Embroidery Placement Guide for Infants, Toddlers, & Children | Machine Embroidery Designs | Embroidery Library - Print

Embroidery Placement Guide for Infants, Toddlers, & Children


After presenting our Embroidery Placement Guide, we received many requests for a guide geared specifically toward placing designs on children's clothing. We are pleased to present our placement guide for infant, toddler, and children's clothing! Deciding placement for children's clothing can be somewhat difficult considering that there are many different sizes and styles.  Below you will find guidelines for placing designs on everything from bibs to polo shirts, onesies to jacket backs.

Correct design placement depends largely on individual taste.   Therefore, when you are placing a design make sure that it looks good to you. 

We suggest that you print a paper template of the design at full size (using embroidery software) to use for design placement. All measurements have been taken from the edge of the garment to the center of the design, unless otherwise noted.

Steps To Complete

Infant/Toddler -- This guide is for use with newborn sizes to size 5T.

Article Placement
Onesies (left chest) 3 1/2" to 4 1/2" inch down from where the left shoulder seam and collar meet.
Onesies (center front) 2 1/2" to 4" down from the bottom of front collar - centered between bottom sleeve seam (at armpit).
Pajama tops (left chest) 3 1/2" to 4 1/2" down from where the left shoulder seam and collar meet.
Pajama tops (center front) 2 1/2" to 4" down from the bottom of front collar - centered between bottom sleeve seam (at armpit).
Bibs Centered: Find center by measuring from bottom neckline to bottom of bib and divide by two.  Measure at the widest point on the sides and divide by two.  Exact center is where the two points meet.
Blankets (corner) "Eyeball" the template where you want it and then measure out equal distances from the center point of the template to the outer edges of the blanket, adjusting the design as you measure.
Polo Shirts (left chest) 3 1/2" to 4 1/2" down from left shoulder seam, centered between placket and side seam, or 1 1/4" to 2" to the right of the center of the placket.
T-Shirts (left chest, no pocket) 3 1/2" to 4 1/2" down from left shoulder seam, centered between placket and side seam, or 1 1/4" to 2" to the right of the center of the shirt.
T-shirts (left chest, pocket) Centered above or on pocket.
Button-down shirts (left chest, no pocket) 3 1/2" to 4 1/2" down from left shoulder seam, centered between placket and side seam, or 1 1/4" to 2" to the right of the center of the placket.
Button-down shirts (left chest, pocket) Centered above or on pocket.
Knit caps On the cap cuff, midway between the end of the cuff (where cuff meets cap) and center of cuff.  Embroider on inside, so that when cuff is turned up, embroidery is right-side-out.
Turtlenecks On the neck cuff, midway between left shoulder seam and center of cuff.  Embroider on inside, so that when cuff is turned down, embroidery is right-side-out.
Shirt fronts Consider size of garment and shape of design.  Center top of design between left and right seams 1 1/2" to 3" below garment neck.
Shirt backs Top of design 2" to 4" from collar, centered between right and left seams.
Jacketbacks Top of design 3" to 5" down from shoulder seam, centered between side seams.
Shirt Cuffs (Monograms) 3/4" to the right of button hole, 1/4" above cuff edge.  Monogram should face away from the wearer.

Children -- This guide is for use with girls and boys sizes 4 to 16

Article Placement
Pajama tops (left chest) 5" to 7" down from where the left shoulder seam and collar meet.
Pajama tops (center front) 4" to 6 1/2" down from the bottom of front collar - centered between bottom sleeve seam (at armpit).
Blankets (corner) "Eyeball" the template where you want it and then measure out equal distances from the center point of the template to the outer edges of the blanket, adjusting the design as you measure.
Polo Shirts (left chest) 5" to 7" down from left shoulder seam, centered between placket and side seam, or 3" to 4" to the right of the center of the placket.
T-Shirts (left chest, no pocket) 5" to 7" down from left shoulder seam, centered between placket and side seam, or 3" to 4" to the right of the center of the shirt.
T-shirts (left chest, pocket) Centered above or on pocket.
Button-down shirts (left chest, no pocket) 5" to 7" down from left shoulder seam, centered between placket and side seam, or 3" to 4" to the right of the center of the placket.
Button-down shirts (left chest, pocket) Centered above or on pocket.
Knit caps On the cap cuff, midway between the end of the cuff (where cuff meets cap) and center of cuff.  Embroider on inside, so that when cuff is turned up, embroidery is right-side-out.
Turtlenecks On the neck cuff, midway between left shoulder seam and center of cuff.  Embroider on inside, so that when cuff is turned down, embroidery is right-side-out.
Shirt fronts Consider size of garment and shape of design.  Center top of design between left and right seams 3" to 4 1/2" below garment neck.
Shirt backs Top of design 3 1/2" to 5" from collar, centered between right and left seams.
Jacketbacks Top of design 5" to 7" down from shoulder seam, centered between side seams.
Shirt Cuffs (Monograms) 1" to the right of button hole, 1/4" above cuff edge.  Monogram should face away from the wearer.