The Tutus of DOOM!!

[bobbingblondie]

Every year I make costumes for my friend's dance school show.  So for the last 2 months I have been turning 80 metres of tulle and lycra into 22 tutus for little girls.  The dancing display is a week today, so I finished just in time!  Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of all of them together, as they were picked up in stages to avoid my flat looking like a candy floss factory.

I don't ever want to see another piece of tulle again, but I have promised my wee niece her own tutu so I guess I'll just have to get over it

An individual pink and white one:



A pink and white pile:



Purple ones en mass.  Sadly I forgot to take an individual photo:



And just for fun... as many as I could fit on my arm!

[Antidigger]

22 tutus! It makes my mind boggle. And I have no doubt you never want to see tulle again, I felt like that after doing my wind permeable banners and there were far fewer of them.

Congratulations, doing something to a timetable is always difficult for me.

[bobbingblondie]

Thanks

They looked great on stage - but I reiterated to the dancing teacher that I don't want to do them again next year!!

[spaz2phreek]

Oh my goodness...I did a tulle petticoat for a flower girl dress once and that was enough to get me to swear off tulle for life (well, at least until I forget how horrible the stuff is) so I am just astounded.

[wendi77]

I would LOVE the tutorial for this! my daughter had a skirt like this from dance that was with a costume and she wore this thing everywhere until recently we can't find it and she is sad about it. I have made the tie ones for her but it's not the same!!

[bobbingblondie]

I have to apologise - I saw wendi would like a tutorial and then I got a new job and it totally slipped my mind!  I know 6 months on is a bit late but better late than never!!

Materials:
- 2.5-3.5m of tulle
- lycra for the hip measurement
- wide elastic for the waist measurement

1. Cut the lycra waistband
    - It should be a rectangle of (hip measurement + 5cm) x 20cm
    - When finished this will be doubled over, so the finished waistband will be half the depth

2. Cut the tulle into strips
    - Use a piece of tulle 3 x the waist measurement
    - I cut 5 strips from the width, each strip approx 30cm wide

3. Roughly pleat the tulle
    - Put pleats into it so that it is about the length of the lycra waistband
    - Stitch them down
    - The tulle can be adjusted when it's being attached, so precision is unimportant

4. Attach the tulle to the waistband
    - Lay the lycra flat
    - Place a strip of tulle so that the pleated edge is along the bottom edge of the lycra (a)
    - Leave a seam allowance at the end,
    - Pin and stitch it on with with a zigzag/stretch stitch, stretching the lycra slightly as you go
    - Adjust it as you go so that you get the same seam allowance at the other end
    - Fold this layer down, and then attach the next strip of tulle as close to the first as possible (b)
    - Continue as above with remaining strips



5. Double the waistband
    - Fold it over so that the lycra hides the stitching on the inside
    - Pin then sew the lycra together along the stitching of bottom strip of tulle
    - Be careful not to catch the tulle into this stitching!!

6. Sew a channel for the waistband elastic
    - Remember to use a stitch with a bit of stretch

7. Stitch the back seam together
    - Leave a gap to insert the elastic at the top
    - The poufiness of the tulle should hide the join fairly effectively.

8. Insert elastic and secure

9. Place onto small child and enjoy!!!


Apologies for the awful diagram!  If any clarification is needed, I promise I won't take another 6 months to get back to you