How to Make a Tutu

Co-authored by Lois Wade

Last Updated: August 10, 2021 Approved

Tutus are great for young children involved in dance or who want to dress up as ballerinas for fun. Tutus can even be a fun addition to an adult’s wardrobe. However, buying a pre-made tutu can be expensive, and you may not be able to find the exact color and style that you want. To save money and create the tutu of your child’s (or your) dreams, you can easily make a tutu with some tulle and elastic. Try making a tutu for your child, for yourself, or as a unique homemade gift!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing Your Tulle and Elastic

1
Purchase tulle in a fabric bolt or on a spool. You will need a lot of tulle to make a tutu, so buying it by the bolt at a fabric store may be your best bet. However, you can also use tulle that is on a 6” spool if desired. The spooled tulle requires less cutting because it is already in the correct width for making a tutu, so you will only need to cut this kind of tulle once to get the right length.^{[1]
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- If you decide to use tulle that is on a bolt, then you will need about 5 yards (5 m) for a child’s size tutu, 10 yards (9.1 m) for small or medium adult sizes, and about 20 yards (18 m) for large or extra-large adult sizes.^{[2]
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- If you decide to use tulle that is on a spool, then the amount you will need will depend on the size of the tutu. Tulle spools usually contain about 25 yards (23 m) of tulle.^{[3]
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  Research source} Therefore, 2 or 3 spools of tulle may be enough for a child’s size tutu, but you may need 4 or 5 spools for an adult’s small or medium tutu, and 7 to 8 spools for a large or extra-large. Buy more tulle than you think you will need to ensure that you have enough.
2
Purchase some ¾” (1.9 cm) to 1” (2.5 cm) elastic. You will also need a ¾” (1.9 cm) to 1” (2.5 cm) strip of elastic for the waistband of your tutu. The 1” (2.5 cm) wide kind is better for child and adult size tutus, and the ¾” (1.9 cm) size is better for a tutu meant for a baby.^{[4]
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Research source} To determine how much elastic you will need, measure the person’s waist and buy that amount of elastic.
- For example, if the person’s waist measures 28” (71 cm), then you would need to buy a 28” (71 cm) strip of elastic.
- Elastic is often sold in packages that include more elastic than you might need, but you can always cut it to your desired length and keep the extra elastic for another project in the future.
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3
Measure and cut tulle strips if you are using a bolt. If you are using tulle that is on a fabric bolt, then you will need to measure and cut your tulle first. Use a ruler or measuring tape to measure and cut your tulle into 7” (18 cm) wide strips.^{[5]
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- Make sure to lay the tulle out so that it is completely flat before you cut it and make your cuts straight and even.
- You may find it helpful to lay your tulle out on a lined cutting mat and use a rotary cutting tool instead of scissors.
4
Cut your tulle to the desired length. Your tutu skirt length will be about half of the length of the strips you make, so decide how long you want the tutu skirt to be. Then, cut your strips or the spooled tulle to the desired length.^{[6]
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- For example, if you want your tutu to be 18” (46 cm) long, then you would need to cut tulle strips that are 36” (91 cm) long. The finished skirt will be roughly 18" (46 cm) minus about 1" (2.5 cm) from attaching the tulle. However, you can always add 1" (2.5 cm) to your strip length to make up for this loss.
- Keep cutting strips until all of your tulle is the same size. Stack your strips to help keep them organized.
5
Tie or sew together the elastic. After you have finished preparing your tulle, you will need to prepare your elastic piece. Cut the elastic to the length of your waist measurement. Then, you may either tie the ends of the elastic piece together or sew the ends together. Either option will reduce the total size of the elastic waistband, which is desirable to ensure that the tutu fits snugly on the person’s waist.^{[7]
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- To sew the ends together, thread a needle with about 12” (30 cm) of thread. Then, overlap the ends of your elastic, making sure not to twist the elastic. Sew through the ends several times pulling the thread taut after each stitch. Finish stitching back where you started, and then tie the ends of the thread together a few times and snip the excess thread.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Attaching the Tulle Strips to the Elastic

1
Place your elastic on a mannequin or other object. It is helpful to have your elastic stabilized on a mannequin or object while you work. Using a mannequin is ideal, but you can also use an object that is roughly the same size as the person’s waist.^{[8]
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- For example, placing the elastic waistband on a full roll of paper towels may work if you are making a tutu for a baby or small child, or you could also use a pillow if you are making a tutu for an older child or an adult.
2
Pick up a few strips and fold them in half. Your tutu will look fuller if you use a few strips at a time, so pick up 2 or 3 strips and then fold the strips in half lengthwise. Make sure that the edges are all lined up and insert one finger through the folded end of the strips.^{[9]
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3
Tuck the fold under the elastic. Next, tuck the folded ends of the tulle underneath the elastic coming from below the elastic band. Bring the folded part of the tulle up through the elastic band by about 2” (5 cm) to 3” (7.5 cm).^{[10]
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- Use your finger to keep track of the area under the folds and to prevent the tulle pieces from slipping or coming apart.
4
Insert the ends of the tulle strips through the opening. Next, take the ends of the tulle and bring them up in front of the elastic waistband. Insert all of the ends through the loop that has been created by the folded ends of the strips. Pull the ends of the tulle through the loop completely to form a tight knot around the elastic band.^{[11]
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5
Repeat this all the way around the elastic. You will need to attach all of your tulle strips in the same fashion until you have covered the entire waistband. Make sure to slide the knots together as you go to ensure that your tutu is nice and full.^{[12]
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6
Scrunch and fan out the tulle as desired. After you have attached all of the elastic to your waistband, you can use your fingers to scrunch and fan out the tulle as desired. Scrunching the tulle will give the tutu a crinkly, poofy look, while fanning out the tulle will help to make it look fuller.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Customizing Your Tutu

1
Use ribbon in place of elastic. One easy way to customize your tutu is to use a long piece of ribbon instead of a piece of elastic. Cut a piece of ribbon that is about 18” (46 cm) longer than your waist size and tie it around your mannequin or other object. Then, create the tutu by making knots with the tulle around the ribbon instead of around elastic. When you are done, you can secure the ribbon tutu by tying the ribbon in a bow around your waist.^{[13]
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- Using ribbon in place of elastic is best for older children or adults because young children may easily undo the tutu before you want them to remove it.^{[14]
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2
Add an embellishment. Adding an embellishment is another fun way to customize a tutu. You can add a flower, a bow, a decorative button, a brooch, or something else that sets off the colors of your tutu. You can either sew or pin your embellishment in place.^{[15]
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- Try placing the embellishment on the waistband of your tutu. This way the embellishment won’t weigh down the tulle.
3
Experiment with different color combinations. You can use color combinations to customize your tutu as well. Try combining colors to match a specific onesie, top, or leotard. Or, consider how the tutu might be used to decide which color combination to use.^{[16]
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- For example, if the tutu will be part of a ladybug costume, then make the tutu in red and black. If the tutu is going to be paired with a blue and green t-shirt, then try making a blue and green tutu to match it.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I make a no-sew tutu with elastic?

Katrina Grant

Community Answer

Yes! Measure the tulle and elastic exactly as stated above. Using a fabric glue, or super glue, generously apply the glue to both ends of the elastic. Making a circle with the elastic, press both ends together firmly until set. Continue to make the tulle skirt by folding your tulle strips in half and looping them around the elastic exactly how you would if using ribbon.
Question

Can I get all of this at Hobby Lobby?

Community Answer

Yes, you should be able to get all of it at any craft store.
Question

Where can I find tulle?

Community Answer

Most fabric stores carry tulle. You can also buy it online.