This design has been specially digitized for tearaway stabilizer. After the stabilizer is removed, beautiful fabric and embroidery remains.

When you download the 3D train caboose design, you will find multiple files. Some are embroidery files, and the others are dieline files marked with the letters "DL". Dielines are used to cut the fabric to the correct shape and size.

Open and print each dieline file using embroidery software. If you do not have embroidery software, take a look at our helpful video on using dielines.

First, spray one side of a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive. Smooth the stabilizer onto the wrong side of all the fabric pieces.

Then spray the backside of the printed dieline pieces with temporary adhesive, and smooth it onto the right side of the fabric. For this design, every fabric piece (the front, back, and accent panels) of every file need to have cutaway stabilizer on them.

Cut the dieline shapes out of the adhered fabric and cutaway stabilizer. Some of the fabric pieces have openings that need to be cut with a craft knife. Cut out each of the openings using a craft knife and cutting mat. Then remove the paper dieline.

Hoop a piece of tearaway stabilizer firmly. Make sure it is nice and tight with no wrinkles.

Attach the hoop onto the machine and load the first embroidery file (not the dieline files). Use a 75/11 sharp sewing needle instead of an embroidery needle. The sharp sewing needle has a finer point, and it will make smaller perforations in the stabilizer. Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be the "front piece dieline" (or outline stitch). This marks the area on the stabilizer where the fabric piece will be placed.

After the dieline has sewn, remove the hoop from the machine but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the stabilizer side of the front fabric piece with temporary adhesive. Smooth the fabric piece onto the stabilizer inside of the sewn dieline.

Then place the hoop back onto the machine and embroider the tackdown for the front fabric piece. The tackdown will hold the fabric piece in place for the remainder of the design.

Some pieces have an panel of fabric in an accent color as well. For these fabric pieces, embroider the "panel dieline" on top of the first fabric piece.

Spray the stabilizer side of the accent panel fabric piece, and smooth it in place inside the sewn dieline. Then embroider the "panel tackdown" to adhere the fabric piece to the stabilizer.

After all the fabric pieces are in place, the inner details of the embroidery will sew out. Stop before sewing the "back piece tackdown" step.

Before sewing the "back piece tackdown" step, remove the hoop from the machine and turn it over so the back side of the embroidery is facing up. Spray the stabilizer of the back fabric piece with temporary adhesive and smooth it into place on the back side of the embroidery.

Then place the hoop back onto the machine and embroider the "back piece tackdown". This will adhere the back piece in place on the back side of the hooped stabilizer. For this design, you only need to match bobbins if desired. The bobbin sides of the pieces will not be easily visible once the train is assembled. Then follow the color change sheet to embroider the remaining tabs and finishing borders.

After embroidering, tear away the excess stabilizer. Make sure to remove the stabilizer from all the window openings as well.

Many of the pieces also have small openings between the fabric pieces and the embroidered tabs. Use a scissor or tweezers to remove the small pieces of stabilizer from these areas.

Repeat these steps to embroider all the pieces of the train caboose (files "a"-"g"). Make sure to place cutaway on the back of every single fabric piece as it will make the train pieces sturdy enough to hold themselves up when completed.

In this tutorial, the train caboose is designed to mostly use glue and embroidered glue tabs for assembly. There are two steps in the caboose construction where hand sewing is recommended over gluing. The first is when connecting the roof pieces onto the curved top side pieces. The second is an optional step toward the end involving the thin bars on the balcony. If preferred, you can also hand sew all the pieces together in the same order as listed below. Simply use thread matching the embroidery. We used red thread so that the stitches are visible for this tutorial.

To make gluing the train caboose together as easy as possible, glue tabs have been added to the file. These tabs embroider out with the rest of the design and are either long rectangles or small squares depending on if the edge is meant to be curved or straight in the end.

To use these tabs, simply place a generous amount of glue on the tab. For best results, glue long tabs in small sections so the glue goes not dry faster than you can line up the pieces. The small tab should be glued one at a time so the glue does not dry out too fast.

Then place the glue tab with glue on it against the wrong side of the adjacent edge or fabric piece where it will not be seen.

