Layered Decorative Fills in Baby Lock IQ Designer: Perfect Alignment, Cleaner Stitch-Outs, and Faster Hooping

Introduction to Decorative Fills in IQ Designer

Decorative fills inside Baby Lock’s IQ Designer are one of the fastest ways to add professional texture to quilt blocks, notebook covers, and background areas—without the learning curve of external digitizing software. The big unlock in this lesson is a principle used by master digitizers: one fill creates texture, but two perfectly aligned layered fills create dimension.

In this tutorial, we will walk through Cathy’s workflow for building a 6-inch quilt-block-style square. You will learn how to remove the outline stitch (preventing bulky seams), pour in a decorative fill, and then stack a second contrasting fill on top directly in the machine.

Most beginners can "make this work" once by luck. Our goal here is repeatability: a workflow you can trust for a 20-block quilt or a production run for customers, ensuring every layer lands exactly where it belongs.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up the Base Shape

What you’re building (and why the size matters)

Cathy is working toward a 6-inch finished quilt block. However, she sets the on-screen square to 6.19" × 6.19".

The Engineering Reason: Fabric shrinks slightly under the tension of embroidery, and you need a "bleed" area for your seam allowance. That extra 0.19" ensures the decorative fill creates a seamless edge-to-edge look once the block is sewn into a quilt.

Step 1 — Open IQ Designer and choose a basic square

1. Enter IQ Designer on your machine interface.
2. Select the Shape: Go to the Shapes menu and tap the basic square.
3. Verify Dimensions: Open the Size menu and confirm the square is set to 6.19" × 6.19".

Checkpoint: Visually confirm the square is centered on the canvas. The dimensions must match your calculations before proceeding.

Expected outcome: A clean base boundary that provides the necessary safety margin for quilting seam allowances.

Step 2 — Turn the outline stitch OFF (so it doesn’t sew)

We need the shape to contain the fill, but we do not want the machine to stitch a border line, which would add unnecessary bulk.

1. Open Line Properties: This controls the border of your shape.
2. Select "No Stitch": Tap the icon representing "No Stitch" (usually a circle with a slash or a gray outline).
3. Apply Changes: Select the Bucket tool and tap the square’s outline.

Checkpoint: Look closely at the screen. The outline should turn gray or become invisible, indicating it is set to non-stitching data.

Expected outcome: The system registers the boundary for filling, but will not generate needle penetrations for the border.

Warning: Double-check this step. If you accidentally stitch a satin stitch outline on a quilt block, it creates a hard ridge that can break needles during the final quilting assembly.

Pro tip from the comments (handout confusion)

Several viewers asked where the step-by-step handout is. The channel notes it’s provided via a link in the video description.

The Secret Sauce: Saving Shapes to Memory for Perfect Alignment

Layering fills only looks "high-end" if the layers land exactly on top of each other. A common rookie mistake is trying to manually redraw or resize the second layer. This inevitably leads to "drift," where the patterns misalign by a millimeter, ruining the effect. Cathy’s method—saving to memory—is the industry standard for precision.

Step 3 — Apply the first decorative fill (Circles)

1. Open Region Properties: This touches the inside of the shape.
2. Select Fill Type: Navigate to the decorative fills library (Cathy notes the Altair has 15 native fills).
3. Choose Pattern: Select the Circles fill.
4. Pour the Fill: Select the Bucket tool and tap inside the square.

Checkpoint: The square interior will flash with a solid color (the selection indicator) before assigning the pattern.

Expected outcome: The "Circles" data is now confined within your 6.19" boundary.

Step 4 — Adjust settings, remove the fill outline, and preview

1. Access Controls: Tap Next.
2. Set Scale: Confirm Fill Size = 100% for layer one.
3. Disable Border: Ensure the fill Outline = Off.
4. Render: Tap Preview.

Checkpoint: You should see the circles rendered as stitch lines. Crucially, there should be no solid line boxing them in.

Expected outcome: A borderless field of texture.

Step 5 — Save the shape to Memory (this is the alignment lock)

This is the most critical step. Before leaving this screen, Cathy saves the specific square boundary to the machine's internal memory.

1. Back Up: Return one step (back from the preview screen).
2. Store Data: Tap the Memory button.

Checkpoint: Listen for the machine's confirmation beep or watch for the "Saving" dialog to clear.

Expected outcome: You now have a digital "stencil" stored. You can recall this exact shape 100 times, and it will always load in the exact same center position.

Layering Logic: adding Depth with a Second Pattern

Now we build the dimension. Instead of guessing the size of the next layer, we simply recall our "stencil."

Step 6 — Recall the saved square and apply Diamonds

1. Add New Layer: Tap Add → IQ Designer.
2. Retrieve Stencil: Open Memory and recall the saved square.
3. Select New Pattern: Choose a contrasting decorative fill, such as Diamonds.
4. Visual Aid: Change the display color (e.g., to yellow) so you can distinguish it from the first layer.
5. Pour Fill: Use the Bucket tool to apply the diamonds.
6. Finalize: Tap Next, ensure Outline = Off, then Preview.

