The Altair 2 and Meridian 2 added the fun Auto Decorative Fill feature. This project shows you how you can use that feature to add multiple fills or layered fills to your embroidery projects without having to go into IQ Designer. Use this for all sorts of projects or turn them into these fun throw pillows.
To learn more about this project, watch our SEWED Video that will walk you through step-by-step how the embroidery designs for this project were created.
Exploring Auto-Decorative Fill on the Baby Lock Altair 2/Meridian2
Skill Level: Beginner
Created by: Patty Marty, Baby Lock Training & Education Manager
DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS HERE.
Pillows:
*Baby Lock® Altair 2, Meridian 2 or Altair or Meridian with Upgrade 1 sewing and embroidery machine
* 9.5” X 9.5” Hoop
* 18” square of cotton fabric
* Baby Lock Ultra Soft Stabilizer (BLC204)
* 2” strips of velveteen or coordinating solid fabric to frame the embroidered center block.
* 4” strips or fat quarters of complimentary fabrics.
* For this Project, the fabric collection used was Chickadee by Laura Muir made by Moda Fabrics.
* 1/2 yard of coordinating fabric for the backing.
* Note: For this project, several pillow covers were purchased and used for the backing & Zipper. These were also used for the velveteen accents around the embroidery on the pillow front
* 20” Zipper or larger
* 18” pillow form
* Madeira® Cotona and Rayon/Polyester embroidery thread to match fabric
* Rotary cutter, mat and ruler
Instructions:
The supply list will make one pillow. Use the layout at the end of the project with the piecing order for the pillow top.
Pillow #1
1. Select Embroidery.
2. Open Category 4, Large Fonts and select Font 006.
3. Select the Letter of choice. Touch Set.
4. Select Edit
5. From the Edit Menu, select the Auto Stipple/Echo/Decorative Fill icon.
6. Select the 3rd tab for the Decorative Fill options.
7. Arrow through the hoops to select the 6” X 6” hoop option.
8. Click Select to choose a decorative fill #26. OK.
9. Leave all other settings at the default. Touch Preview and OK.
10. This has produced a decorative fill around your embroidery design. This comes in as a grouped design.
11. To add additional decorative fills, re-select the Auto Stipple/Echo/Decorative Fill icon.
12. Arrow through the hoops to select the 8” X 8” hoop option.
13. Click Select to choose a decorative fill #21. OK.
14. Leave all other settings at the default. Touch Preview and OK.
15. To add a final ring of decorative fills, repeat steps 11-14, choosing the 9.5” X 9.5” hoop and decorative fill #25. (reduce the Size of the fill if desired)
16. Save this design to machine memory to stitch later.
17. This design is ready to stitch as is or you can add rows of candlewick stitches to cover the automated outlines.
18. Touch Add
19. Go to IQ Designer
20. Select the Shapes/Stamp Key.
21. On the 5th Tab, select the 6”X6” Frame. Touch OK.
22. Then repeat the steps above selecting the 8” X 8” Frame. Touch OK.
23. Select the Line Properties, choose the Candlewick stitch and a color. Touch OK.
24. Select the Fill cup for the Line Properties and apply the line to both the 6” and 8” frame.
25. Touch Next.
26. If making changes to the two frames, use the link key to select both lines and adjust.
27. Touch Preview. Follow the prompts from IQ Designer to Embroidery.
28. The motif stitches should align with the fill design.
29. Save the design to machine memory again with the additional lines.
30. Touch the Home key.
Pillow #2
1. Select Embroidery
2. Select the Built in Fonts Category 03 .
3. Choose font 10 or another font and type in multiple lines of text saying” A great Friendship refreshes the Soul
4. Center justify the multiple lines of text.
5. Touch Set.
6. If desired, ungroup the lettering and use the Text key to adjust various lines of the text to different font styles using the Font Type Key (AAA)
7. From the Embroidery Editing screen, touch Add.
8. Select the Frame Category 5 or use a frame shape from IQ Designer. (For this project, the frame #4 on the second shapes tab was used with a candlewicking stitch.
9. Set the frame design onto the Embroidery Edit Screen.
10. On the Embroidery Editing Screen, Select Edit.
11. Touch Size and adjust the rectangle frame around your text. Touch OK.
12. With the frame selected, select the Auto Stipple/Echo/Decorative Fill icon.
13. Select the 3rd tab for the Decorative Fill options.
14. Arrow through the hoops to select the 9.5” X 9.5” hoop option.
15. Click Select to choose a decorative fill #25. OK.
16. Leave all other settings at the default. Touch Preview and OK.
17. Another fun technique that could be added to the design is to layer the decorative fills. This can be done without going into IQ Designer.
