Materials Needed:

Fabric Scissors

Needle and Thread

1/2″-3/4″ Width Roll of Non Roll Elastic
(Amount determined by waist size) or elastic headband for waist

Tulle From The Bolt (fabric stores sell tulle by the yard from a bolt,
which is usually 54″ wide) or 6″ by 25 yard roll of tulle

If using tulle from the bolt, you will need to purchase at
least 5-6 yards of tulle for a baby/toddler size.
Ages 4 and up will need at least 8-10 yards of tulle.

If using tulle from the roll, purchase 6″ by 25-yard rolls of tulle.
You will need 2-3 rolls for a baby/toddler size and 3-4 rolls for ages 4 and up.
I personally love using tulle ribbon from a roll/spool.
It’s normally used for wedding decorations and gift-wrap.
It’s easier to work with and quicker to cut.

Optional: Paper Towel Roll to bring elastic waistband around

Optional: Quliters Lip Edge Ruler, Rotary Cutter and Mat to cut even strips.
Extremely helpful when cutting tulle from the bolt.

Cutting Tulle:

If using tulle from a bolt, you will need to cut it down into 6″ strips. A quick and easy way to do that is to roll the tulle into a tube… it should look like a tube of gift-wrap paper.

One end of the tulle will have a folded edge (that’s how it comes from the fabric store). Using a Rotary cutter, mat and quilter lip edge ruler, cut an inch or two from the folded edge so you have a clean edge to work with.

Starting on that edge, measure 3″ and make your first cut with a great pair of fabric scissors or rotary cutter. Then measure 6″ over and cut again. Repeat every 5-6” until you have cut the entire length. You may have to adjust the strip width to make the strip width as even as possible.

If using 6″ by 25-yard rolls of tulle, you won’t need to cut 6″ strips, since the roll already comes in a 6″ width. You do have to cut each strip to your desired length. Let’s say you want the tutu to be 14″ long. Double that length to 28″ and cut each strip to 28″ long. You determine length.

Some strips might not come out completely even, but it really is okay once all strips are tied on. Any mistakes can be hidden.

Waistband Construction:

Measure child’s waist and cut elastic 2″ smaller than measurement to allow for a snug fit. Sew both ends of elastic together by hand or with a sewing machine.

For a non-sew waistband, purchase stretchy headbands from your local drugstore. Most stretchy headbands come in one size so this option may not work for all waist sizes.
If you’re lucky, you can find stretchy headbands in childrens sizes.

Making the Skirt:

Step One: Fold your strip in half and bring it behind the elastic waistband to form a loop.

Step Two: Bring the ends of the tulle strip through the loop. Pull down the end to tighten. Make sure not to pull it too tight.

Step Three: Continue tying slipknots or regular knots around the entire waistband. You will probably use between 40-60 strips of tulle for a baby/toddler tutu. A good rule of thumb is to squeeze in at least 4 knots per inch of your waistband measurement.

And there you have your finished tutu!

Learn how to make 20 tutu variations today using the tips and techniques in my ebook,
How to Make Boutique Quality Tutus For Fun & Profit!
Get started today!

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Here are the many items you can use to embellish your tutus:

Swarovski Flatback Crystals or other Flatback Rhinestones

Silk Flowers (Glued at the waist or throughout the layers)

Pom Poms

Sequins

Marabou

Ribbon

Accessorizing:

In addition to Embellishing tutus, you can add accessories such as fairy wings to complete the look! If you have the time, you can use the bonus instructions found in my ebook, How to Make Boutique Quality Tutus For Fun & Profit!

But if you’re in a time crunch or making the wings are not your thing,
you can find a great selection of inexpensive fairy wings just like the
ones below from Designed 2B Sweet!

Sparkling Fairy Costume Wings – $5.80

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I’ve recently come up with a second way of making the empire waist tutu dress and I’ve got to say it’s ten times faster than my first technique and than the other techniques found on youtube and other free sites. The results are also more consistent and neater than other techniques shown in other tutorials.

As a bonus, I will also show you how to make a two toned Empire Waist Tutu Dress. I haven’t seen this type of dress anywhere else and there’s no tutorials to my knowledge showing how to make a two toned empire waist dress.

I’m excited to show it in my ebook, How to Make Boutique Quality Tutus For Fun & Profit!
Get started today!

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Using a thinner elastic can help tremendously.
You can get your knots smaller and tighter and
therefore you’ll have more space to fit more strips on your waistband.

Using Crochet Headbands as the waistband for your tutu is also a fool proof way of making EXTRA Poofy tutus.

You can make yours today using the tips and techniques in my ebook,
How to Make Boutique Quality Tutus For Fun & Profit!
Get started today!

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Plus you can buy these headbands in a variety of colors in several online retailers for less than $1 each.

Using Crochet Headbands as the waistband for your tutu is also a fool proof way of making EXTRA Poofy tutus.

You can make yours today using the tips and techniques in my ebook
How to Make Boutique Quality Tutus For Fun & Profit!
I’ll even include a helpful chart and formula to make sure you cut enough strips and purchase enough tulle for your crochet band tutu. Get started today!

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What started as a cute way to showcase her daughter’s 1st birthday, has quickly become a full time business. It’s been 5 years since it’s conception and Mariana is loving every moment of it.

Always being into crafts since she was a young girl, figuring things out comes easy for Mariana. “I wanted to take a picture of my daughter in a tutu for her 1st birthday party, so I went on a search for a boutique quality tutu.” After searching the internet to purchase one, she found that she would have to spend $30 or more for a good quality tutu. Time was also an issue for her as she needed a tutu to take pictures and send out invitations on time.

As many of her friends and family know her, Mariana looked at these tutus and remembered a technique her mother used on a costume of hers when she was a little girl. Her “Aha!” moment quickly had her running to the fabric store to purchase tulle and the necessary supplies she thought were needed. After some trial and error, she made a tutu. Mariana says, “My first tutu wasn’t anything to scream about, but I was proud of myself.”

Since then she has perfected her technique and has also invented some of her own unique styles that have been used by other tutu makers over the past few years. The Triple Layer Tutu aka Turkey tutu is one of the most asked about styles in her book. Mariana considers herself quite an experienced tutu maker, but believes she will always be a student and will continue to improve her techniques and add to her collection of styles.

Crafty Guides was created because Mariana saw a need. She wishes she had the skills she has now when she first started making tutus. It took a lot of trial and error and many women will quickly give up because they can’t get their tutus to look like the boutique quality ones being sold online. “I’ve gone through trial and error so you don’t have to and I love that I’m able to share my secrets with you,” Mariana says.

-Jessica Constantin
Craft Guides Contributor/Guest Author

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