TUTUtorial

Need a custom-color costume, but afraid of the sewing machine? Fear no more! Anyone can follow this simple no-sew TUTUtorial, and the options of colors and patterns are endless. The black, purple, and gold tutu I made is for an upcoming Mardi Gras party. I wanted my tutu to look extra-special; so, I decided to incorporate a high-low skirt and a color-blocking pattern.

Supplies:

·         Scissors

·         Measuring tape

·         Ribbon

·         Tulle

Ribbon and tulle can be found at any craft store. A single roll of ribbon will be plenty for an adult-sized tutu. When purchasing the tulle, I prefer to use tulle on a spool because it’s easy to roll out and cut. For my tutu, I used about 125 yards of tulle. This a lot more tulle than I would need for a regular tutu, but extra length is needed for the high-low effect.

First, measure out the ribbon for the waistband. Make sure you have enough ribbon to go around your waist and leave about 3-4 inches of extra ribbon on the ends to tie a bow. Secure the ribbon around your waist and have a friend measure from the ribbon down to where you want the tutu to fall on your legs. For best results, do not measure the length yourself; bending over will throw off the measurements. When you get the measurement, double it, and that is how long you will cut your strips of tulle.

To make a symmetric high-low transition on both sides of the skirt, start attaching the longer pieces at the center of the ribbon and work your way out to the shorter end pieces. To attach the tulle, fold the tulle strip in half and place it behind the ribbon.

Pull the top, U-shaped part of the tulle over the front of the ribbon.

 Pull the ends through the center of the loop.

Finally, tug the ends of the tulle tight until the loop closes.

Now your tulle is secured to the ribbon. Repeat this process until your tulle strips reach the ends of your ribbon. Good luck making your tutus!