18. To layer the decorative fills at a different Size or Percentage.
19. Ungroup the design and touch on the design screen.
20. Use the select tools to locate the frame shape.
21. Repeat steps 12-15.
22. Change the Size percentage to 200%. Touch Preview and OK.
23. To see the new pattern in 2 different colors, select the Color icon.
24. If you used one of the built-in frame shapes, it was just as a barrier for the decorative fills, you can either leave the design as is and skip that section of the design or Ungroup the design, use the select arrows to locate the frame shape and Delete that design.
25. Use the multiple-selection tool, select all and Group the design together.
26. Touch Memory to save the design.
Pillow #3
1. Select Embroidery
2. Open Category 2 -Embroidery Designs, select category 5 and design 006. Touch Set.
3. Select Edit
4. Select Size and Resize the Design using Stitch Recalculation to about 7.01” X 3.24”. Touch OK.
5. Select the Shape Creation Key.
6. Touch Memory to Save the shape over in IQ Designer.
7. Select Add.
8. Select IQ Designer.
9. Select the Shape/Stamp Key. Select the 4th tab for the shapes and select the flower outline.
10. Touch OK.
11. Select the Shape/Stamp Key again, and select the 9.5” X 9.5” hoop option. Touch OK.
12. Resize the Shape to 9” X 9”
13. From the Fill Properties, select decorative fill #28. OK.
14. Chose a color and OK.
15. Using the Region Fill Cup, touch in the area inside the hoop and around the flower outline.
16. Select the Line Properties, select the decorative #02 . OK.
17. Chose a color and touch OK.
18. Using the Line Fill Cup, touch on the outline of the 9.5” square.
19. Touch Next
20. For the Fill settings, adjust the rotation of the fill to 45 degrees and outline OFF.
21. Use the select arrows to choose the motif stitch. Adjust the size to .32” 8 mm.
22. Click Preview and follow the prompts.
23. Note: With the decorative motif stitches, it is important to resize the shape. These are larger stitches and can often extend the pattern outside the hoop. If you discover this during Preview, try to adjust your stitch size or return and Clear All to start the IQ process over again.
24. Touch Memory to save the design. Then, touch Set.
25. Once in Embroidery. Touch Memory again to save the design as an embroidery file.
Embroidery:
1. Fuse Cotton fabric with the Baby Lock Ultra Soft Fusible Stabilizer
2. Hoop in the 9.5” X 9.5” frame and attach to the machine.
3. Thread the machine with the embroidery thread color and place embroidery bobbin into the machine.
4. Stitch out the design.
5. Un-hoop, press and trim up the blocks to approximately 10” X 10”
Pillow construction:
1. Add 2” strip of velveteen around the embroidered square.
2. Square up the pillow top to measure 12” X 12”
3. Add the additional 4” strip of printed cotton around the velveteen border.
4. Trim to approximately 18.5” X 18.5” (if using the back of a deconstructed pillow cover, trim to the appropriate size.
5. Place right sides together for the front and back. Using a ¼” seam allowance stitch around the outer edge of the pillow.
6. When you get to the corners round off the corner rather than stitching to a point. Note: When you turn the pillow right side out the corners will be square.
7. Choose to insert a zipper in the lower center seam of the pillow or leave an 8” opening for inserting and turning the pillow.
8.Trim the corners and turn right side out.
9. Insert pillow form.
10. Sew the opening closed or use the zipper closure.
Gallery Wall:
* Embroidery Hoops in various sizes
* For this Gallery Wall a 9 piece set of hoops was purchased from Amazon. (Brand Qunclay)
* 10” Layer Cake or Squares of various sizes to compliment
* Velveteen Fabric Squares
* The purchased pillow forms were deconstructed, and the backs were used as fabric for the embroidery frame inserts
* Baby Lock Ultra Soft Fusible Stabilizer (BLC204)
* Madeira® Rayon/Polyester embroidery thread to match fabric
* Hot Glue Gun
* Scissors to trim
This Gallery wall was created by fusing Ultra Soft Stabilizer to various coordinating fabrics and hooping them in the appropriate hoop size. The same techniques above were used selecting built-in designs or fonts and adding decorative fills around them. As well, some were just quilted by filling similar shapes from IQ Designer with fills and stitching them out.
The fabrics were then hooped in the purchased embroidery hoops. Trim excess fabric with a scissors and then using a hot glue gun, glue the cut edge to the back of the frame. Arrange your frames as desired to create a unique Gallery wall!
For other exciting projects like this one, visit Baby Lock at www.babylock.com
©2023 Baby Lock USA. This project may be freely used by individuals for non-commercial purposes. Project instructions may not be sold or distributed without approval from Baby Lock. Baby Lock must be acknowledged as the source of the project instructions through copyright or online link.
