Am I the last one to realize how easy it is to make a tutu? Tutus are adorable, but I don’t always like the gigantic ones you see in stores…or the price tag that goes with them. I knew I wanted a tutu for my little ladybug’s Halloween costume, but I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted anywhere. Then I realized how easy it is to make one! Here are four easy steps to creating a tutu that will complete any costume, add style to any dress-up trunk, or make any regular lil’ outfit a little more fancy.
Supplies:
1 roll of tulle per color (At Hobby Lobby, these can be found on that wall of sewing stuff at the edge of the fabric department.)
TIP: Tall rolls give you more volume; short rolls are easier to attach, but you might end up doing two layers. Pay attention to the type of tulle you choose: matte is good, shimmer adds a little sparkle, and glitter comes with a free glitter bomb!)
1 super-stretchy knit headband (At Hobby Lobby, these can be found near the jewelry-making and “wearable art” aisle.)
Scissors
Instructions:
Step 1: Count the number of holes on the bottom row of your headband. This will tell you how many strips of tulle to cut.
Step 2: Cut the tulle into strips. To decide how long to make each strip, measure from the waist (where the waistband of your tutu will sit) to how long you want it to be, and then double it. I wanted my tutu to be a little more than 8 inches long, so I cut 17-inch strips in an equal number of red and black.
TIP: I used a rotary cutting mat (left over from that winter when I picked up quilting as another short-lived hobby) to help measure. Don’t worry about being precise with your cuts! Eyeballing it is fine.
Step 3: Attach the tulle strips to the headband. Fold the first strip of tulle in half. Push the folded end through a hole on the bottom row of the headband, far enough that you can open up the loop. Now pull the ends of the strip through the loop and loosely tighten. Continue attaching the rest of the tulle strips around the headband. Be careful not to skip any holes! I alternated red and black strips.
TIP: Pushing the looped end of each strip through the front of the headband (instead of up through the back) will make consistent, nicer-looking knots (if you’re slightly OCD like me).
Step 4: Try it on! When I had my baby girl try on the finished product I realized it wasn’t quite fluffy enough, so I went back and added another partial layer around the tutu.
Altogether, this tutu cost about $8, with enough tulle left over to make several more. It would be fun to have a tutu-making party so you could have lots of color options, split the cost of the tulle, and not have a ton of tulle left over. The entire process took less than an hour, including adding the second layer. I’m envisioning many more tutus to brighten up this holiday and football season!