To begin assembly, first take the end pieces with a door (file "c" or "d"). Place glue on one long side tab.

The two door pieces will be the inner doors of the balconies. Glue this piece onto the wrong side of the first side piece (file "a" or "b"). Make sure the right side of the door lines up with the inner edge of the balcony window. Also make sure that the top corner of the door matches up with the top edge of the side piece (not the tab). The tab should be folded back toward the center of the caboose. Hold the pieces in place until the glue has dried.

Then repeat to glue the second inner door piece to the other end of the same side piece ("a" or "b"). Again, make sure the right side of the door lines up with the inner edge of the balcony window. The top corner of the door should match up with the top edge of the side piece (not the tab), and the tab should be folded back toward the center of the caboose. Hold the pieces in place until the glue has dried.

Repeat the process again to glue the opposite side tabs of both inner door pieces ("c" & "d") onto the second side piece ("a" or "b"). Again, make sure the right side of the door lines up with the inner edge of the balcony window. The top corner of the door should match up with the top edge of the side piece (not the tab), and the tab should be folded back toward the center of the caboose. Hold these piece in place until the glue has dried.

Then take either of the balcony end pieces (file "e" or "f"), and place glue on the two side tabs. One is longer and toward the bottom of the train, the other is the small square tab at the top. Place glue on just the two tabs on one side for now.

Then glue the tabs of that balcony piece ("e" or "f") onto the wrong side of either side piece ("a" or "b"). This time match up the top and bottom corners with the corners of the side piece, and make sure to leave a small gap between the pieces so they can fold easily. Make sure to glue the balcony piece all the way at the end of the side piece. Hold it in place until dry.

Repeat to glue the opposite side of the same balcony piece ("e" or "f") onto the opposite side piece ("a" or "b") to complete that end of the caboose. Make sure to match up the top and bottom corners with the corners of the side piece, and to leave a small gap between the pieces for folding. Hold it in place until dry.

Repeat the previous steps to glue the second balcony piece ("e" or "f") onto the side pieces at the opposite end of the caboose. Make sure to match up the top and bottom corners with the corners of the side piece, and leave a small gap between the pieces for folding. Hold it in place until dry.

Then place glue on the top left glue tab of either side piece ("a" or "b").

Glue either of the larger roof pieces (file "k" or "l") onto the first, left glue tab, then hold it in place until it is dry. Make sure to match up the corner of the roof with the top corner of the side piece ("a" or "b"), and leave a gap for folding. Hold it in place until dry.

Then locate the six top tabs on the end of the caboose where you just attached a portion of the roof piece. There will be three on the balcony piece ("e" or "f") and 3 on the door piece ("c" or "d"). Place glue on all 6 of them, and quickly move to the next step.

Those 6 tabs will be glued onto the wrong side of the roof piece ("k" or "l"). It is very important that you make sure the roof reaches all the way across to the other side piece, so the corners match up on that side when gluing this piece. These top tabs will also help support the slight dome or curve of the roof. Make sure to leave a small gap for folding.

Reaching up through the bottom of the train with a small stick to push them onto the roof can secure them in place better. Add more glue as necessary, and hold them in place until dry.

Then carefully fold in the long top tab on the second side piece ("a" or "b"), and glue it onto the wrong side of the roof. Make sure to leave a small gap for folding, and hold each tab in place until dry.

Repeat the previous steps to glue the second larger roof piece ("k" or "l") onto the other end of the caboose in the same tab order as was done on this side.

This next step works better when hand sewn together than when glued due to the curved nature of the roof. Match up the edge of either larger roof piece ("k" or "l") with the curved bottom edge of either of the curved, top pieces (file "i" or "j"). Match up the outer corners and sew them together using thread matching the embroidery. If you cannot hand sew, you can instead glue 3-5 small pieces of ribbon like hinges around the inner corner/ fold (on the wrong side of the two pieces) to connect them instead.

Then repeat to attach the second curved top piece ("i" or "j") onto the opposite large roof ("k" or "l"). Make sure the corners match up.

