# Embroidery Placement Guide: Left Chest, Onesies, Towels & Totes > Embroidery placement guide: mark center lines, use your machine’s layout check, and place left chest, full front, onesie, towel and tote designs. - Source: https://embroiderywise.com/posts/embroidery-placement-guide/ - Markdown version: https://embroiderywise.com/posts/embroidery-placement-guide.md - Last updated: 2026-10-07 --- - [Home](https://embroiderywise.com/) - [Guides](https://embroiderywise.com/guides/) - Embroidery placement guide: where to put designs on shirts, onesies, towels and totes Buying advice # Embroidery placement guide: where to put designs on shirts, onesies, towels and totes Updated October 7, 2026 By [EmbroideryWise Editorial Team](https://embroiderywise.com/about/) [How we research](https://embroiderywise.com/how-we-research/) Prices are approximate and change often, so check the current price before you buy. ## Key takeaways - Placement is a method: mark center lines, measure from fixed landmarks, test with a paper template, then trace on the machine. - Embroidery Library publishes the most complete placement chart we found; its numbers are starting ranges, not rules. - Check whether a measurement is to the center or to the top of the design; Embroidery Library uses both. - Brother machines can move the frame to show where the design will stitch before you start. - For totes and odd items, center horizontally and judge the height with a template, allowing for handles and seams. ### On this page 12 sections - [What is the basic placement method?](#what-is-the-basic-placement-method) - [How do you use the embroidery sheet (grid template)?](#how-do-you-use-the-embroidery-sheet-grid-template) - [How do you check placement on the machine before stitching?](#how-do-you-check-placement-on-the-machine-before-stitching) - [Where should a left chest design go?](#where-should-a-left-chest-design-go) - [Where should a full-front design go?](#where-should-a-full-front-design-go) - [Where should embroidery go on a onesie?](#where-should-embroidery-go-on-a-onesie) - [Where should embroidery go on a towel?](#where-should-embroidery-go-on-a-towel) - [Where should embroidery go on a tote bag?](#where-should-embroidery-go-on-a-tote-bag) - [What about caps, cuffs and other small spots?](#what-about-caps-cuffs-and-other-small-spots) - [Placement mistakes to avoid](#placement-mistakes-to-avoid) - [What to buy](#what-to-buy) - [FAQ](#faq) ## Before you choose - [How to hoop fabric for machine embroidery (without puckers)](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-hoop-fabric-for-machine-embroidery/) - [How to use an embroidery machine: your first project, step by step](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-use-an-embroidery-machine/) - [How to embroider towels: stabilizer, topping and floating, step by step](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-embroider-towels/) Mark a vertical and horizontal center line where the middle of the design should land, hoop so those lines match the hoop’s grid, then use your machine’s layout or trace function to confirm the needle lines up before stitching. For starting measurements, Embroidery Library’s adult chart puts a left chest design 7–9 inches down from the left shoulder seam, a full-front design with its top 3½–4½ inches below the neck, and a bath towel design 4 inches above the hem. Always confirm with a paper template on the actual item. A clean stitch-out in the wrong spot is still a wasted shirt. Placement takes two minutes if you follow the same routine every time: mark, measure from landmarks, audition a template, hoop to the marks and confirm on the machine. This guide walks through that routine, then gives starting measurements for common items. Where we quote numbers, they come from Embroidery Library’s published placement charts. Where no reputable source publishes a number (totes, for example), we give you a method instead of inventing one. ## What is the basic placement method? Use these steps for any item, from a T-shirt to a pillowcase. - **Decide where the center of the design goes.** Put the item on, or lay it flat and look at it from a normal viewing distance. - **Print a full-size paper template.** Embroidery Library suggests printing a paper template of the design at full size using embroidery software, and OESD recommends the same for caps. Software such as Embrilliance Essentials lists template printing as a feature; see [beginner embroidery software](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/best-embroidery-software-for-beginners/) for options. - **Audition the template.** Lay or tape it on the item, step back and adjust. Embroidery Library notes that correct placement depends largely on individual taste. - **Mark the center lines.** With an erasable pen, draw a vertical line and a horizontal line that cross at the design’s center. Extend them past where the hoop edge will sit so you can still see them after hooping. Test the pen on a hidden spot first. - **Hoop to the marks.** Line your marks up with the hoop’s center notches or the plastic grid sheet. Our [hooping guide](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-hoop-fabric-for-machine-embroidery/) covers this step in detail. - **Check on the machine.