EmbroideryWorks Cute as a Caterpillar Bulletin Board Create this darling appliquéd bulletin board in an afternoon using the updated version of EmbroideryWorks with built-in AccuQuilt shapes. Think outside the box by incorporating some of the embroidery motifs in a non-conventional way. Can music notes be used for the caterpillar s legs, decorative swirls for the antennas, candlewicking stitches for his smile and portions of a bass clef for his eyes? Absolutely! It s amazing what you can do with EmbroideryWorks and your imagination! Skill Level: Intermediate Created by: Diane Aholt, Baby Lock Field Education Manager {Designer s Gallery EmbroideryWorks Cute as a Caterpillar Bulletin Board Page 1
Supplies: EmbroideryWorks Advanced from Designer s Gallery with the new AccuQuilt update installed Baby Lock Ellisimo Gold sewing and embroidery machine AccuQuilt GO! Cutter AccuQuilt Die #55012 Circle 2, 3 and 5 1 pink fat quarter for circle appliqué shapes and sashing 1 orange fat quarter for appliqué circle and pocket 1 blue print fat quarter for appliqué circle and pocket 1 yellow print fat quarter for appliqué circle and pocket 1 green polka dot fat quarter for appliqué circle and bulletin board body 1 black/white strip 2½ x 20 for contrast strip 1 yard white tone-on-tone print Batting Madeira embroidery threads Madeira sewing thread Baby Lock Appliqué Fusible stabilizer Baby Lock Tear-Away Soft stabilizer Staple gun 16 x 20 stretched canvas on frame (Available at arts and crafts stores) Instructions At the Computer: In this project, we will focus on using one of the new AccuQuilt features in the updated EmbroideryWorks software. This update works in both the Mac and the PC operating systems. 1. Open the program by clicking on the EmbroideryWorks icon on the desktop. 2. Set up the workspace with the 200mm x 300mm hoop. Click on Preferences and select the Hoops category. Select the.pes file format from a complete list of the hoops. Select the 200mm x 300mm hoop. Place a checkmark next to Rotate 90 and click OK (as shown in the illustration below). 3. To create the caterpillar s body design follow the next set of steps: {Designer s Gallery EmbroideryWorks Cute as a Caterpillar Bulletin Board Page 2
Click on the Merge Designs icon on the top toolbar. Click on the down arrow under the Catalog tab and select the AccuQuilt Appliqué category. Scroll down and select the 55012 Circles. Scroll down and select the small circle. Click OK. The circle appears on the screen. Adjust the settings in the properties box on the right side of the screen (as shown in the following illustration). Copy and paste the circle four times so there are now five circles. Move the first circle to the right of the hoop. Position the other cirlcles so they overlap slightly. Select each circle individually and change the color by clicking the Color tab in the Properties box. Click on the thread color to open a new window displaying other color options. Select desired color then click OK (see illustration below). Click on the Merge Designs icon on the top toolbar. Click on the down arrow under the Catalog tab and select the AccuQuilt Appliqué category. Scroll down and select the 55012 Circles. Scroll down and select the medium circle. Click OK. The circle appears on the screen. {Designer s Gallery EmbroideryWorks Cute as a Caterpillar Bulletin Board Page 3
Adjust the settings to match the small circles. Position his head on the left hand side, overlapping the last circle. 4. To create the caterpillar s face follow the next set of steps: Click on the Merge Designs icon on the top toolbar. Click on the down arrow under the Catalog tab and select the EmbroideryWorks category. Scroll down and select Motifs. Scroll down and select the Scroll 2. Click OK. The scroll appears on the screen. Enlarge the design by dragging one of the corners. Rotate the design by clicking on the blue circle. Copy and paste to create the second antennae. Flip it horizontally by selecting the icon. Position the antennae, moving and rotating it until you get the look you desire. The antennae appear on top of the head but will be moved in a later step so the ends are underneath the head. The smile is easily created by following some of the same steps for the antennae. Under Motifs, select the Candlewicking hemi design. Enlarge it by dragging one of the corners. Flip it vertically by selecting the icon. Move into position, rotating as needed and changing the color to black. The eyes are created by selecting the bass clef under