Turn an Embroidered Napkin Into a Yoke - a Refashion

I love it when I'm working on a creation and it inspires me to create something else. This very thing happened last week, I sewed up May's Project Run and Play project using a free pattern called Summer Chevrons Shirt by Crafty Cupboard and then shipped it off to one of my granddaughters. I'm hoping it arrives on time so I can show it to you by the end of the week.  After sewing that pattern, I had an idea that worked out wonderfully and I want to share it with you today. 

For my second attempt at creating that same pattern, I added a fun twist.  I have a lot of linen napkins that my sister-in-law inherited and then shared with me last fall.  She told me that she doesn't remember her mother ever using most of them and believes they were probably ones her mother inherited from her grandmother.  She challenged me to use them to create something instead of letting them sit in a drawer for another 60 plus years.

As I was looking at the yoke to the Summer Chevrons Shirt pattern, I started to wonder if I had a linen napkin that would be the right size to cut that yoke out of.  After trying the pattern onto three different linen napkins, I found one almost the right size.  

Here's how I used that embroidered napkin and turned it into a yoke: 

• Fold the napkin into fourths and pin the bottom, outside corner.
• Pin the yoke pattern in place remembering that you will not need to sew the shoulder seams so pin that pattern up a little higher on the fold.
• Cut out the neck opening.
• Unfold your yoke.  It's now ready to attach to the bodice pieces.

• Pin the bodice onto the yoke - the first photo shows these pieces from the back side.
• The second photo shows the pieces from the front side.
• From the front side, sew right above any embroidery attaching the yoke to the bodice.
• Pin on the interfacing and sew around the neckline.  
• Turn the interfacing to the wrong side and iron in place.  Fold under the seam allowances and pin in place.
• Now stitch the interfacing to the yoke from the right side of the fabric to keep any stitching lined up with any embroidery on the edges.

Then, I followed the rest of Crafty Cupboard's directions to complete this top. I hope this tutorial inspires you to see what you can do with a linen embroidered napkin or something else similar.  

To the bottom of the shirt, I added a little vintage looking off white lace, a bright pink ruffle and...topped the look off with some fun floral ribbon I found at Hobby Lobby. 

To the bodice, I added wonderful, almost flat, vintage buttons because I hate to think of thick buttons poking my little one in the back when she has to sit in her car seat.

This weekend, I get to spend time with one of my granddaughters and I'm planning on taking photos of her in this summer dress.  Since this post has to be up by Friday to be eligible for this sew-a-long, I'm hoping you will excuse this long-distance grandmother and enjoy the tutorial for now without photos of it on my little one.  

Here's one of the photos of the dress on this cutie.  If you notice it looks a little different, my daughter did not like the bright pink and asked me to add soft pink to the bottom.  Why didn't I ask her opinion first?

If you try this refashion, I hope you're as happy with your results as I was with mine.   xoxo Grandma