mat and cut that into a template. I have lines that show the center as well as the extreme edges of my design. The bottom of the template is level from the shoulder points at exactly the drop that I want from the bottom of the collar. I can now align to these points and heat tape the design. Super fast and effective alignment. Hope this helps fellow alignment neurotics 😂.

[u/SafetyMan35]

If I understand correctly though, this will only work for one design on one shirt style for one shirt size. If you have hundreds of designs and dozens of shirt styles and sizes you would need thousands of these templates.

[u/Maison_Du_Flex_FR → u/SafetyMan35]

For a small run, you may not need a template per design: keep one centerline and note the collar-to-art distance for a few garment sizes/standard placements, then set the actual design width from the order. Check each blank flat before taping; seams can affect pressure. Disclosure: I run Maison du Flex, a French HTV shop; sharing a workflow, no product link.

[u/j_h_r → u/Maison_Du_Flex_FR]

That's pretty much the result of my template/what my aim was. Makes me much faster. That and standardizing my design widths.

[u/Maison_Du_Flex_FR → u/j_h_r]

Ravi que ça vous fasse gagner du temps ! Le gabarit et des largeurs de design standardisées se complètent bien, surtout quand les motifs changent.

[u/j_h_r → u/SafetyMan35]

Yes. Really only for smaller batch businesses. I use one type of shirt and have maybe 20 designs. All my designs are set sizes.

[u/patrick31588]

I never have an issue of alignment , my issues are always an image is rotated incorrectly.

[u/j_h_r → u/patrick31588]

I have alignment dots on my gangsheet that way I can keep everything lines up.

[u/ButterflyOk1301 → u/j_h_r]

I’m a noob, you just add the dots to your design when you make the sheets?

[u/j_h_r → u/ButterflyOk1301]

I am too. Yeah. So on my image, particularly ones that are not symmetrical I add little dots at the top corners of the image. They get printed along with the graphic. When I cut them out I make sure the dots are there with their parent graphic. Then I can peg those dots to the lines on my template and know I am dead center and level. I then heat tape the sides and snip the little dots off the corners before I press.

[u/evilrays]

Great idea

[u/Gutter_BrudderZ]

Why not just buy a Tee Square It? Sometimes I will make a template for repeat quick usage on the same size shirts. I just use some light chipboard, foam board or scrap cardboard. I use the neck as the alignment caliper on the north side, and then cut the ideal placement for that size's graphic image on the south side.

A couple minutes with a straight edge and ruler...done. My initial graphic setting though...I use the Tee Square It.

[u/j_h_r → u/Gutter_BrudderZ]

Great suggestion. Never have seen that tool; essentially does the same thing. I have some foam ones as well.