Manhattan Beach Bike Tee In Offwhite Recipe

Prepare fabric and pattern

Prewash the off-white cotton fabric in warm water and dry to preshrink. Iron flat. Lay out fabric on a flat surface and place the pre-cut tee pattern pieces (front, back, sleeves, neckband). Use a rotary cutter or scissors to cut the pieces precisely.

Shoulder seams

With right sides together, pin the front and back at the shoulder seams. Using a stretch/ballpoint needle and a straight or narrow zigzag stitch, sew shoulder seams with a 1.25 cm (1/2") seam allowance. Press seams toward the back and finish with an overlocker/serger or a narrow zigzag to prevent fraying.

Attach sleeves

Match the sleeve center to the shoulder seam and pin along the armhole. Ease the sleeve into the armhole and sew with a stretch stitch or narrow zigzag. Finish the raw edge with serging or zigzag.

Side seams

Fold the tee with right sides together and align sleeve and side seams. Pin and sew from sleeve hem through the body hem in one continuous seam on each side using a 1.25 cm seam allowance. Finish edges as before and press seams flat.

Neckband

Interface the neckband piece lightly where needed. Fold the neckband in half lengthwise (right sides out) and press. Pin the neckband to the neckline, stretching slightly to match. Sew with a stretch stitch, then topstitch or use a coverstitch for a professional finish. Press the neckband flat and attach the washer-label or printed neck tag.

Hem and sleeve finish

Fold the sleeve hems and bottom hem up by approximately 1.25–1.5 cm (1/2"–5/8"), press, pin, and sew with a twin needle or coverstitch for stretch. Press final garment.

Prepare printing area and screen

Ensure the printing platen is clean and flat. Tape the edges of the screen with masking tape to prevent ink bleed. Position the screen on the platen and register the design so the print will align centered on the chest (typically 10–12 cm down from the base of the neck for adult tees).

Print test

Place a test tee or a substrate on the platen. Apply a small amount of water-based or discharge ink at the top of the screen. Using the squeegee at a 45° angle and firm, even pressure, flood the screen once then pull the ink across to print. Lift the screen to check the print. Adjust ink amount and squeegee pressure/angle as needed.

Print on garment

Slide the finished tee onto the platen (ensure the garment is not wrinkled and is properly registered). Apply ink to the screen and make a firm print stroke. Immediately flash-cure with a flash dryer or heat gun for 3–7 seconds until the ink is tacky (if printing multiple colors or to prevent garment shifting).

Cure the print

After printing all tees, fully cure the ink in a conveyor dryer or oven according to ink manufacturer's instructions (typically 160–165°C / 320–330°F for plastisol for ~60 seconds or follow water-based manufacturer's cure temp/time). If using a heat press, use a Teflon sheet and press at the recommended temperature/time to cure.

Cleanup

Immediately clean the screen, squeegee, and tools with appropriate solvent or water depending on the ink used. Remove masking tape and store screen flat.

Inspect each tee for proper seam construction, even hems, and correct neckline attachment. Check the print for alignment, ink coverage, and curing (do a wash test on a sample). Remove any loose threads and give the shirt a final press (on the reverse side of the print). Package or hang for distribution.