** Use the layout or trace function to confirm the needle lands on your center point and the design clears seams and edges. ## How do you use the embroidery sheet (grid template)? Many home machines ship with a clear plastic sheet printed with a grid that drops into the inner hoop. Brother’s PE900 manual describes the steps: - Mark the area you want to embroider with a chalk pencil. - Place the embroidery sheet on the inner frame. - Line the mark on the fabric up with the base line on the sheet. - Press the inner frame into the outer frame, adjusting the fabric to keep the marks aligned. - Remove the sheet before stitching. The grid’s center is the hoop’s center. Since the machine places a design in the middle of the hoop by default, matching your mark to the grid center gets you close before you touch the screen. ## How do you check placement on the machine before stitching? Brother’s manual says the pattern is normally positioned in the center of the embroidery frame, and that you can check the layout before you start if it needs moving. On the [PE900](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/brother-pe900/), the frame physically moves to show the pattern position: you pick a point on the design (such as a corner or the center) and the carriage moves the needle over that point. Another key moves the frame around the whole embroidering area. - Keep the needle up. Brother warns the needle must be up while the frame is moving, or it may break. - Check the center first, then each corner, against your marks. - Use the arrow keys to nudge the design until it lines up. - Look underneath and around the hoop: nothing should be caught under the frame. Brother’s screen also shows the boundary of the selected frame and a preview of the pattern, so you can see if the design is close to the edge. Some higher-end Brother models add an LED pointer on the embroidery foot to show the needle drop point. Check your manual for the name of the function on your model. ## Where should a left chest design go? Embroidery Library’s adult placement chart gives: - **T-shirts (no pocket):** 7–9 inches down from the left shoulder seam, between center and side seam, or 4–6 inches to the right of center. - **Polo and button-down shirts (no pocket):** 7–9 inches down from the left shoulder seam, centered between placket and side seam, or 4–6 inches to the right of the placket. - **Shirts with a pocket:** centered above or on the pocket. “Left chest” means the wearer’s left. When the shirt faces you, that is the right side. The 2-inch range matters. A small women’s tee and a men’s XL won’t land in the same spot, so audition the template on the actual shirt or on the person. For more on shirts, see the [best stabilizer for T-shirts](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/best-stabilizer-for-t-shirts/) and the [best embroidery machine for T-shirts](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/best-embroidery-machine-for-t-shirts/). ## Where should a full-front design go? Embroidery Library says to consider the garment size and the shape of the design, and that generally the top of the design should be 3½–4½ inches from the garment neck, centered between the left and right seams. For shirt backs it gives 5 inches from the collar, centered between the side seams. Note the switch: this entry measures to the top of the design, while the left chest entries are distances to a design position. Check which one a chart uses before you measure. A 5 × 7 hoop limits how large a “full front” can be. If you want a bigger chest design, read [4 × 4 vs 5 × 7 hoops](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/4x4-vs-5x7-embroidery-hoop/) and the [design resizing guide](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/embroidery-design-resizing/) before scaling anything up. ## Where should embroidery go on a onesie? Embroidery Library’s children’s chart says its measurements run from the edge of the garment to the center of the design, unless noted. It lists: - **Onesie, left chest:** 3½–4½ inches down from where the left shoulder seam and collar meet. - **Onesie, center front:** 2½–4 inches down from the bottom of the front collar, centered between the bottom sleeve seams at the armpit. One caution, because it affects real projects: on that page, the onesie rows sit in the table headed “Children (size 4–16),” while the table headed “Infant/Toddler (Newborn–5T)” gives larger numbers (5–7 inches for left chest tees and pajama tops). Larger distances for smaller garments look reversed, so treat these as starting ranges and confirm with a paper template on the actual onesie. Onesies are knit, so they need cut-away stabilizer and gentle hooping. Because the body is narrow, floating it on adhesive stabilizer is often easier than clamping it in a hoop; the [hooping guide](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-hoop-fabric-for-machine-embroidery/) explains how. ## Where should embroidery go on a towel? Embroidery Library’s towel guidance: | Towel | Above the hem | Or above the woven border | | --- | --- | --- | | Washcloth | 1–1½ in (or angled in a corner, 1–1½ in above the corner) | 1 in | | Hand towel | 2 in | 1½ in | | Bath towel | 4 in | 1½–2 in | | Bath sheet | 5 in | 2½–3 in | Decide which way the towel will hang before you mark it, so the design reads right-side up when folded on a rack. Placements near the hem may be too close to the edge to hoop; Urban Threads describes hooping the stabilizer first and adhering the towel to it in that case. The full method is in [how to embroider towels](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-embroider-towels/). ## Where should embroidery go on a tote bag? We could not find a stabilizer maker, machine maker or design company that publishes a standard tote measurement, so here is a method rather than a number. - **Find the horizontal center.** Fold the empty tote in half side to side and crease or mark the fold. - **Mark the usable area.** Measure from the top edge down past the handle attachments and any hem, and from the bottom seam up. Leave room so the hoop and presser foot won’t hit handles or seams. - **Audition the template.** Most people center the design in the usable area or place it slightly above center so it isn’t hidden when the bag is full. Judge by eye with the template taped on. - **Check the hoop clearance.