1 – 5" × 7" (13 × 18 cm) Embroidery Hoop
2 – Tear-Away Stabilizer
3 – Quilting Cotton Fabric:
2 pieces for the Face (1 Front and 1 Backing)
4 pieces for the Ears (2 Front and 2 Backing)
2 pieces for the Inner Ears
1 piece for the Muzzle
2 pieces for the 3D Mouth (1 Front and 1 Backing)
4 – Polyester Batting (Repeat the same quantities and sizes listed above for each fabric piece.)
5 – 1 Corrugated Plastic Board (Coroplast) or Wooden Board
6 – Small Pointed Embroidery Scissors
7 – Masking Tape
8 – Fine Pins
9 – Bobbin Thread Matching the Satin Stitch Finishing Color
10 – Embroidery Thread

Hoop the tear-away stabilizer.

Load the Left Ear design into the embroidery machine.
Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the first color, which will create the placement line.

Place the polyester batting (R1) over the placement line first.
Then place the quilting cotton fabric on top of the batting.
Secure both layers with masking tape along the edges.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the next color, which will secure the materials in place (tack-down stitch).
Once the materials have been secured, remove the masking tape.

Trim away the excess fabric and R1 polyester batting.

Over the Inner Ear placement line (the area indicated by the arrow), place the R1 polyester batting first.
Then place the quilting cotton fabric on top.
Secure both layers with masking tape along the edges.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the next color, which will secure the materials in place (tack-down stitch).
Once the materials have been secured, remove the masking tape.

Trim away the excess fabric and R1 polyester batting.

Replace both the upper thread and the bobbin thread with the thread color selected for the Inner Ear satin stitch finishing.
Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the satin stitch finishing.

Remove the hoop from the embroidery machine.
On the back of the hoop, place the second piece of R1 polyester batting and the quilting cotton fabric.
Secure both layers with masking tape.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the next color, which will secure the backing materials in place (tack-down stitch).
Once the stitching is complete, remove the hoop from the embroidery machine.
Remove the masking tape.
Trim away the excess fabric and R1 polyester batting.

Replace the bobbin thread with the thread color selected for the satin stitch finishing.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the final satin stitch finishing around the edge of the ear.

Load the Right Ear design into the embroidery machine.
Repeat Steps 01 through 13 of this stage.

NOTE
For better use of your materials (tear-away stabilizer), you may embroider both ears and the 3D Mouth Flap (Stage 02) in the same hooping, just as shown in this project.

Hoop the tear-away stabilizer.

Load the 3D Mouth Flap design into the embroidery machine.
Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the first color, which will create the placement line.

Place the R1 polyester batting over the placement line.
Then place the quilting cotton fabric on top.
Return the hoop to the embroidery machine and stitch the next color, which will secure the materials in place (tack-down stitch).

Continue embroidering the next color, which stitches the lip detail.

Once the lip detail has been embroidered, remove the masking tape.
Trim away the excess fabric and R1 polyester batting.

On the back of the hoop, place the second piece of R1 polyester batting followed by the quilting cotton fabric.
Secure both layers with masking tape.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the next color, which will secure the backing materials in place (tack-down stitch).
Once the stitching is complete, remove the hoop from the embroidery machine.
Remove the masking tape.
Trim away the excess fabric and R1 polyester batting.

Replace the bobbin thread with the thread color selected for the satin stitch finishing.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the final satin stitch finishing around the edge of the 3D Mouth.

At this point, you will have all three pieces completed in the same hoop (or embroidered individually if you chose to stitch them separately).
Remove the project from the hoop.
Tear away the stabilizer and trim any loose threads to clean up the embroidery.

Set the two ears and the 3D Mouth aside. These three pieces will be attached during the Face assembly in the next stage.

Hoop the tear-away stabilizer.

Load the Face design into the embroidery machine.
Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the first color, which will create the placement line.