Checkpoint: Look at the screen. You should see the Diamonds superimposed directly over the Circles, sharing the exact same center point.

Expected outcome: A complex, custom-looking fabric created by the intersection of two simple patterns.

Step 7 — Convert to embroidery and Group the layers

In the IQ interface, these are separate entities. We need to lock them together as one embroidery design.

1. Convert: Tap Set to move from IQ Designer to the Embroidery Edit screen.
2. Lock Layers: Use the Group function (icon usually shows two overlapping squares) to link the circle layer and diamond layer.

Checkpoint: Tap one of the layers on the screen. The selection red box should surround both patterns simultaneously.

Expected outcome: The design is now safe to move or rotate without risking layer misalignment.

Expert Insight: Grouping is your insurance policy. If you accidentally nudge an ungrouped layer by 1mm, the stitch intersection changes, creating visual "noise" or moiré patterns in the final stitch-out.

Stitching it Out: Thread Choices and Results

Cathy stitches the background (circles) first, followed by the foreground (diamonds).

Prep note: fabric + stabilization affects how layered fills look

Layering fills doubles the stitch count in a specific area.

• The Risk: High stitch density pushes fabric fibers apart, leading to distortion or "cupping."
• The Fix: Treat this like a dense logo, not a light quilting stitch. You need stability.

Step 8 — Threading and stitch-out

1. Thread the Machine: Follow the numbered guides (1–7) explicitly.
   • Sensory Check: Ensure the thread is seated deeply in the tension discs. You should feel slight resistance when pulling the thread at the needle.
2. Auto-Thread: Use the auto needle threader.
3. Engage: Lower the presser foot and press Start.
4. Transition: The machine stitches pink circles first, cuts, and stops. Change thread to yellow, then stitch the diamonds.

Checkpoint: Watch the registration. Does the second color sit centered? If it drifts, your fabric may be slipping in the hoop.

Expected outcome: A rich, tactile textile surface that looks far more expensive than the sum of its parts.

Warning: Safety First. Dense layered fills require the machine to work harder. Keep hands clear of the moving hoop. If a needle breaks, fragments can fly; protective eyewear is recommended for high-speed dense stitching.

Results reveal

Finishing Note: When you unhoop, the block may feel stiff. Steam blocking (pressing from the back on a fluffy towel) will help the threads relax into the fabric.

Advanced Technique: Creating Background Fills Around Designs

Here we invert the process. Instead of filling a shape, we define a "negative space" around an object (a fish) and fill only the background.

Step 9 — Bring in a built-in design and extract its outline

1. Select Design: Choose the built-in fish motif.
2. Scale (Optional): Cathy enlarges it (within the 20% limit for native resizing).
3. Create Boundary: Use the Outline Tool (flower icon) to auto-trace the fish shape.
4. Save: Tap Memory to save this specific outline into IQ Designer.

Checkpoint: You retain the "cookie cutter" shape of the fish without the interior details.

Expected outcome: A boundary ready to tell the fill tool: "Stop stitching here."

Step 10 — Choose the hoop size and fill the negative space

Cathy uses a 9.5" × 9.5" hoop context.

1. Load Shape: Add → IQ Designer → Select the saved fish outline.
2. Set Field: Choose the 9.5" × 9.5" hoop setting.
3. Apply Fill: Select Diamond fill.
4. Pour: Use the Bucket tool on the outside of the fish shape.
5. Preview: Tap Next, Fill Size = 100%, Outline = Off.

Checkpoint: The software should render stitches everywhere except inside the fish silhouette.

Expected outcome: A trapunto-like effect where the fish pops out against a textured background.

Step 11 — Add a second background layer at a different fill size

To add subtle texture variation, Cathy repeats the process with a scale change.

1. Repeat Load: Bring in the fish outline again.
2. Same Hoop: Verify 9.5" × 9.5".
3. Modify Scale: Choose the same Diamond fill, but set Fill Size = 50%.
4. Finalize: Turn Outline = Off, preview, and set.

Checkpoint: The screen shows a denser diamond grid layered over the larger diamond grid.

Expected outcome: By changing the scale (100% vs 50%), you create a complex "shadow" lattice that adds incredible depth to the background without distracting from the main design.

Prep

Layered fills are visually forgiving but mechanically demanding. The high stitch count puts stress on your consumables.

Hidden consumables & prep checks (the stuff people forget)

• Needle: Switch to a fresh Topstitch 90/14 or Embroidery 75/11. Old needles create burrs that shred thread in dense layers.
• Consumable: Have temporary adhesive spray (odif 505) or a fusible woven stabilizer ready to prevent fabric shifting.
• Tool: Fine-tip curved embroidery scissors for trimming jump stitches cleanly between layers.

If you are planning to stitch a 20-block quilt, the repetition can be exhausting. Serious hobbyists often use hooping stations to ensure every block is hooped at the exact same angle and tension, reducing physical fatigue and errors.

Prep Checklist (Do this before touching the screen)

• Fabric Choice: Is it pre-shrunk? (Essential for quilt blocks).
• Needle: Is it new? (Dense fills = high friction).
• Bobbin: Is it Full? (Running out mid-fill leaves a visible join).
• Thread: Do you have enough of the background color for all blocks?
• Machine: Clean the bobbin area. Lint buildup causes tension issues on fill stitches.
• Safe Speed: Set machine speed to 600-800 SPM (stitches per minute). Do not run dense layers at max speed.

