The shadow appliqué technique used for the featured vest captures pressed silk flower petals and leaves between a base fabric and a sheer overlay with outline stitching. Machine or hand embellishments, from elaborate beading and embroidery to couching with glitzy cords or braids, will enhance your appliqué.

Materials

• Ghee's Linda's Vest Pattern #693
• 3/4 yard of 44"-wide print fabric for front
• 1 1/2yards of 45"-wide lining fabric
• 3/4 yard of 45"-wide sheer for overlay
• 12 to 18 silk flowers ranging in size from 1/2" to 5" in diameter
• Rayon machine-embroidery thread or embroidery floss for hand appliqué
• One large decorative button
• Matching all-purpose thread
• Fabric glue stick or fabric temporary adhesive spray
• Lightweight, tear-away stabilizer
  

• Check flower colors when viewed through sheers. Take fashion fabric and sheer samples along to select silk flowers.
  
• Choose silk flower heads with petals that can easily be pressed flat when taken apart. Remove the petals and leaves from the stem and vein wires. Discard all wire and plastic parts.
  
• Press the petals and leaves with an iron at a medium steam setting. Allow the pieces to cool before moving them to prevent curling and crimping.
  
• No facings are necessary for this layered vest. Cut vest fronts from fashion fabric. Cut sheer overlay fronts, adding a 1" allowance around all edges. Cut vest front pieces and two vest backs from the lining fabric.
  

Flower Placement Place the fashion fabric vest fronts on a work table right side up with tear-away stabilizer beneath them. Place smaller flower petals over larger ones, alternating dark and light colors (Figure 1). (The appliqué will be more dramatic by "stacking" the flowers.) Tuck leaves of various sizes and shapes under the flower petals.

Figure 1 Stack flowers and leaves.

Figure 2 Flower Placement

Arrange the flowers in a cascade from the right front shoulder seam down the center front, working around the buttonhole (Figure 2). Place one large and a few small flowers on the left side front from the waistline to the hemline.

Attach the silk flowers to the fashion fabric with a temporary fabric adhesive or a light tap with a fabric glue stick. Place the sheer fabric over the front pieces and pin all three layers (stabilizer, vest front and overlay) together (Figure 3).

Figure 3 Shadow Appliqué Sandwich

Figure 4 Capture shapes with outline stitching.

Appliqué For machine appliqué, set the sewing machine for a medium-length straight stitch and stitch around each petal and leaf outer edge, tracing the petal shapes (Figure 4). To secure the ends, pull the threads to the wrong side and tie off. For hand appliqué, outline the flowers and leaves with three strands of embroidery floss using a backstitch, running stitch or stem stitch. Add any hand or machine embellishments, such as straight lines radiating from the flower centers and French knots, loop or bead stitches for the flower centers.

Background Stitching & Construction Diagonal topstitching allows all layers to hang nicely together and pushes the sheer fabric to the background while bringing the flower shapes forward. When the appliqué stitching is completed, carefully remove the tear-away stabilizer. Place the vest fronts flat on a work table. Mark diagonal chalk lines beginning from the front shoulder seamlines. Continue marking parallel chalk lines across the vest at 1" intervals, skipping over appliquéd flowers and leaves. Or use your machine's quilting guide for even spacing. Topstitch over the chalk lines. Pull the thread ends to the wrong side and tie off. Trim the sheer overlay even with fashion fabric all around. Follow the pattern guidesheet instructions to complete the vest. Stitch the buttonhole and add a decorative button.

Source Linda's Vest pattern #693 is available from Ghee's, Dept. SN, 2620 Centenary Blvd., SNM #2-250, Shreveport, LA 71104, (318) 226-1701; www.ghees.com.

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