When you download the in-the-hoop wedding cake design, you'll find 18 files.

Nine are embroidery files (labeled a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i).

The other nine are dieline files, marked with the letters DL. Dielines are used to cut the fabric to the right shape and size.

Open the dielines files with embroidery software and print them. If you do not have embroidery software, Wilcom's TrueSizer is a free program to use.

First prepare the fabric piece for the top of the smallest tier size.

Cut around the first paper dieline (labeled with an "a"), and spray the back of it. Smooth it onto the quilter's cotton.

Cut out the shape.

Repeat the above steps to prepare the fabric pieces for the side and bottom of the first tier (the dielines labeled with "b" and "c").

Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer.

Madeira E-Zee Tear 1.5 oz. or Floriani Tearaway Medium are good choices. Those brands are more fibrous, less paper-like, and will tear more cleanly.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the full embroidery file "a" (not the dieline files).

Use a size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle, rather than an embroidery needle. A sharp sewing needle has a smaller, finer point than an embroidery needle, so that will make smaller perforations in the stabilizer.

Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be a dieline, or outline stitch. This marks the area on the stabilizer where we'll place the fabric piece.

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Spray the back of the fabric piece with a temporary adhesive, and place it right inside the sewn dieline.

Once the embroidery is finished, unhoop the stabilizer and gently tear it away from the edges.

Make sure to leave the tear-away stabilizer on the back of the fabric piece as this will add structure to the wedding cake.

Take the top of the tier (piece "a") and the looped side (piece "b"), and line the edges up.

Carefully hand sew around the entire edge to attach the two pieces.

Next, repeat to attach the bottom piece, but make sure to leave a small hole open for stuffing.