Brother Innovis 4500 D Manual

							SEWING THE STITCHES
Utility Stitches
79
3
Quilting 
You can make beautiful quilts quickly and easily with this machine. When making a quilt, you will find it 
convenient to use the knee lifter and foot controller to free your hands for other tasks (see “Using the Foot 
Controller” on page 45 and /or see “Using the Knee Lifter” on page 53). 
If there is a “P” or “Q” at the bottom of the key display, the indicated stitch is intended for quilting.
PatternName of pattern
Type of presser foot
Use
Stitch width 
[mm (inch.)]Stitch length  [mm (inch.)]Tw i n  
needle
Auto.ManualAuto.Manual
Piecing stitch 
(Right) Piecework/patchwork
6.5 mm (approx. 1/4 inch) right 
seam allowance5.5
(7/32) 0.0 - 7.0
(0 - 1/4) 2.0
(1/16) 0.2 - 5.0
(1/64 - 3/16) NO
Piecing stitch 
(Middle) Piecework/patchwork
——2.0
(1/16) 0.2 - 5.0
(1/64 - 3/16) NO
Piecing stitch 
(Left) Piecework/patchwork
6.5 mm (approx. 1/4 inch) left 
seam allowance1.5
(1/16) 0.0 - 7.0
(0 - 1/4) 2.0
(1/16) 0.2 - 5.0
(1/64 - 3/16) NO
Hand-look 
quilting Quilting stitch made to look like 
hand quilting stitch
0.0
(0) 0.0 - 7.0
(0 - 1/4) 2.5
(3/32) 1.0 - 4.0
(1/16 - 3/16) NO
Quilting 
appliqu é zigzag 
stitch Zigzag stitch for quilting and 
sewing on appliqu
é quilt pieces 3.5
(1/8) 0.0 - 7.0
(0 - 1/4) 1.4
(1/16) 0.0 - 4.0
(0 - 3/16) NO
Quilting 
appliqu é stitch Quilting stitch for invisible appliqu
é 
or attaching binding 1.5
(1/16) 0.5 - 5.0
(1/64 - 3/16) 1.8
(1/16) 1.0 - 4.0
(1/16 - 3/16) NO
Quilting 
stippling Background quilting
7.0
(1/4) 1.0 - 7.0
(1/16 - 1/4) 1.6
(1/16) 1.0 - 4.0
(1/16 - 3/16) NO 
						

							SEWING THE STITCHES
80

Piecing 
Sewing two pieces of fabric together is called 
piecing. When cutting pieces for quilt blocks, make 
sure the seam allowance is 6.5 mm (approx. 
1/4 inch). 
a
aa aSelect   or   and attach presser foot 
“ J” .
b
bb bAlign the edge of the fabric with the edge of 
the presser foot, and start sewing. 
* To sew a 6.5 mm (approx. 1/4 inch) seam allowance 
along the left edge of the presser foot with   
selected, the width should be set to 5.5 mm (approx. 
7/32 inch).
a 6.5 mm (approx. 1/4 inch) 
* To sew a 6.5 mm (approx. 1/4 inch) seam allowance 
along the left edge of the presser foot with   
selected, the width should be set to 1.5 mm (approx. 
1/32 inch).
a 6.5 mm (approx. 1/4 inch) 
* To change the needle position, use   or   in  the width display.

Quilting 
Sewing together the quilt top, batting, and backing is 
called quilting. You can sew the quilt with the 
walking foot to keep the quilt top, batting, and 
backing from sliding. The walking foot has a set of 
feed dogs that move together with the feed dogs in 
the needle plate during sewing.
For straight line quilting, use the walking foot and 
the straight stitch needle plate. Always select a 
straight stitch (middle needle position) when using 
the straight stitch needle plate.
a
aa aSelect ,  or .
b
bb
bAttach the walking foot (see page 38).
c
cc
cPlace one hand on each side of the presser 
foot to hold the fabric secure while sewing.
Memo
Using a straight stitch (middle needle position) 
makes it easier to sew smoothly (see page 
63).
J
a
J
a
Memo
 Sew at slow to medium speed. 
 Do not sew in reverse or use stitches that 
require side ways or reverse feeding. 
Always check to be sure that your quilting 
surface is securely basted before beginning 
to sew. Specialized machine quilt needles 
and threads are also available for machine 
quilting. 
						

