Babies love to dress up, and we love to dress them up! A tutu is fun for a baby to wear (all that fabric!) but it also looks amazing in pictures.
The only problem is, baby tutus can be expensive, and they grow out of them so quickly.
Making your own baby tutu is easy and inexpensive, and the results are totally fabulous. All you really need to create a princess perfect tutu is tulle and elastic.
You can choose whatever colors and finishes you like, to make a tutu that’s totally unique.
They’re also fantastic gifts.
I’ve put together two methods for making your own baby tutu.
There’s a no sew method that uses knotting to create the full skirt of the tutu, and a simple sewing version that gathers for volume. Both methods are easy, and the results are incredible.
Lets get started,
No Sew Tutu For Baby
An easy tutu that requires no sewing at all.
What you need:
- Several rolls of 6-inch wide tulle
- Elastic or ribbon
- Fabric glue
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Clothes hanger (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by measuring the length of elastic needed for the waistband. The length you cut the elastic to should be roughly the same as the baby’s waist measurement. This will accommodate for the stretch once the ends have been attached.
- Fabric glue the ends of the elastic together, forming the waistband of your tutu. If you don’t mind a bit of sewing, use a needle and thread to secure the ends. Sewing does give a stronger hold, but either way works.
- Next, you need to cut your tulle. Lots of tulle is best for a fun and fluffy look, but use less tulle if you want a more elegant, ballerina style tutu. The color choices are down to you as well. A good tutu can be an explosion of color or just the one sweet shade.
- Cut the tulle to double the length you want the tutu to hang, with an extra inch or two for the knot. For a baby, newborn to 6 months, 6 inches is a good length, so the tulle would be cut in 14 inch strips. For 6 to 12 months, go for 16 inches. 18 inch strips are good for 12 to 18 month babies, giving a length of about 8 inches. The width of the tulle should be 6 inches.
- If you’re using different types of tulle, try layering them on top of each other to speed up the cutting process. Don’t worry about getting the strips the exact same length every time. Any slight differences get lost in the overall effect, and anything particularly erroneous can be neatened up at the end.
- When you have your strips, it’s time to start making the tutu. Loop the elastic waistband over the ends of the hanger, holding it open. This isn’t necessary, but it does make it easier.
- To make the tutu, all you need to do is knot the fabric over the waistband. Begin by laying two strips of tulle on top of each other. Fold them in half, lengthways. Pass the folded loop around the back of the waistband. Pull the loose ends of the tulle through the loop, and tighten, knotting the tulle around the waistband. Straighten the knot, so the tulle hangs down.
- Repeat. Fold two more pieces of tulle together, and knot them around the waistband, next to the first knot.
- Repeat this process until the waistband is completely covered with tulle. It can take a while, because to get the full effect you need a lot of tulle. However, it’s a really easy process, and very relaxing once you’ve gotten into it.
- When the entire waistband is covered, you have your tutu!
- If you don’t have any elastic, ribbon can be used for the waistband. Cut the ribbon to at least twice the length of the baby’s waist. Knot the tulle over the ribbon using the same method, being sure to leave enough ribbon free at each end to tie a bow.
Tutu For A Baby (Sewing Method)
If you don’t mind breaking out the sewing machine, this tutu is simple and quick to make.
What you need:
- Roll of tulle
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Pins
- Sewing machine
- Elastic or ribbon
- Safety pin
Instructions:
- To make this tutu for a baby, you need a long roll of tulle. Cut the width of the tulle to the length you want the tutu to be, plus two inches. For a one-year-old, this will be roughly 9 inches (for a 7-inch hang). The length needs to be between 3 and 6 times the full circumference of the waist. The longer the length, the more volume to the tutu.
- Fold the top edge of the tutu over one inch, and then over again by another inch. Pin along the bottom edge, and then sew across to secure. This will create a tunnel at the top of the tulle, for the elastic (or ribbon) to run through.
- Cut the elastic to form a waistband. It should be the same length as the baby’s waist measurement, plus an extra inch.
- Attach a safety pin to the end of the elastic. Use this to thread the elastic through the tunnel at the top of the tulle. As you thread, the tulle should start to gather, forming the tutu shape. To keep it in place, use a safety pin to attach the other end of the elastic to a chair cushion. Be sure not to lose the other end in the tulle, and try to avoid stretching the elastic too much.
- When the elastic has been threaded through the tulle, overlap the ends of the elastic and sew them together. For a neat finish, sew the back edges of the tulle to create a seam.
- If using ribbon instead of elastic, cut the ribbon to 1.5 times the measurement for the baby’s waist. Thread through in the same way as the elastic, making sure to gather the tulle tightly. Then the tutu can be looped around the baby, and a bow tied using the ribbon.
The following video is a great step-by-step guide. Let me know in the comments how your Tutu turned out!
