How to Make a Couture Tutu

This picture displays both the traditional and the contemporary uses of the tutu.

The tutu is a garment most people associate with ballerinas, and rightly so. Tutus came into fashion as ballet attire at the end of the 19th century, according to saksmovingwear.com. "The new long, floppy, 16-layer tutus reached to the knee and allowed the female dancers much greater mobility..." the site states. Later came a shorter tutu, which allowed spectators to see the dancer's entire leg. Eventually fashion co-opted both versions of the tutu, making it into dresses and skirts. You don't have to pay through the nose to have a stylishly designed tutu, particularly since the composition of a tutu is simple.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Paper
• 1/2 inch wide elastic
• Scissors
• 12 to 14 yards tulle
• Needle and thread or sewing machine

Instructions

1. Wrap a tape measure around your hip bones. High-fashion tutus generally rest on the hips as opposed to the waist. Write down your measurement.

2. Cut a piece of elastic that is two inches shorter than the measurement that you just wrote down. Set it aside.

3. Measure from your hip bones down to the point where you would like your tutu to end. This is one of the fun parts of making your own couture tutu as you get to decide how long or short you want it to be. You can choose to have it stop just above your knee, just past your knee or down to your calves or ankles. Write down the length once you decide how long you want it to be.

4. Cut strips of tulle that are 4 inches to 6 inches wide and twice the length that you just wrote down. Make strips until you have used all of your yards of tulle.

5. Take your piece of elastic that you set aside earlier and bring the ends together, sewing them in place. Make sure the ends are sewn together tightly.

6. Lay three strips of tulle directly on top of each other. Fold the three layers in half. Place the center point of the fold under your waistband in a loop.

7. Grab the hanging ends of tulle together and pull them over the waistband, tucking them into the loop. Gently yank the ends of the tulle downwards so that they make a loose knot.

8. Loop three layers of tulle around the elastic waistband until you have used up all your strips of tulle. This way your tutu will be perfectly fluffy. You may have anywhere from 42 to 50 loops hanging off your elastic.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't pull the knot too tight in step seven as that could pinch your elastic and warp it, making it hard to work with.

References

• Saks Moving Wear: Dance Wear History
• Feels Like Home: How to Make a Tutu

Resources

• Betsey Johnson