Then place glue on either side tab of either curved top piece ("i" or "j").

Take either of the straight top pieces (file "g" or "h"), and glue the tab onto it's wrong side. Make sure the 3 small tabs are facing upward. Match up the corners and make sure to leave a small gap for folding.

Then glue the adjacent side tab of the other curved top piece ("i" or "j") onto the wrong side of the same straight top piece ("g" or "h"). Match up the corners and make sure to leave a small gap for folding.

Place glue on the bottom long tab of the attached straight top piece ("g" or "h").

Tuck that tab in and glue it against the wrong side of the side piece ("a" or "b"). Make sure to leave a small gap for folding, and hold the tab in place until dry.

Then repeat to glue the second straight top piece ("g" or "h") onto the opposite side. Make sure to leave a small gap for folding. Hold each tab in place until dry.

Then place glue on the top left glue tab of either top straight piece ("g" or "h").

Glue the small roof (file "m") onto the first, left glue tab, and hold it in place until it is dry. Make sure to match up the corner of the roof with the top corner of the top straight piece ("g" or "h").

After the glue has dried on that first tab, repeat to glue the other two top tabs of that top piece onto the wrong side of the roof. Once all tabs are glued, the corners of the roof should match up with the top corners of the top piece on both ends.

Then locate the 6 top tabs of both curved top pieces ("i" & "j"). Place glue on all 6 of them and quickly move to the next step. Those 6 tabs will be glued onto the wrong side of the small roof piece ("m"). It is very important that you make sure the roof reaches all the way across to the other side piece so the corners match up on that side when gluing this piece.

These top tabs will help support the slight dome or curve of the roof. Make sure to leave a small gap for folding. Reaching up through the bottom of the train with a small stick to push them onto the roof can help secure them in place. Add more glue as necessary and hold them in place until dry.

Then carefully fold in the remaining 3 top tabs on the second straight top piece ("g" or "h") and glue them onto the wrong side of the roof. Gluing these tabs onto the roof one by one works the best, and you can also reach up through the bottom of the train with a small stick to push them onto the roof and secure them in place. Make sure to leave a small gap for folding and hold each tab in place until dry.

Next, place glue on the bottom tab of either balcony piece ("e" or "f").

Then glue that tab onto the wrong side of the base piece (file "n") so that either short end of the base matches up with the bottom edge of the balcony piece ("e" or "f"). Make sure the corners are lined up, and leave a gap for folding. Hold it in place until dry.

Then place glue on the bottom edge of the inner door piece ("c" or "d").

Fold the base piece down and press it against this tab gently. You can even reach through the windows with a small stick to press the tab securely against the base piece if needed.

It is important when gluing this tab down to make sure that the second short end of the base piece will still reach the opposite end of the train. Hold this in place until dry.

Then repeat to glue the bottom tab of the second door piece ("c" or "d") onto the wrong side of the base piece. After placing the glue, fold the base piece down and press it against this tab gently. You can even reach through the windows with a small stick to press the tab securely against the base piece if needed. Hold it in place until dry.

Place glue on the bottom tab of the second balcony piece ("e" or "f"), and glue it onto the base piece. Make sure the corners are lined up, and leave a gap for folding. Hold it in place until dry.

The base piece ("n") has two long tabs on either side. Place glue along a small portion of either tab. This tab is easier to glue down if you only glue 1-2 inches of it at a time. Fold that long tab in and glue in onto the wrong side of the adjacent side piece ("a" or "b"). Hold it in place until dry as you glue.

Then repeat to fold the opposite long side tab of the base in and glue it onto the wrong side of the adjacent side piece. This tab is easier to glue down if you only glue 1-2 inches of it at a time. Hold it in place until dry as you glue.

The two balcony areas have thin embroidered bars at the corners where the side pieces ("a" & "b") and the balcony end pieces ("e" & "f") meet. If desired, you can hand sew the two bars together at all four the corner to make them more secure, and get rid of the gap between them. A simple whip stitch using a thread that matches the embroidery works great for this. This step is optional, and will just make the train look even nicer than it already did!