Aurora's Heritage Napkins Dress

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

 I just love vintage linens!  I marvel at the handwork and time that was put into lovely things made to grace a home.  There was a time when every young girl learned how to embroider, sew, knit, crochet, and tat.  Now these pastimes are no longer as needed or desired by many (most?) young people who are used to instant gratification in all areas of life.  These needle arts take time and practice to perfect.   There is hope, though!  There are young women learning these things on their own as evidenced by the sew-alongs and challenges of Project Run & Play.  One young woman, Sarah from The Gregarious Life, has taught herself how to smock this year.  She has made several smocked dresses for her little girl and is using vintage patterns to make delightful clothes.  I'm not sure when she finds the time because she has goats and chickens, too!

It is well known in my school that I appreciate old linens, buttons, and bits of lace, etc.  Sandra, known to us affectionately as Diva, came to school one day with a package containing eight gorgeous handmade cutwork napkins and gave them to me.  They were her mother's napkins but they weren't something that Diva would use but she knew that I would put them to good use.  The first thing I made was a little sundress for Diva's granddaughter Aurora.  I had the perfect floral fabric to go with them:  Le Jardin Birds N Butterflies by Susan Winget.  I used Portabello Pixie's Petal Knot Dress for the pattern in a size 3.

Aurora's Heritage Dress Back

A little closer look at the wonderful handwork.

I used two of the beautifully made napkins for the front of this dress.  I used one as the attached apron and one for the bodice overlay.  I love how the elaborate handwork drapes down from the bodice over the napkin apron attached at the high waist.

Are there any beautiful napkins or hankies hidden away in your closets?  Perhaps you might want to take them out and fashion something new out of something old!  Have fun!