Tips for Positioning Heat Transfers on a V-Neck Shirt

Decorating standard crew neck t-shirts will be a majority of your orders as a garment decorator. The standard t-shirt gives you a print area that is large and easy to print with your heat press. While most of your orders will be of this style of t-shirt, you will come across the need to decorate v-neck or scoop neck t-shirts, especially when printing for the female market. These styles can come in long sleeve, short sleeve or tank tops, all of which can be decorated on your heat press.

The measurements that you will use to place your graphics on the shirt will differ from crew neck to v-neck or scoop neck t-shirts. Normally, with crew neck shirts, we suggest a full front design be placed 3″ to 3.5″ down from the neck seam. Or, if you don’t have a ruler, use your hand. Hold up 4 fingers horizontally, and use this as a guide to place the top of your graphic. Your 4 fingers horizontally will be about 3-3.5″.

This general rule would be too low for a scoop or v-neck shirt. We suggest placing the top of your full size graphic about 1 – 1.5″ below the neckline.

When putting a v-neck or scoop neck shirt on your heat press, your goal is to create a flat, even printing surface. It may be best to thread/dress the platen with the shirt and arrange it so the neckline is hanging off of the platen, as in the image below.

Thread the platen with your shirt and remove the neck seam from the print area.

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