From Denim to Tumblers: A Complete Embroidery and Sublimation Workflow

Video reference: “Work with Me: Embroidering Denim, Jackets, and Sublimating Tumblers + Hat Embroidery Tips” by Kayla's Kreations

A rush of orders on your table, a multi-needle humming, and a mug press heating—this is a realistic, end-to-end run through a production week. Here’s a clean, repeatable way to embroider denim polos and a corporate jacket, then sublimate frosted glass tumblers without drama.

What you’ll learn

• How to hoop, stabilize, and stitch left-chest logos on denim polos with repeatable accuracy

• How to place and embroider a back award graphic and front name on a performance-style jacket

• The exact time/temperature and rotation logic for frosted glass tumblers

• Where rotation matters (and why), plus how to remove post-press residue

• Production-minded QC, packaging, and when to choose HTV vs. screen print transfers on hoodies

Primer: What & When This workflow covers three high-demand shop tasks: left-chest logos on customer-supplied denim shirts, a yearly “Employee of the Year” jacket with back art and left-chest name, and a 40-count batch of frosted glass tumblers.

• Embroidery settings used: 65/9 needle and 40 wt thread for both denim polos and jacket.

• Sublimation settings used: 380°F for 120 seconds; rotate the tumbler partway through to complete the transfer.

• Stabilizer: cut-away for the jacket back and left chest; cut-away also used on denim polos.

• Process risks: customer-supplied garments (waiver recommended), youth hat embroidery (needle breaks and shredding), and incomplete tumbler transfers if you don’t rotate mid-press. magnetic hoops

Pro tip

• For customer-supplied garments, always obtain a signed waiver before starting. It keeps expectations aligned if a factory defect or hooping constraint appears.

Prep: Tools, files, and workspace Tools and materials

• Embroidery: magnetic hoop station (5"x5" working area shown), adhesive spray, scissors, lighter, cut-away stabilizer, 65/9 needle, 40 wt thread, multi-needle embroidery machine.

• Jacket placement: a printed placement template and tape.

• Sublimation: frosted glass tumblers, sublimation prints, heat tape, copy paper (as a butcher paper substitute), mug press, heat protective gloves, wet paper towel for cleanup.

• Packaging: bamboo lids, plastic bags, boxes.

Files

• Digitized embroidery designs (e.g., recurring client logo; award back art; name for left chest).

• Sublimation print files (e.g., “Home Means Nevada” and the coffee shop logo), sized to fit the tumblers.

Workspace

• Machine area with hoop station and organized threads.

• Heat area with mug press at safe distance (hot-surface warning applies).

• Clean table for packaging and final QC.

From the comments

• “What do you use to hoop shirts?” A 5"x5" free style Mighty Hoop stand was referenced for its ease and accuracy. (Paraphrased)

• “Where do you get screen print transfers?” Transfer Express was named. (Paraphrased)

Quick check

• Waiver signed for customer-supplied garments? Print files sized and mirrored where needed? Stabilizer cut and staged? Heat tape, copy paper, and gloves on hand? hoop master embroidery hooping station

Setup: Hooping logic, stabilizer, and machine settings Why magnetic hooping? Magnetic hooping helps keep bulky or rigid garments flat with minimal distortion, and speeds repeat left-chest placement. On denim polos, it reduces wrestling with thick plackets and seams. On a jacket back, combining a placement template with magnets makes alignment predictable.

Hooping station and alignment

• Denim polos: Smooth the garment, apply adhesive spray to cut-away stabilizer, and lay it under the target area. Place the shirt on the magnetic hoop station with the left-chest location aligned consistently across the run.

• Jacket back: Tape a printed placement template to the shell; hoop carefully with cut-away to support the dense art.

Machine settings used in this run

• Needle/thread: 65/9 needle and 40 wt thread were used for both the denim polos and the jacket. In comments, 40 wt was called “standard for most embroidery,” with 60 wt recommended for small lettering or fine details.

• Sublimation: 380°F for 120 seconds, rotating the tumbler during the cycle to complete coverage.