Setup

Hooping fundamentals for layered fills (Expert Guidance)

This is where most projects fail. Layered fills pull the fabric inward ("pull compensation").

• Too Loose: The layers drift; the diamonds won't center on the circles.
• Too Tight: The fabric is stretched like a drum while hooped, but snaps back when released, causing puckering.

The Goal: "Neutral Flatness." The stabilizer should be hooped tight; the fabric should be adhered to it without being stretched.

If you find yourself struggling to get thick quilt sandwiches into the hoop, or if you see "hoop burn" (shiny rings) on your fabric, magnetic hoops for babylock embroidery machines are the professional solution. They clamp down vertically rather than forcing an inner ring into an outer ring, preserving fabric integrity and saving your wrists.

Warning: Magnet Safety. High-strength magnetic hoops are powerful tools. Keep them away from pacemakers, credit cards, and computerized machine screens. Watch your fingers—they snap shut instantly!

Decision tree: choose stabilizer for layered decorative fills

Layered fills require support. Use this guide to avoid the "wavy block" effect.

1. Is your base fabric stable (Quilting Cotton)?
   • Yes: Use a medium-weight Fusible Cut-away or a heavy Tear-away (if stitch density is low).
   • No (Knits/Loose Weave): Go to 2.
2. Is the fabric stretchy or drapey?
   • Yes: You MUST use a Fusible Cut-away (No Show Mesh). The stabilizer must bear the load of the stitches, not the fabric.
3. Are you stitching through batting (Quilt Sandwich)?
   • Yes: The batting acts as a stabilizer. You may float a tear-away underneath for smooth feeding, but the batting usually suffices for structure.

Setup Checklist (Before you press Start)

• Hoop size selected correctly on screen (e.g., 9.5" x 9.5").
• Stabilizer is hooped "drum tight" (flick it—it should sound like a drum).
• Fabric is floated or hooped without distortion.
• babylock magnetic hoop sizes checked against your design size (ensure at least 1/2" clearance).
• Design layers are GROUPED.

Operation

Step-by-step workflow recap

1. Design: Outline Off -> Fill 1 -> Save -> Fill 2 (Recalled) -> Group.
2. Stabilize: Match stabilizer to density.
3. Hoop: Secure without stretching.
4. Stitch: Color 1 -> Color 2.

Checkpoints during stitching (Sensory Awareness)

• Sound: Listen for a rhythmic, clean "thump-thump." A sharp "clicking" or "slapping" sound usually means the thread is catching on the spool cap or the needle is dull.
• Sight: Watch the bobbin thread underneath (if visible). It should be a straight line or slight zigzag, not loose loops.
• Touch: After the first layer, pause. Is the fabric still tight? If it has loosened, your registration for the second layer will be off.

For those doing production runs, a hooping station for machine embroidery allows you to prep the next hoop while the machine is stitching, doubling your efficiency.

Operation Checklist (Quality Control)

• Layer 1 Check: Did the fill complete without gaps?
• Alignment Check: Is Layer 2 centered over Layer 1?
• Tension Check: Are there white bobbin loops on top? (If yes, top tension is too tight or thread path is blocked).
• Finish: Trim jump threads before unhooping if possible.

If you are constantly fighting hoop burn on dark fabrics, switching to babylock magnetic hoops can eliminate that post-production ironing headache entirely.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Misaligned Layers (The "Ghost Image" Effect)

Symptom: The second diamond layer is shifted 2mm to the left of the circle layer. Likely Cause: You manually drew the second box instead of recalling from memory, or the fabric slipped in the hoop. Fix:

1. Software: Always use the "Save to Memory" workflow.
2. Hardware: Ensure hoop screw is tight. If using thick fabric, consider baby lock magnetic embroidery hoops for a firmer, slip-free grip.

Problem: Puckering / Wavy Block

Symptom: The block won't lie flat on the table; corners curl up. Likely Cause: Stabilizer was too light for the density of two fills.

Problem: Thread Nesting / Birdsnests

Symptom: Machine jams, big ball of thread under the throat plate. Likely Cause: Top thread was not in the take-up lever, or you threaded with the presser foot down (tension discs were closed).

Problem: Outline Stitches Appearing

Symptom: A heavy satin line borders your fill, making the seam allowance bulky. Likely Cause: You forgot to set "Line Properties" to "No Stitch" (Step 2).

Results

By mastering this workflow, you move from "placing stickers" to "fabrication." You now have two professional techniques in your arsenal:

1. Complex Textile Creation: Stacking saved geometries to create new textures (Circles + Diamonds).
2. Negative Space Design: Using extracted outlines (Fish) to stitch backgrounds while leaving the subject unstitched.

This method relies on Memory Recall for precision and Grouping for safety. Combine this software discipline with the right hardware—stabilizers that support density and hooping tools that prevent slippage—and your machine embroidery will look like it came from a factory, not a hobby room.