** Make sure the whole hoop fits flat inside the bag, or that you can open a side seam if needed. - **Trace on the machine** before stitching, and keep the rest of the bag out of the frame’s path. Canvas totes are stable wovens, so tear-away stabilizer usually works. See [what you can make with an embroidery machine](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/what-can-you-make-with-an-embroidery-machine/) for more tote and gift ideas. ## What about caps, cuffs and other small spots? Embroidery Library lists shirt cuff monograms at 1⅜ inches to the right of the buttonhole and ¼ inch above the cuff edge for adults, facing away from the wearer. For turtlenecks it suggests the neck cuff, midway between the left shoulder seam and the center of the cuff, embroidered on the inside so it reads correctly when turned down. For caps, OESD recommends flattening the front, measuring only the area that presses flat, and auditioning a printed template with a center mark before marking the cap. Our [hat guide](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-embroider-a-hat-on-a-home-machine/) covers what is realistic on a home machine. ## Placement mistakes to avoid | Mistake | How to avoid it | | --- | --- | | Measuring to the top when the chart means center | Read the chart’s convention first | | Marks hidden under the hoop | Extend the center lines past the hoop edge | | Skipping the paper template | Audition it on the item or the wearer | | Fabric caught under the hoop | Feel underneath before you press Start | | Trusting the screen center alone | Trace the corners on the machine | | Using a pen that doesn’t wash out | Test on a hidden spot first | If you are still getting comfortable with the machine itself, start with [how to use an embroidery machine](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-use-an-embroidery-machine/) and come back to placement for your second project. ## What to buy The supplies this guide calls for, with what to check before buying. Prices change often — confirm with the seller. - **[Water- or air-erasable marking pen](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=water+erasable+fabric+marking+pen&tag=room4205-20)** — Mark center lines and placement before hooping so the design lands where you planned. ## Don't guess. Calculate. - [🧵 Machine Finder](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/machine-finder/): which machines fit your projects - [▱ Hoop Fit Checker](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/hoop-fit/): will your design fit the field - [◷ Stitch Time Calculator](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/stitch-time/): how long a design takes to stitch - [📊 Compare every machine](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/): sortable spec table ## Frequently asked questions ### How far down from the collar should a left chest design go? Embroidery Library’s adult chart says 7–9 inches down from the left shoulder seam, centered between the placket and side seam or 4–6 inches right of center. Check it on the wearer or a similar shirt with a paper template, because sizes and cuts vary. ### Where do you put embroidery on a onesie? Embroidery Library lists 3½–4½ inches down from where the left shoulder seam and collar meet for a left chest onesie design, and 2½–4 inches below the front collar for center front. Its chart headings look inconsistent, so confirm with a template. ### How high above the hem should towel embroidery be? Embroidery Library suggests 2 inches above the hem for hand towels, 4 inches for bath towels and 5 inches for bath sheets, or a little above the woven border. ### How do I print a template of my embroidery design? Embroidery software can print a full-size template of the design; Embrilliance Essentials lists template printing among its features. Embroidery Library and OESD both recommend auditioning a paper template on the item. ### Do embroidery placement measurements go to the top or the center of the design? It depends on the chart. Embroidery Library measures to the center of the design unless it says otherwise, and its shirt front, shirt back and jacket back entries measure to the top. ## Sources - [Embroidery Library: Embroidery placement guide](https://emblibrary.com/blogs/projects/embroidery-placement-guide) - [Embroidery Library: Placement guide for infants, toddlers and children](https://emblibrary.com/blogs/articles/embroidery-placement-guide-for-infants-toddlers-children) - [Brother PE900 operation manual (PDF)](https://download.brother.com/welcome/doch102511/888_k80_l80_l82_om01en.pdf) - [Brother manual: confirming the pattern position](https://support.brother.com/g/s/hf/htmldoc/hsm/om/888p6x/en/06_08.html) - [Brother manual: viewing the embroidery screen](https://support.brother.com/g/s/hf/htmldoc/hsm/om/888p6x/en/06_08_01.html) - [OESD: How to embroider a cap](https://support.oesd.com/article/23-how-to-embroider-a-cap) - [Urban Threads: Embroidery on towels](https://urbanthreads.com/blogs/projects/embroidery-on-towels) - [Embrilliance Essentials](https://www.embrilliance.com/essentials) [🧵 Not sure which fits? Find your embroidery machine in 60 seconds.](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/machine-finder/)[📊 Compare every machine Sortable chart of all beginner machines.](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/) ## Keep reading [Buying advice ### How to hoop fabric for machine embroidery (without puckers) How to hoop fabric for machine embroidery: taut-not-stretched hooping, the right hoop size, hooping knits, floating on sticky stabilizer and magnetic frames. Updated Oct 7, 2026](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-hoop-fabric-for-machine-embroidery/)[Buying advice ### How to use an embroidery machine: your first project, step by step How to use an embroidery machine the first time: needle, thread, bobbin, stabilizer, hooping, placement check and stitching, plus first-day mistakes. Updated Oct 7, 2026](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-use-an-embroidery-machine/)[Buying advice ### How to embroider towels: stabilizer, topping and floating, step by step How to embroider towels: water-soluble topping so stitches don’t sink, cut-away vs tear-away for terry, floating towels, placement and design choice. Updated Oct 7, 2026](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-embroider-towels/)