From the comments

• Thread weight: Standard 40 wt for most work; switch to 60 wt when the lettering is very small or detailed. (Paraphrased)

Watch out

• Youth hat embroidery is challenging. The smaller form and seam density cause needle breaks and even shredding. Plan extra time if youth caps enter your queue.

Setup checklist

• Stabilizer pre-cut and labeled per garment

• Placement template printed for the jacket back and left chest

• Needle and thread confirmed (65/9, 40 wt)

• Hoop station positioned for consistent left-chest placement

• Mug press powered on in a safe zone, PPE nearby hoopmaster

Operation: Embroider denim polos (Step-by-step) Goal: Left-chest logo embroidery on customer-provided Wrangler denim polos (repeat client order).

Steps 1) Prep the garment

• Remove tags if needed. Smooth the left-chest area over your table.

2) Stabilize

• Cut a piece of cut-away stabilizer. Lightly mist with adhesive and position behind the left-chest area.

3) Hoop - Place the shirt on the magnetic hoop station. Confirm placket and collar clearance; ensure logo centerline is aligned consistently across the batch.

4) Load and stitch - Load to your multi-needle machine. For this run, a 65/9 needle and 40 wt thread were used. Start the job and trim jump threads during the run to keep the field clean.

5) De-hoop and finish

• Remove from hoop. Trim stabilizer on the back. Clean stray threads; a brief singe with a lighter can tidy fuzz tails.

Expected result - Clean, single-color logos with consistent placement, ready for pickup.

Quick check

• Placement uniform? Stitch density balanced with no puckers? Stabilizer trimmed neatly? hooping stations

Operation: Embroider a corporate jacket (Back + left chest) Context: A recurring “Employee of the Year” jacket—back award artwork plus front left-chest name. Customer provides a Carhartt-like jacket each year, often with a different fabric weight or stretch.

Steps (Back) 1) Stabilize and template - Cut cut-away stabilizer. Tape a paper placement template to the jacket back for precise repeatability.

2) Hoop carefully

• Hoop the jacket and template together on the magnetic station, checking the grain and stretch so the art won’t distort.

3) Load and stitch - Load to the machine. Use 65/9 needle and 40 wt thread. Stitch the back design (gold mountains, red/blue text).

4) De-hoop and clean

• Remove from hoop. Trim stabilizer and stray threads. A quick singe can neaten micro fuzz.

Steps (Front left chest name) 5) Re-hoop for the name

• Hoop the left-chest area with cut-away support.

6) Stitch the name

• Load and run the blue text. Remove from hoop and clean up.

Expected result - A crisp back award design plus a tidy, personalized left-chest name.

Watch out

• Thicker or stretchy shells can pull if the jacket isn’t well-supported on the machine. Avoid garment drag by supporting the weight as you stitch.

Operation checklist

• Template taped and square

• Cut-away stabilizer sized for both back and left chest

• Back art sequence confirmed (color order), name spelling double-checked ricoma mighty hoops

Operation: Sublimate frosted glass tumblers at scale Goal: A 40-piece run: “Home Means Nevada” on one side and the coffee shop logo on the other.

Steps 1) Design and print

• Prepare prints sized for your tumbler. In comments, the creator confirmed sizing in Canva and printing with a converted Epson sublimation printer.

2) Wrap and tape - Position prints, secure with heat tape. Wrap the outside with copy paper (a stand-in when butcher paper isn’t available).

3) Heat and press

• Preheat mug press to 380°F. Insert the tumbler and press for 120 seconds.

4) Rotate mid-press - Rotate partway through; the heating element doesn’t wrap fully, so rotation ensures even transfer.

5) Unwrap safely

• Use heat gloves to remove. Peel tape and paper once safe to handle.

Expected result - Fully transferred artwork with clean edges and consistent color.

Quick check

• Any light patches near the seam? If yes, rotation timing or pressure likely needs attention.

Pro tip

• If a few tumblers show a white paper residue post-press, wipe with a wet paper towel—it comes off easily in this workflow. magnetic hoop embroidery

Quality checks that prevent rework Embroidery QC

• Placement: Compare each left chest to a reference garment.

