[How To Create New Textures for a Mesh Clothing Kit]

Hello,

This is my first attempt at using a Mesh Clothing Kit and I am struggling with the texturing. I have taken the UV Map and the texture I want to use into Gimp and laid the texture over the map but this is where I am stuck.

Which Layer Mode should I use to merge the texture to the UV Map?

Which layers should be made invisible?

I end up with either a beautiful texture that includes the UV Grid - or I lose the UV Grid but my texture is dulled completely.

Please note:  I do not want to change the shape of the item or TINT it. I am trying to add a regular texture to a UV Map from a Mesh Clothing Kit purchased on SL.

Thanks much for any light you can shine here.