Wednesday, October 7, 2009

DIY: The Perfect Tutu

Lately I've been on the search for a perfect tutu. I tried finding one at last weekend's Hippodrome Costume Sale, but had no luck. Finally, I decided to take things into my own hands. I tried to keep it green by using post-consumer materials. I went to a local thrift store and bought a bunch of tulle that someone had just thrown away, and I also bought a little .50 baggie full of old elastic and sewing materials. I was so happy that I got everything that I needed for my tutu for less than $3, all while reducing waste. Here is your guide for creating a beautiful tutu:

What You'll Need:

  1. A cutting mat and rotary wheel, or measuring tape and scissors if you choose to do this by hand. Trust me, it was soo much easier with a smooth cutting surface and cutting wheel.
  2. 1/2"-1" elastic
  3. A sewing machine or needle and thread
  4. A hand weights or small a paperweight to hold down your tulle, I used my unicorn paperweight and a light handweight. Soup cans will do the trick though.
  5. Lots and lots of tulle. I suppose the amount you buy (or thrift) depends on how voluminous you'd like your tutu to be. I'd say that I used about 3 yards.
Step 1:
In order to make your waistband, take your elastic and wrap it around yourself exactly where you want your tutu to hit. I wanted mine to be high-waisted, so I wrapped it right around the center of my belly, above my belly button. Make a mark. Next, you want to take 2 inches off of your waist measurement. So, if you measured your waistband to be 27" long, cut it to 25", that way it will have some stretch and will simultaneously add volume to the skirt.

Now to sew. This is the only sewing required for this project, phew! Take your band, overlap the ends by about 1", and using either your sewing machine or needle and thread, secure the waistband shut. Since I don't trust my hand sewing skills, I used my machine in order to ensure a heavy duty stitch.

Step 2:
This can get a little tedious, but it is so worth it. Use your measuring tape and measure how long you want the skirt to be. I wanted mine to fall about 16" below the waistband. Now, take your desired measurement and DOUBLE it(extremely important!). This is how long your are going to cut your strips of tulle. So, I cut mine to be 32" long. You want to make your rectangular panels 6" wide x your desired length. This is where the cutting mat and rotary wheel come in handy. Cut away until you have a nice big pile of tulle strips. Use your weights to hold down the tulle as you cut. This will keep the fabric from shifting and thus your fabric panels will be as close to identical as possible. You wan't your tutu to look neat!

Step 3:
Actually putting the skirt together is the simple part! I found it easiest to pull the elastic band over my thighs in order to keep it stretched out and in place. Next, take your first strip of tulle, pull it under the elastic and fold it in half. Make the ends meet, and then tie a double-knot around the elastic. Thats it! Just keep on adding strips of tulle next to each other and secure them with double knots. Check out these photos for a better idea:

See, each little bunch is a double-knot. Just knot each strip one at a time and bunch them up next to each other until you fill the elastic band.


Voila! You've made your very own beautiful tutu! Here are a few pics of how mine turned out:




Trust me, you'll find yourself wearing your tutu while studying and doing simple chores around the house. This piece is so fun and effortlessly beautiful, perfect for a whimsical day-look or a cute Halloween costume. I think that I am going to add a slip to mine, since it is a bit transparent. I hope that this tutorial is helpful to you! It is my first real tutorial, so let me know if you have any questions or if you need anything to be clarified. You will love your tutu, I just know it. Let me know what you think of this project, it will inspire me to do more tutorials!

Love,
Flavia

19 comments:

Lauren said...

That looks a lot easier than I thought it would. I'm so excited to make my tutu!

Flavia said...

Lauren,
Go for it! The product is really lovely. Tutus are always so expensive in stores, but making your own is so simple and totally worth it. Just pop in a good dvd while you cut the fabric strips, because that part requires a little bit of patience. Send us a picture of your finished project! I'm so glad that this tutorial inspired you <3
Love,
Flavia

Anonymous said...

Nice post you got here. It would be great to read a bit more about that topic. Thanx for sharing this info.
Sexy Lady
Girls for companionship in London

Anonymous said...

Don't paint the chalkboard paint or you won't be able to write on it.
Then put your family video up there ON PRIVATE - so that only your family can
see the video. You can add some metallic touches with gold or silver acrylic paint before you clear coat the Pea Gravel chargers.


My weblog michaels coupons

Anonymous said...

These exercises will build up muscles in the thigh and buttocks.