• Stitch quality: Look for balanced tension with no loops or birdnesting.

• Cleanup: Trim jump threads immediately; singe only as needed.

Sublimation QC

• Transfer completeness: Check both sides post-rotation.

• Alignment: Confirm vertical alignment of the two graphics.

• Surface: Spot the occasional white residue and remove with a damp paper towel.

Results, packaging, and handoff

• Denim polos: A small run stitched quickly thanks to repeat files and consistent hooping.

• Corporate jacket: Back art plus personalized left-chest—clean, repeatable, and ready for the annual update.

• Tumblers: 40 frosted glass pieces completed; place bamboo lids, slip each into a plastic bag, and box for transport. Inspect and wipe any residue before packing.

From the comments: Pricing

• A reader asked whether cup pricing is per-piece or discounted for bulk. The creator stated pricing is per cup, as batch production here doesn’t change labor enough to discount.

Packaging checklist

• Lids on, each tumbler bagged, residue wiped as needed, boxes labeled for delivery magnetic hoops for embroidery

Troubleshooting & recovery playbook Embroidery

• Symptom: Youth hat shredding or repeated needle breaks

Likely cause: Small form factor and dense seams strain the needle path. Fix: Slow down, re-hoop carefully, and plan for possible remakes. The creator reordered a damaged youth hat when shredding occurred.

• Symptom: Puckering on jacket back

Likely cause: Inadequate support or drag on a heavy/stretcy jacket shell. Fix: Support the garment’s weight on the machine; ensure cut-away stabilizer fully supports the design area.

Sublimation

• Symptom: Incomplete transfer on one side

Likely cause: The heat plate doesn’t fully wrap the tumbler. Fix: Rotate the tumbler mid-press to complete coverage.

• Symptom: White residue on some cups

Likely cause: Transfer paper residue. Fix: Wipe with a wet paper towel; sorts out quickly.

Quick isolation checks

• Embroidery: Compare one test stitch-out on scrap or a non-critical area to confirm tension and density before the full run.

• Sublimation: Press a single tumbler first and inspect seam and alignment; adjust rotation timing if you see under-transfer.

Behind the scenes: Inventory and job planning

• Hats: Finished 14 youth hats (with difficult breaks) and 12 adult Richardson hats (no breaks). Youth hats were the headache of the week; the adult hats ran smoothly.

• Shirts and hoodies: 90 shirts queued for screen print transfers; Independent brand camo hoodies get HTV instead, because screen print transfers without a white underbase let the camo show through.

• Safety vests and other items: Count and verify arrivals against order sheets; note any gaps.

From the comments: Sourcing

• Screen print transfers were sourced from Transfer Express. This keeps pressing efficient for large shirt runs.

Watch out

• If a customer chooses a camo hoodie with no white underbase in the transfer, expect show-through. Switch to HTV for bright, solid hits.

From the comments: Quick answers

• What hooping gear was used for shirts? A 5"x5" free style Mighty Hoop stand was referenced for easy, repeatable left-chest placement. (Paraphrased)

• How are tumbler designs produced? Sized in Canva and printed on a converted Epson sublimation printer. (Paraphrased)

• Where to buy screen print transfers? Transfer Express was named by the creator. (Paraphrased)

• Thread choice: Use 40 wt for most jobs; switch to 60 wt for tiny text/details. (Paraphrased)

• Cup pricing: Priced per cup; bulk volume doesn’t reduce labor enough to discount in this setup. (Paraphrased)

Safety reminders

• Magnetic hoops: Keep away from computers, disks, and hard drives.

• Mug press: Hot surface inside—use heat gloves and keep the area clear.

Setup recap (at a glance)

• Embroidery: 65/9 needle, 40 wt thread, cut-away stabilizer, magnetic hoop station, placement template for jacket back.

• Sublimation: 380°F, 120 sec, rotate mid-press, copy paper wrap, heat gloves, wet towel for residue.

Final thought With solid hooping, clean templates, and a rotation-minded mug-press routine, you’ll cut rework, keep quality high, and make your busiest weeks feel surprisingly calm. magnetic hoops for embroidery