the Motifs tab. Enlarge the design and move it in a blank area of the hoop. Click on the Zoom tool to enlarge the clef. Since only one of the dots of the clef will be used, it is necessary to edit the design. This is easily accomplished in EmbroideryWorks Advanced. With the bass clef selected, click on the stitch edit icon. The design transforms into little stitch points. You ll need to draw a box around the parts of the design that aren t needed. Select the rectangle icon and draw a box around the and hit delete on the keyboard. Repeat to eliminate one of the dots. If necessary, resize the eye. Copy and paste for the other eye. Place both eyes on his face. 5. Now it s time for the legs! Merge the design and select the quarter note from the Motifs. Copy and paste for a total of eight legs. Position on the caterpillar s body. Based on the positioning, it may be necessary to remove some of the stitching at the top of the legs so it won t show through the appliqué. {Designer s Gallery EmbroideryWorks Cute as a Caterpillar Bulletin Board Page 4
With the leg selected, click on the stitch edit icon. The design transforms into little stitch points. You ll need to draw a box around the parts of the design that aren t needed. Select the rectangle icon and draw a box around the and hit delete on the keyboard. Repeat for each leg as needed. 6. It is necessary to rearrange the stitching order so it sews out properly. The legs were added last for placement purposes, but they actually need to stitch first. In the Objects box, left click on the first quarter note. Hold the Control key on the keyboard and highlight the rest of the legs. Once they are all highlighted, right click which opens several moving options. Select Move first. All the legs are moved to the top of the sewing order. 7. The antenna needs to stitch before the head. Left click on one then hold the Control key and select the second one. Right click and select Move earlier which places them ahead of the head. At the Cutting Table: 1. Fuse the Baby Lock Appliqué stabilizer to the back side of the fabric that will be used for the appliquéd circles following the manufacturer s directions. 2. Using the AccuQuilt GO! System cut five small circles from assorted bright colored fabric using the GO! Die Circles. Cut one medium circle. 3. Cut one piece from the white fabric, 21 x 15 for the 200mm x 300mm hoop. This will be used for embroidering the caterpillar. 4. Cut one piece from the white fabric 20 x 6½ for the pocket lining. Cut one 20 x 3 for bottom pocket strip. 5. Cut three 5½ squares from fabrics of choice for the pockets. 6. Cut four 5½ x 1¼ pink strips to separate the pockets. 7. Cut one 15 x 20 piece from the green polka dot for the body of the bulletin board. 8. Cut one strip from the black/white print 2½ x 20 and press wrong sides together to be used as the contrast band. {Designer s Gallery EmbroideryWorks Cute as a Caterpillar Bulletin Board Page 5
At the Embroidery and Sewing Machine: 1. Hoop the tear-away stabilizer and the white fabric centered in the hoop. 2. With the machine set up for embroidery, retrieve the caterpillar design. 3. Embroider the design while following the color stops. The first color stop for each unit is the positioning step and is used to perfectly place the appliquéd shape. 4. Press the band towards the caterpillar. 5. Sew the green polka dot to the caterpillar with the contrast band in between. 6. Sew the pocket squares together with the pink sashing in between and on the ends. 7. Sew the pocket lining to the top edge of the completed pocket. Press to the wrong side, lining up the side and bottom edges. This creates a faux binding along the top edge of the pockets. 8. Sew the white strip to the bottom edge of the pockets. 9. Place the caterpillar piece right side up on a work surface. Place the pockets on top, right side up, lining up the side and bottom edges. Pin in place. Baste along the sides and bottom. Stitch in the ditch on the pink sashing strips next to the center pocket which anchors the pockets in place. 10. Place the batting on a protected work surface and spray the batting with a temporary adhesive. Lay the fabric on top, right side facing up, adhere to the batting while smoothing out any wrinkles. 11. Wrap the fabric around the stretched canvas, mitering the corners and staple in place. For other exciting projects like this one, visit our website www.designersgallerysoftware.com. {Designer s Gallery EmbroideryWorks Cute as a Caterpillar Bulletin Board Page 6