Decades ago when some American coaches saw what their superior Baltic counterparts
were training their athletes with for certain strength competitions,
they began slowly to incorporate kettlebells into their programs.
This is one of the major advantages that manufacturers target when marketing adjustable dumbbells to home consumers.


My webpage; xitti.com

Anonymous said...

Samples Express - Twitter - New sampling program like start sampling for usa only.
Pedometers are small - about the size of a watch - and
count how many steps you take throughout the
day. I recommend dumbbells for most people who want to maximize their P90X workouts and see the most
results.

My web site - adjustable dumbbells

Anonymous said...

Add spices appropriately: If you are using whole spices (recommended), add them at the beginning of cooking.
College kids gain on average about ten pounds the first year.
On the other hand, high setting will make it cook faster, which is for only 3
to 4 hours.

Also visit my site; chili recipe in crock pot

Anonymous said...

The only problem I see with this Braun Series 7
is that it is quite expensive for most. It's black and silver casing is tough and durable if not a little cheap looking. Dull, dirty razor blades are the leading cause of nicks and cuts.

Look at my blog post ... Best Electric shaver

Anonymous said...

This 5-quart model will help you make casseroles, soup, and roasts easily.
Often, a recipe will ask that you cook a meal 3-4 hours
on the "high" setting, or 6-8 hours on "low".
Because the lid will be sitting snugly on the pot during the
slow cooking, liquid will be generated as a by-product.

my web page - http://www.pengchat.com/blogs/entry/Inside-Necessary-Elements-In-slow-cookers

Anonymous said...

An electric toothbrush is motorized and usually battery-operated with a charger that sits on the bathroom counter.
For people who brush their teeth more often, the bristles may begin to wear out sooner than expected.
Do not expect any sort of teeth whitening strategies to work the 1st time, even bleaching them.


Feel free to surf to my webpage - Reach Electric Flosser

Anonymous said...

She looked at the end of the cord attached to the welder.
With the reservoir filled, plug the spray gun into either an electrical
outlet or an air compressor. There are many techniques that
could be used in shot blasting; the bigger particle can be divided into fine pieces using wheel blasting
techniques, hydro blasting ice blasting etc.

Also visit my web page; air dryer for air compressor

Anonymous said...

Step #2: Give up the razor blade and switch to an electric shaver.

It has the ability to tilt and pivot for great close shave.
On the back of the card that comes with the razor, it states that you should, "Change the cartridge when empty holes start to appear in the gel reservoir".


my web page best rated electric shavers

Anonymous said...

Those who are "melanin-challenged" often need skin care products for sensitive skin, particularly
if they spend a great deal of time in the sun. Flaxseed is a good choice.
Children's skin is very sensitive and vulnerable, that's
why it requires for a special baby skin care.

Here is my web-site ... talkingtourism.info

Anonymous said...

It is quiet and will not be heard over a television or other appliances; I
worked on this review with the heater on my table and could not hear it over the sound of my computes fans.
But many shy away from using them after reading
horror stories of house fires that were caused because of
their use. With its Herculean power, the wind is
capable of slipping into the home through tiny cracks in the windows and underneath the
doors.

my weblog; http://thewwwbookmarks.com/

Anonymous said...

Michaels offers a large variety of yarn, thread, floss, kits and cutting tools.
Old Maid Cards and Uno are also perfect options. The kids can even use polymer clay to craft dice.


My blog ... madhit.com

Anonymous said...

To make scrambled eggs with a waffle maker simply crack eggs into a
bowl, add milk and wisk. Any likeness to any other recipe
is purely coincedental. Another to let you know the baking is in progress and the final light that tells the
cook the product is done.

Also visit my webpage; waffle cone roller

Anonymous said...

What skin care product I should use to make skin beautiful.

This natural skin care ingredient works in 2 ways; by relaxing your skin to smooth
out wrinkles and by re-densifying your skin to permanently reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

You can also run the product that you are interested in with your
family doctor or dermatologist.

Feel free to surf to my website: side effects of manuka honey
My webpage :: juice aloe vera

Anonymous said...

Working all of these muscle fibers will lead to
larger and more defined shoulders. These websites may include "Dick's Sporting Goods" and "Sports - Mart".
This set is performed using a set of dumbbells that can be lifted alternately or simultaneously.



Here is my page - dumbbell workout

Anonymous said...

Hi my family member! I want to say that this article is
amazing, nice written and include almost all
vital infos. I would like to look extra posts like this .


Also visit my web page: เฟอร์นิเจอร์