							SEWING THE STITCHES
Utility Stitches
81
3

Appliqué  
a
aa aTrace the pattern onto the appliqué  fabric 
and then cut around it, leaving a 3 to 5 mm 
(approx. 1/8 to 3/16 inch) seam allowance.
a Seam allowance: 3 to 5 mm 
(approx. 1/8 to 3/16 inch) 
b
bb bPlace a piece of thick paper cut to the 
finished size of the appliqu é design onto the 
fabric, and then fold over the seam margin 
using an iron. Clip curves when necessary.
c
cc cTurn the appliqu é over, and attach the thick 
paper with basting pins or a basting stitch.
d
dd
dSelect   and attach presser foot  “J” .
e
ee
eUse the quilting appliqu é stitch to attach 
the appliqu é. Sew around the edge while 
dropping the needle as close to the edge as 
possible.
a Appliqu é
b Needle drop position
You can use the appliqué technique to attach 
appliqué designs like the three pictured below.
a
 CAUTION
Be careful that the needle does not strike a 
basting pin during sewing. Striking a pin can 
cause the needle to break, resulting in injury.
a Dresden plate 
b Stained glass 
c Sunbonnet sue 
J
a
b
abc 
						

							SEWING THE STITCHES
82

Quilting with Satin Stitches 
Use the foot controller to sew with satin stitches. If 
you set the speed control slide to control the stitch 
width, you can make subtle changes in the stitch 
width during sewing. 
a
aa aAttach the foot controller (see page 45).
b
bb
bSelect   and attach presser foot  “J” .
c
cc
cPress   in the length display to shorten 
the stitch length. 
d
dd dPress   to use the speed control slide 
to control the stitch width. 
e
ee eSet the width control to  “ON ”. 
f
ff
fPress .
→ The display will return to the original screen.
g
gg
gStart sewing.
* You can adjust the stitch width during sewing by 
moving the sewing speed controller. Slide the lever 
to the left, and the stitch width becomes narrower. 
Slide it to the right, the stitch width becomes wider. 
The size of the width changes equally on both sides 
of the middle needle position.
a narrower 
b wider 
h
hh hWhen you are finished sewing, set the 
width control back to  “OFF” .
Memo
The setting will vary according to the kind of 
fabric and the thickness of the thread, but a 
length of 0.3 to 0.5 mm (approx. 1/64 to 1/32 
inch) is best for satin stitches.
Memo
You can use the speed control slide to adjust 
the stitch width. Use the foot controller to 
adjust the sewing speed. 
ab
J
Rough sketch (line) 
						

