DIY No Sew Tutu

 

 

So last week, I posted a picture on social media of an adorable little tutu and onesie that I made for my great niece, Isabelle.  She is celebrating her 1st birthday pretty soon with a pink and black Minnie Mouse themed party.

 

There are a ton of tutorials on Pinterest for making these so I read several before coming up with my own version.  There are also a lot of size charts/guides out there to determine waist size if you don't have the exact waist measurement (which was the case in this situation).   Here is an example of just one.

 

 

So let's get started.... Here's what you'll need.

Materials List

2 rolls of tulle (more if you are making a bigger one)

1 1/2" Wide gross grain ribbon (for the waist)

Coordinating ribbons (can be any width)

Onesie

Iron on applique

Ruler/Tape Measure

Scissors

 

 

I cut the wide ribbon at 45" allowing 14" for the waist (my great niece is rather tiny) and the additional to tie the bow.

Find the center of your ribbon and mark it with a pin (or with a pencil) at equal distances on both sides of the center.  Since I wanted my waist to be 14",  I marked 7" on each side from the

center.  This is just a guide to give you a starting and ending point when tying on the tulle.

 

 

Determine the desired length of the tutu that you want.  For example, I wanted this one to be around 7" long.  You'll need to double the desired tutu length, adding an inch allowance for tying it around the wide ribbon. I cut a piece of tulle to 15" and used this as my guide to cut the others.  You will need about 25 pieces of each color for a total of 50 pieces.  They do not have to be perfectly cut; you will trim them later on.  (Tulle can be quite difficult to cut straight).

 

 

Now, beginning at one of your marks, start tying on your tulle.  You will fold each piece in half, slide it under the ribbon leaving a loop just above the ribbon, and pull the tails back thru the loop. This is called a slip knot.  You'll want to pull tightly on the tulle. If using more than one color tulle, you'll also want to alternate colors.  Follow this step until all the tulle strips are tied on.  Be sure to always tie the tulle in the same direction so that your knots will be symmetrical.  You'll also want to keep the tulle tightly snugged against each other.  This helps the tutu look full and poofy! 

 

 

Once all the tulle has been tied on, you'll add the coordinating ribbon in the same manner as the tulle. Cut the ribbon at the same length that you did your tulle.  In this case, I cut the ribbon at 15".  I used four coordinating ribbons, cutting three from each ribbon for a total of 12 pieces.  Tie the coordinating ribbons throughout the tutu using the same slip knot method as the tulle. 

Okay... for the final step.  Lay out the tutu and trim any long pieces of tulle or ribbon to give it a pretty uniform look.  It won't be perfect but it doesn't have to be.  You are now ready to tie it on to that sweet little person you made it for.  A little tip...use a safety pin to tighten it around the waist and then tie the bow.  This way if the bow does come untied, it will not fall off!  (If it's a little too big, just push the knots in a little tighter.  If it's not quite big enough, spread the knots out a little further.)

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Iron the applique to the onesie following the manufacturer's instructions.

 

 

I purchased the tulle, onesie, and applique from Hobby Lobby.  HL usually has their ribbon by the roll on sale for 50% off every couple of weeks so it ends up being around $2.50/roll.  They also offer a coupon for 40% off any regular priced item that I used to purchase the onesie.  The applique was only a couple of dollars.  The coordinatimg ribbon I purchased from several different places... Walmart, Dollar Tree, and Hobby Lobby.  So for around $10, you can give an adorable, unique gift to someone very special!

 

As I mentioned, there are several tutu tutorials out there.  Here are a few variations/suggestions to consider:

 -Use several colors and variations of tulle.  HL carries an amazing selection of tulle..... Many colors, as well as glitter and printed (ex. polka dot).  Warning:  The glitter tulle makes a mess!

-You can also buy the tulle by the yard in the fabric section.  You will need to lay it out to cut your strips to the desired width and length.  It is more time consuming but will save you a few pennies.

-Instead of using the 1 1/2" ribbon for the waist, use 1/2-1" elastic cut 1" longer than your waist length. Stitch the ends together and tie on your tulle strips using the slip knot method but being careful not to crush the elastic when pulling the tulle tight.  You can still add the ribbon as well... just keep it in line with the elastic when tying on the tulle strips.

-When cutting the tulle strips, wrap the tulle around a piece of cardboard cut to the width plus 1/2" of your desired tutu length.  (For example, my cardboard would need to be 7 1/2" wide).  Secure the tulle to the cardboard with rubber bands.  Then cut the tulle on one side of the cardboard.  This method does give you a little straighter edge.

-You do not have to add the coordinating ribbons but it does add a little something extra.

 

And it's that EASY! 

 

 I have made several tutus in the past but this one is definitely my favorite so far!!!  They can be given as gifts, made as costumes (for children and adults), used for pretend play, keepsake photos, and even as dresses for young flower girls in weddings. The possibilities are endless!

 

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read thru this tutorial!  Be sure to subscribe and share it with your friends!