A Place For Making Stuff: How to Make a NO SEW Tutu!

Here is a SIMPLIFIED tutorial with step by step instructions that I made. It only uses PRE CUT tulle. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-A-NO-SEW-Tutu-Using-Pre-Cut-Tulle/

I will try to be as descriptive as I can for everyone. This post will be a little long (with pictures) because I will show you the different things you can do to your tutu =) If you have any questions please let me know =)

Pre Cut 6-inch Tulle (See About Tulle section below)
NO ROLL elastic waist band 2/3 inch wide (at Walmart for 96 cents in the sewing notions aisle)
Measuring Tape
Yard Ruler
Rotary Cutting board
Rotary cutter
Extras (This is optional but this would be WIDE ribbon, thin ribbon, tiny flowers, little jewels. Any of these you can glue sporadically on the finished tutu or the ribbon you can tie anywhere on the tutu)
Roll of paper Towels
Hot glue gun

About Tulle

So there are a couple things you should know before picking your tulle.

Pre cut tulle is soooo much easier to work with because it is already 6 inches wide and it comes in 45-75 yards on a spool so you only have to cut the length you want and not width. The only down side to pre cut is that it doesn't come in too many fancy colors, just your basic solid colors. I always like to have white, ivory, brown and powder pink on hand in pre cut because I use those colors a lot. It's about $2.80 for a spool at Joanns which is where I go.

Cut it Yourself Tulle. This tulle is sometimes a pain only because you have to cut the length and width of it. You can go to your local fabric store and pick it out and they will cut it by the yard for you. The only really nice thing about this type of tulle is that you can get it in SO MANY colors and you can get it sparkly and in shimmer as well. It's about $1.27 a yard. Mine is still sitting in the bag un-used, I know I'm such a lazy fart! ;)

Cutting Tulle. First you have to decide what length you want your tutu. Once you decide how many inches then double that number and add 1 inch (this 1 inch accounts for the knot you will have to make) because you are going to tie the strips in half. So this tutu is 14 inches long so I cut 29 inch strips. Also to cut tulle you can use scissors but I wouldn't suggest it. I purchased a rotary cutter from Walmart and I LOVE IT!!! Quick, easy, and straight cut strips! They are more expensive at your fabric store. So I purchased my cutting board, my yard stick, my elastic and my rotary cutter at Walmart. Much more cost effective!

Making Your Tutu

The first thing you want to do is measure your child's waist all the way around with measuring tape. Now subtract 3 inches from that and cut that length from the roll of elastic. So if your child's waist is 20 inches around then you want to cut a 17 inch strip of elastic, this allows some stretchy-ness to the tutu so it doesn't fall off your child! =) If you are making a halter tutu then measure the child's chest area all the way around.

Next you want to hot glue the ends of the elastic together, one over lapping the other. Now place this elastic around your roll of paper towels and lets get started!

Now you can either fold your strip in half WIDTH wise which will make your tutu decently full or you can jut not fold it at all. For this tutu I folded the strips in half.

Next you want to make a loop right in the center of the strip of tulle SEE PICTURE. Place this loop under your elastic now pull the tulle through the loop you made. Now make a knot. Continue this with your tulle all the way around.

Halter Tutu

A halter tutu comes up right above your child's chest and has a ribbon that wraps around the back of the neck. These types of Tutus are my absolute favorites. The tutu then becomes more of a one piece dress.

Flower clippies are great for clipping in the center because you can switch them out with a different flower whenever you feel like it.

Ribbon Waisted Halter Tutu's

Once your Tutu is complete pick a ribbon color of your choice and start weaving it in and out between each strip of tulle making sure to cover the knot. Go all the way around then you can add ribbon in the center and bring it up to make a halter tutu placing a flower in the center. (this ribbon waisted tutu is not yet complete ;)