							SEWING THE STITCHES
Utility Stitches
83
3

Free-motion Quilting
With free-motion quilting, the feed dogs can be 
lowered (using the feed dog position switch) so that 
the fabric can be moved freely in any direction.
For free-motion quilting, use free-motion quilting 
foot “C” or free-motion open toe quilting foot “O” 
depending on the stitch that is selected, and set the 
machine to free-motion sewing mode. In this mode, 
the presser foot is raised to the necessary height for 
free-motion sewing.
We recommend attaching the foot controller and 
sewing at a consistent speed. You can adjust the 
sewing speed with the speed control slide on the 
machine.
Using Free-motion Quilting Foot  “C”
The free-motion quilting foot “C” is used for free-
motion sewing using the straight stitch needle plate.
Free-motion quilting foot “C”
a
aa aAttach the straight stitch needle plate (see 
page 65).
a Round hole
 CAUTION
With free-motion quilting, control the feeding 
speed of the fabric to match the sewing speed. 
If the fabric is moved faster than the sewing 
speed, the needle may break or other damage 
may result.
 When using free-motion quilting foot  “C”, be 
sure to use the straight stitch needle plate and 
sew with the needle in middle (center) needle 
position. If the needle is moved to any position 
other than the middle (center) needle position, 
the needle may break, which may result in 
injuries.
Memo
 When starting to sew, the internal sensor 
detects the thickness of the fabric, and the 
quilting foot is raised to the height specified 
in the machine settings screen. Press 
 to display  “FREE MOTION FOOT 
HEIGHT ” on P. 1 of the settings screen. 
Press   or   to select the height that 
the quilting foot is raised above the fabric. 
Increase the setting by pressing  , for 
example, when sewing very stretchy fabric, 
so that it is easier to sew.
 In order to sew with a balanced tension, it 
may be necessary to adjust the upper thread 
tension. Test with a sample piece of fabric 
that is similar to your chosen fabric.
Memo
Notice that there is a round hole in this needle 
plate.
a 
						

							SEWING THE STITCHES
84
b
bb bPress   to set the machine to free-
motion sewing mode.
→ The key appears as  , and the quilting foot is 
raised to the necessary height for free-motion 
sewing.
c
cc cSelect any of the following stitches.
→ Free-motion quilting foot “C” is indicated in the 
upper-left corner of the screen.
d
dd dRemove the presser foot holder (see page 
38).
e
ee eAttach free-motion quilting foot  “C”  at the 
front with the presser foot holder screw 
aligned with the notch in the quilting foot.
a Presser foot holder screw
b Notch
f
ff fHold the quilting foot in place with your 
right hand, and tighten the presser foot 
holder screw using the screwdriver with 
your left hand.
a Presser foot holder screw
Note
Make sure that the quilting foot is attached 
properly and not slanted.
 CAUTION
Be sure to securely tighten the screws with the 
included screwdriver. Otherwise, the needle 
may touch the quilting foot, causing it to bend 
or break.
a
b
a 
						

							SEWING THE STITCHES
Utility Stitches
85
3
g
gg gLower the feed dog position switch, located 
at the rear of the base of the machine, to 
.
aRear of machine
b Feed dog position switch
(as seen from the rear of the machine)
c Up
d Down
h
hh hUse both hands to stretch the fabric taut, 
and then move the fabric at a consistent 
pace in order to sew uniform stitches 
roughly 2.0-2.5 mm (approx. 1/16 - 3/32 
inch) in length.
a Stitch
i
ii iPress   to cancel the free-motion sewing 
mode.
j
jj jAfter sewing is finished, raise the feed dog 
position switch to   to raise the feed 
dogs. Using Free-motion Open Toe Quilting Foot 
“O ”
The free-motion open toe quilting foot “O” is used 
for free-motion quilting with zigzag or decorative 
stitches or for free-motion quilting of straight lines 
on fabric with an uneven thickness. Various stitches 
can be sewn using free-motion open toe quilting 
foot “O”. For details on the stitches that can be used, 
refer to the “Stitch Setting Chart” at the end of this 
manual.
Free-motion open toe quilting foot “O”
Memo
 Normally, the feed dog position switch is in 
the up position.
 Do not be discouraged with your initial 
results. The technique requires practice.
a
b
c
d
Note
Free-motion open toe quilting foot “ O” can 
also be used with the straight stitch needle 
plate. We recommend using free-motion open 
toe quilting foot  “O ” with free-motion sewing of 
fabrics of uneven thicknesses. For details on 
installing the straight stitch needle plate, refer 
to page 65. Select one of the following stitches 
when using the straight stitch needle plate.
Memo
In order to sew with a balanced tension, it may 
be necessary to adjust the upper thread 
tension (see page 50). Test with a sample 
piece of quilting fabric. 
						

