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How To Make A Tutu

Tutus make everything more fun!
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You're going to need 2-8 yards of tulle, found in your local fabric store. Tulle seems to range in price from very cheap (I got mine for less than $1 a yard) to not really at all expensive for fabric (I saw some tulle for like $6 a yard - it was rather fancy looking). Two yards will suffice for a children's tutu. I doubt most of you are wanting to make one for a kid though. I used six yards for mine - my tutu is ridiculously poofy and has about a six inch gap with no material. One day, I'll fix that, but for now I just twist it to the side. Depending on how you cut your stripes and tie them on, you may need more or less fabric.

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First, you're going to need to cut the tulle into strips. My tulle just happened to be twice as wide as I wanted my tutu's length to be, so I decided it would be easiest to loop the tulle around the ribbon. I cut my stripes about 4 inches wide - the width of these stripes is going to determine the poofiness, so use my tutu to judge.
After you have your strips cut, you're going to want to fasten them to a ribbon or elastic. If you use ribbon, make sure it matches the tulle - or at least compliments it. I forgot to buy ribbon from the fabric store and all I had laying around with some olive green piece. There are several methods for fastening the strips to the ribbon - you can sew them, tie them, or probably even use fabric glue. I opted to tie them on. Because my strips were twice the length I wanted, I just doubled them over and looped them around the ribbon.
Because I am such a horrible explainer of what I mean by 'looping around the ribbon', I drew a picture. Unfortunately, I am also a horrible drawer. I opted to crop out the final result, which is what you achieve by pulling the ends tight, but I don't think it's a crucial element. Just know that in the drawing below, you are actually looking at what will become the inside of the tutu's waist. You want the clean part of the loop on the outside, as in the photo above.

You may want to play around with other methods of fastening the strips to the ribbon.
If you have any questions, I will try my hardest to answer them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ambrosialove/522118984/

Versions (4)

By Rachel U.

By molly

By Amy Lynn

People who love this project (195)

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Cat Morley

Jan 21, 2008 5:05pm

This is gorgeous, thanks so much for sharing!

opposites-girl

Jan 21, 2008 6:47pm

ooh I love this, it's so gorgeous :) I do love tulle

'Gemyz

Jan 21, 2008 8:05pm

very pretty :]

Euqinom.

Jan 21, 2008 11:39pm

I saw this tute on flickr and made one for halloween. Thanksss, I love my tutu.

Vampish Brat

Jan 22, 2008 12:48am

this is an awsome tutorial i cant wait to make one to go with my corset :D

April

Jan 22, 2008 5:31am

i am going to do this one forsure!

brookie

Jan 22, 2008 6:04pm

Aw! My little girl will have a tutu by nightfall! Thanks so much!

Kimberly

Jan 22, 2008 7:21pm

So cute and easy! Thanks for sharing!

Lady Lolita

Jan 22, 2008 11:56pm

Your tutorial was excellent! I made a tulle skirt for a halloween costume one year, I wish I had thought to just tie my strips on to a ribbon! It would have saved me a LOT of work! Clever you!

She's R.

Jan 23, 2008 11:23am

this is a bloody good idea dude. i would have never thought of doing this. well done!! smarttt!!! im so gonna do this soon!

Katey

Jan 27, 2008 6:13pm

I really like this idea. I have a million yards of tulle but I was too nervous to try making a tutu the hard way. I actually love this way...I like the way the knots look on top and it looks so easy.

Queen.Of.Dorks

Feb 5, 2008 9:52am

awesome,
i've always wanted to know the best way to make one
now i know!!
xx

Rachael S.

Feb 17, 2008 6:26am

I love love love love love love love tutus!

Maggers

Feb 25, 2008 2:35am

Awesome. Definitely making this

outside in girl

Mar 8, 2008 7:09pm

I wanted a tutu and now I will have one!

SakuraLee

Mar 30, 2008 5:39pm

I'd seen this on flickr beforehand and I'm glad I found it here~ I will definately post up pics of the tutu I made sometime! ^^ Thank you for sharing this!

tessuhh

Jun 9, 2008 10:24am

where did you buy fabric at?

chase

Jun 19, 2008 1:58pm

QUESTION: i am a size 0-2 so im pretty small, about how many yards of tulle of each do you think i need if im alternating between two colors?

Meredith W.

Jun 24, 2008 7:46pm

This project was a complete life saver. I'm in the process of making a Gothic Lolita dress for Anime Expo (which is in a week and a half) and I needed a petticoat to make the skirt poof. I'm making this project in white and this will be so much cheaper than ordering a petticoat online.