Learn how to do anything: How to Make a Tutu

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

How to Make a Tutu

Tutus make great costumes and are a fun addition to any regular outfit. Buying a pre-made tut can be expensive, especially when making your own is so cheap and easy. Try your hand at both these sewing and no-sew variations of a homemade tutu.

Steps

Making a No-Sew Tutu

Choose your tulle. A classic tutu is made from tulle or another stiff, lightweight fabric. You can use any color, but make sure that it measures between wide and long depending on the size of the wearer. You will also need a spool of ribbon in a matching color of choice.

Take your measurements. Use a soft measuring tape around the waist (the narrowest part of your torso) or a bit lower and mark the number. This is the location where the tutu will sit, so measure accordingly.

Cut your materials. Use your measurement from around your waist to get the length of your ribbon. Add an additional of length to the ribbon to create a tie for the finished tutu. Lay your tulle out, and cut it vertically into strips wide. For a bigger, fuller tutu, use thicker strips. For a tutu that is a bit more flat, use thinner strips. The number of strips you cut will vary depending on how wide your waist measurement is and how thickly they are being cut.

Add the tulle to the ribbon. Take each strip of tulle and fold it in half, creating a loop on one end with two loose tails on the other. Lay the folded strip on top of the ribbon, with only a few inches of the loop end sticking out over the top. Then, fold the tail ends under the ribbon and pull them through the loop tightly, creating a knot over the ribbon.

Continue adding tulle strips. Work around the ribbon, pushing the attached tulle strips together tightly to create a bunched effect. Add all your tulle strips in the same fashion until the entirety of the ribbon has been covered except a few inches on each end - these will be used to tie the tutu on.

Sport your new tutu. Tie the ribbon around your waist with the excess ends, and voila! Your tutu is now finished. Enjoy your pretty new skirt around town or as the accompaniment for a costume.^[1]

Sewing Your Own Tutu

Choose your tulle. For a tutu that you sew, you can use a bolt of fabric cut into strips or rolls of tulle ribbon. Any color can be used for your tutu, and the amount that you need will vary based on the width of your waist. You will also need to get a thin elastic measuring or smaller.

Take your measurements. Wrap a soft measuring tape around your waist or wherever you would like the completed tutu to sit. Make sure that the measurement is not too loose; loose elastic will fit strangely and look awkward on.

Cut your fabric. If you are using tulle yardage, lay it out flat and cut strips of the fabric measuring between wide. The wider the strips, the more full your finished tutu will be. If you are using a bolt of tulle ribbon, cut it into long pieces of equal length between long. The Strips will be folded in half, so ½ the length will be how long the tulle is on your body from the waistband. Cut your elastic to meet the measurement from your waist.

Sew on the tulle. Fold each strip of tulle in half over the elastic band. Use a straight stitch on your sewing machine to sew the two tail ends together directly underneath (but not on) the elastic band.

Continue adding tulle. Add all your strips of tulle around the length of the elastic waistband, bunching them together slightly as you work. You may need to cut and add more strips of tulle if you begin getting low near the ends of the elastic.

Finish the waistband. When you reach the ends of the elastic band, sew them together using a zigzag stitch on your sewing machine. Adjust your tulle so that it gathers around the waistband evenly, and you’re finished! Enjoy your pretty new tutu and show off your sewing skills.^[2]