How to Make a Baby Tutu from Tulle Material

A baby tutu can be ideal for playing around outside, taking portraits or having a fairy-themed party. When you make a tutu on your own, you can not only decide if you want to use elastic or string, but also choose how full or relaxed the tutu is. By using tulle material as the base of the baby tutu, the tutu will fluff around your baby's waist and there are a variety of colors often available at most craft stores from which to choose.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Elastic or cording, ½-inch wide
• Sewing machine, optional
• Colored string, optional
• Tulle material

Instructions

1. Measure around your baby's waist at the belly button with a tape measure. Add 1 inch to the measurement if you'll be using elastic and cut a piece of elastic to this length. Add 18 inches to the measurement if using cording and cut the cording to this length.

2. Loop the elastic into a circle and overlap the ends by a ½ inch. Sew the overlapped portion with a zigzag stitch to connect the circle. If using cording, measure in from each end by 9 inches and mark this point on both ends with a tied piece of colored string.

3. Measure how far down you want the tutu to come from your baby's waist. Cut strips of tulle from the color(s) you have chosen anywhere from 2 inches to 4 inches wide by two times the length you have measured for the tutu. Make two to three strips for every 1 inch of the waist measurement.

4. Hold the center of one piece of tulle to the elastic or along the cording between the strings. Fold the tulle in half widthwise. Tie the tulle strip's ends together and pull the knot as close to the elastic or cording as possible. Tie the ends a second time to hold the tulle secure.

5. Repeat Step 4 to tie your remaining strips of tulle to the elastic or cording. Continue until you have filled the elastic loop or the space on the cording between the strings. Slip the elastic made tutu onto your baby from the feet up. Wrap the cording made tutu around your baby's waist and tie the 9-inch tails of cording at your baby's back with it loosely tied around their waist.

Tips & Warnings

• Use multiple colors of tulle cut at a variety of lengths or add cut lengths of ¼-inch ribbon to the tutu to add interest.

References

• MakeBabyStuff.com: Baby Tutu Sewing Pattern
• "Crafty Mama"; Abby Pecoriello; 2008