On Youtube there are quite a few demo's of how to fold a towel into different origami shapes -- a swan, flower, butterfly, elephant, etc. These might work in the same way for a yard of fabric. Just go to Youtube and search on hotel towel origami.
Also, Google "origami made with fabric" and click on "images" to find a photo of something you might want to make. Here is a link to one tutorial, although a yard of fabric would make a much larger flower:
http://americansewingguild.blogspot....c-flowers.html