Position the two ears on the Face.
Place each ear on its corresponding side: Left Ear on the left and Right Ear on the right, as shown in the photo below.

Insert a fine pin through the small hole at the stitching line of the Left Ear, then through the corresponding placement hole on the hoop, as shown in Photo 01.

Insert another fine pin through the small hole on the opposite side of the Left Ear, then through the corresponding placement hole on the hoop, as shown in Photo 02.

Secure both ears with masking tape.
Remove the pins.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the next color, which will attach the ears to the Face.

Remove the masking tape from both sides of the ears, leaving only the tape along the top edge.
This will keep the ears safely out of the way and prevent them from catching on the presser foot while the remaining embroidery steps are stitched.

Place the R1 polyester batting over the Face placement line, with the ears already attached.
Position the quilting cotton fabric on top of the batting and secure both layers with masking tape.
Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the next color, which will secure the materials in place (tack-down stitch) and create the Muzzle placement line.

After the Face has been secured and the Muzzle placement line has been stitched, remove the hoop from the embroidery machine.
Carefully trim away the excess fabric and R1 polyester batting, taking care not to cut the ears.

Place the R1 polyester batting and the Muzzle fabric over the placement line.
Secure both layers with masking tape.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the next color, which will secure the materials in place (tack-down stitch).
Once the stitching is complete, remove the masking tape.
Carefully trim away the excess fabric and R1 polyester batting.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine and continue embroidering the Face by following the color sequence provided in the embroidery design.
Each animal design has its own embroidery sequence and may require a different number of thread colors.
Whenever the design indicates the color BLACK or the instruction ATTACH PATCH, stitch that color, then remove the hoop from the embroidery machine.
This stitching marks the exact position where the 3D Mouth Flap will be attached.

The placement line (stitched in BLACK or labeled ATTACH PATCH in the embroidery design) is now complete and ready for positioning the 3D Mouth Flap.

Place the hoop on top of the Coroplast board or a wooden board so you can secure the pieces with pins.

Insert a fine pin through the center alignment hole on the stitching line of the 3D Mouth Flap that was embroidered in Stage 02.

Insert this pin through the matching center alignment hole on the placement line stitched on the hoop.

Insert a fine pin through each side alignment hole of the 3D Mouth Flap.
Secure each pin through the corresponding alignment holes on the placement line stitched on the hoop, as shown in the photo below.

Secure the 3D Mouth Flap with masking tape.
Remove the pins.
Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the next color, which will attach the 3D Mouth Flap to the Face.

Remove the hoop from the embroidery machine.
Remove the masking tape from the top of the flap, leaving the tape in place along both sides.

Replace the bobbin thread, preferably using the same thread color that was used for the 3D Mouth Flap satin stitch finishing in Stage 02.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the satin stitch finishing for the 3D Mouth Flap.

Leave the masking tape on both the ears and the 3D Mouth Flap.
This will keep the pieces securely in place and prevent them from catching on the presser foot while the remaining embroidery steps are stitched.

On the back of the hoop, place the R1 polyester batting and the quilting cotton fabric over the Face placement line.
Secure both layers with masking tape.
Return the hoop to the embroidery machine and stitch the next color, which will secure the backing materials in place (tack-down stitch).

Once the backing materials have been secured, remove the masking tape.
Carefully trim away the excess fabric and R1 polyester batting.

Replace the bobbin thread once again with the thread color of your choice for the Face satin stitch finishing.

Return the hoop to the embroidery machine.
Stitch the final satin stitch finishing.
Once the embroidery is complete, remove the hoop from the embroidery machine and remove the masking tape.
Remove the project from the hoop.
Tear away the stabilizer and trim any loose threads to clean up the embroidery.

NOTE
You can apply these 3D Animal Faces to other projects by stitching around the edge of the Face without sewing the ears down. This allows the ears to remain free, creating an even more realistic 3D effect.

Your project is now complete.