How to Heat Press Rhinestone Transfers… the right way.

We are passing to you the tried, true and trusted way of getting perfect hotfix rhinestone transfers for t shirts every time.

This way will indeed save you time in the long run. You will waste less garments and spend less time trying to fix mistakes. The best part… it’s so simple.

Step 1 – Make sure your heat press is set to 330-340 degrees (fig. 1). Don’t start working when it’s at 300, nor should you if it was previously set to 400. You wouldn’t bake cookies at 400 if the directions said 350 would you?  (if you would, your Gramma wouldn’t be very happy; no one wants that)

Step 2 –  Complete a short preheat/prepress before you place the rhinestone transfer(Fig 2 & 3). This will help remove some excess moisture from the garment and provide you with a nice smooth, wrinkle free canvas. ahhh.. nice right?

Step 3 – Set your transfer(Fig. 4). Get it right the first time. Check your placement. This is a very common mistake for apparel decorators. We have heard it all: upside-down, crooked, the wrong color, the wrong size. (Just go ahead and double check before moving on.)

Step 4 – If  you are working with thinner materials (a women’s fashion shirt, undergarments, baby clothes, etc) Place a piece of parchment paper or Teflon between the garment sides(Fig. 5). (A.K.A. inside of the shirt.) This will prevent any glue from seeping through the shirt and sticking the front of the shirt to the back.

Step 5 – Heat(Fig. 6)  the rhinestones for 10-15 seconds with about 40-50psi of pressure (medium setting on a heat press)

Tip: This is a great time to mention the use of a Teflon sheet and a Nomex Head Pad. These are going to help you achieve even pressure and temperature across your transfer. Remember that we are working with an uneven surface. You can compensate for this with a Nomex Pad on the bottom and a Teflon Sheet on the top.

Step 6 – Flip the garment over (Fig. 7) and press another 10 seconds. Yes, a second press like this will really help everything stick for the long haul.

Step 7 –Wait patiently for the garment to cool(Fig. 8). This is a good time to start the placement of your next transfer on a different garment. A good rule of thumb… if you have to ask yourself, “is this cool enough?” .. it isn’t (Fig. 9). Just wait few moments  longer.

Step 8 – Peel off the transfer paper (Fig. 10). A great time here is a smooth and even peel going with the grain of the shirt (Fig. 11). The less the garment stretches, the better the final product will look.

Step 9 – Enjoy, pack, sell, share or wear!

Using a hand iron?  Don’t Worry… just follow the same steps with this:

Highest setting / 40-45 seconds / Keep still / No Steam!

You can get any of your rhinestone transfer supplies at Colman and Company. We carry top quality transfer paper, Crystalline Rhinestones, Heat Presses and much more. Check us out here.