							SEWING THE STITCHES
86
a
aa aPress   to set the machine to free-
motion sewing mode.
→ The key appears as  , and the quilting foot is 
raised to the necessary height for free-motion 
sewing.
b
bb bSelect a stitch.
c
cc
cRemove the presser foot holder (see page 
38).
d
dd dAttach free-motion open toe quilting foot 
“ O ” by positioning the pin of the quilting 
foot above the needle clamp screw and 
aligning the lower-left of the quilting foot 
and the presser bar.
a Pin
b Needle clamp screw
c Presser bar
e
ee eHold the quilting foot in place with your 
right hand, and tighten the presser foot 
holder screw using the screwdriver with 
your left hand.
a Presser foot holder screw
f
ff fUse both hands to stretch the fabric taut, 
and then move the fabric at a consistent 
pace in order to sew uniform stitches 
roughly 2.0-2.5 mm (approx. 1/16 - 3/32 
inch) in length.
a Stitch
g
gg gPress   to cancel the free-motion sewing 
mode.

 Echo Quilting Using the Free-motion 
Echo Quilting Foot  “E”
Sewing quilting lines at equal distances around a 
motif is called echo quilting. The quilting lines, 
which appear as ripples echoing away from the 
motif, are the distinguishing characteristic of this 
quilting style. Use the free-motion echo quilting foot 
“E” for echo quilting. Using the measurement on the 
presser foot as a guide, sew around the motif at a 
fixed interval. We recommend attaching the foot 
controller and sewing at a consistent speed.
Memo
Free-motion open toe quilting foot  “O ” is 
indicated in the upper-left corner of the 
screen. When using the straight stitch needle 
plate, free-motion quilting foot  “C ” is indicated.
Note
Make sure that the quilting foot is not slanted.
1
2
3
 CAUTION
 Be sure to securely tighten the screws with the 
included screwdriver. Otherwise, the needle 
may touch the quilting foot, causing it to bend 
or break.
Memo
Do not be discouraged with your initial results. 
The technique requires practice.
a 
						

							SEWING THE STITCHES
Utility Stitches
87
3
Free-motion echo quilting foot “E” measurement 
a6.4 mm (approx. 1/4 inch)
b 9.5 mm (approx. 3/8 inch)
a
aa aPress   to set the machine to free-
motion sewing mode.
→ The key appears as  , and the quilting foot is 
raised to the necessary height for free-motion 
sewing.
b
bb bSelect .
c
cc
cFollow the steps on page 37  “Removing the 
Presser Foot”  to remove the presser foot.
d
dd
dRemove the presser foot holder (see page 
38) and the screw.
e
ee ePosition the free-motion echo quilting foot 
“ E ” on the left side of the presser bar with 
the holes in the quilting foot and presser bar 
aligned.
 CAUTION
 With free-motion quilting, control the feeding 
speed of the fabric to match the sewing speed. 
If the fabric is moved faster than the sewing 
speed, the needle may break or other damage 
may result.
Memo
When starting to sew, the internal sensor 
detects the thickness of the fabric, and the 
quilting foot is raised to the height specified 
in the machine settings screen. Press 
 to display  “FREE MOTION FOOT 
HEIGHT ” on P. 1 of the settings screen (see 
page 16). Press   or   to select the 
height that the quilting foot is raised above 
the fabric. Increase the setting by pressing  , for example, when sewing very soft 
fabric, so that it is easier to sew.
 In order to sew with a balanced tension, it 
may be necessary to adjust the upper thread 
tension (see page 50). Test with a sample 
piece of quilting fabric. 
						

							SEWING THE STITCHES
88
f
ff fTighten the screw with the included 
screwdriver.
g
gg gUsing the measurement on the quilting foot 
as a guide, sew around the motif.
a 6.4 mm (approx. 1/4 inch)
Finished project
h
hh hPress   to cancel the free-motion sewing 
mode.
 CAUTION
 Be sure to securely tighten the screws with the 
included screwdriver. Otherwise, the needle 
may touch the quilting foot, causing it to bend 
or break.