Level Up Your Look: How to Apply Varsity Twill and Rhinestone Patches to Garments
Hey there, fellow creators! Have you ever seen those amazing varsity jackets or embellished tees and wondered how to get that same custom, high-end look? Today, we're diving into the exciting world of patches – specifically, how to perfectly apply Be Createful Varsity twill and dazzling rhinestone patches to your favorite garments!
Adding patches is a fantastic way to personalize your clothing, showcase your personality, or represent your favorite team. It's easier than you think, and the results are gratifying. Let's get crafting!
Preparing Your Garment
Examine Your Garment
Start by carefully examining the fabric of your garment. Embellishments adhere best to smooth, flat surfaces. Therefore, if your fabric has bumps, wrinkles, or loose threads, it's essential to address these issues before proceeding. We suggest using a heat press when applying patches. Heat presses provide consistent heat and even pressure to secure your beautiful rhinestone patches, ensuring they adhere properly and prolonging the longevity of your project. Each rhinestone heat press application is different. Therefore, we recommend that you test and make adjustments as needed. Additionally, not all garments can withstand the temperature required to melt the glue on patches, so testing is recommended.
Preparing Your Garment and Aligning Your Patches
Next, pre-press your garment for rhinestone heat pressing. Pre-pressing removes moisture and wrinkles, allowing for the best outcome, and it's a great way to locate the center of your garment. A quick trick to find the center of your garment is to fold it lengthwise, aligning the shoulder, armpit, and hem, and press for 5 seconds. After pressing your garment, you can open it to find the center, which will help you achieve perfect placement. By preparing your garment, you can successfully press the rhinestone patch onto your favorite jersey, uniform, jacket, shirt, or hoodie.
Before you start, we highly recommend placing a Teflon sheet, butcher paper, or a similar material between the front and back layers of your garment. A Teflon sheet acts as a barrier to prevent the transfer of glue through to the other side of your garment. Using a Teflon sheet will not only protect your garment but also your heat press platen.
Preheat your press to 335 degrees, with medium to firm pressure. With the center of your garment identified, you’re ready to align your twill patches. Be Createful's Design Placement tool is the fastest and easiest way to create straight and reproducible patch placement. Once you have your twill patches aligned, cover your patches with a second Teflon sheet.
Pressing Your Varsity Twill Rhinestone Patch
Be cautious when moving or adjusting the design, as this can cause the twill patch to shift under the transfer sheet. Consider using heat press tape or a scrap of transfer tape to secure your patches before pressing.
With the Teflon sheet covering your twill patches and garment, press the Varsity twill numbers or letters at 335 degrees for 25 seconds using medium to firm pressure. Once your patches are secure, it's time to make them shine!!!
To add your rhinestone embellishments, you will first need to remove the white backing from your transfer. Next, align the clear rhinestone transfer with your pressed twill patch. Once you have your rhinestone transfers aligned with your twill patch, press for 15 seconds at 335 degrees with medium to firm pressure. Once pressed, slowly remove the clear transfer tape, careful not to lift the rhinestones. Once the transfer tape has been removed, cover and repress for an additional 5-7 seconds.
Testing with your specific heat press and fabric is essential, making adjustments as needed to ensure optimal results. Either a cool or warm peel is acceptable when removing the transfer tape.
When peeling the transfer tape, do so in a smooth and even motion, going with the grain of the garment. This will prevent stretching and ensure a polished final product. After removing the transfer tape, a second press for 5-7 seconds is necessary to ensure that your rhinestones adhere properly.
If you don't have a rhinestone heat press and need to use a home iron, set it to the highest non-steam setting, usually the Wool setting. Using a Teflon sheet, apply firm pressure in one place without moving the iron. Moving the iron can cause your rhinestones to shift. Depending on the temperature of the iron, it may take 40-45 seconds or longer to reach the desired temperature. Lift your iron and repeat on all areas of your transfer. Remember to test the fabric before pressing to ensure it can withstand the heat and avoid using steam.
