How to Make a Tutu Skirt: Purpose, Style, and Instructions to Sew at Home

Ballet is an art, and for many, tutu dress is often a symbol of ballet dance. A women dancer often wears them in two different forms: tutu skirt and tutu with attached bodice.

At the Academy Awards in 2021, signing star Björk dropped a sensation by wearing a tulle dress wrapped around her neck with a swan’s head. Tutu dresses have a long story behind them.

The name of the dress is derived from a French children’s word – “Tu Tu,” which means bottom. This costume made its debut in 1832 in a classic form, and then it has made history.

For professional ballet dancers, it’s a tutu skirt that transforms them into a black swan, sleeping beauty, or any other attractive character.

Tutu skirts are not just famous among adults, but little girls also love to wear tutu skirts. Tutu skirts for babies look mesmerizing as their little details and extreme customization shows their real cuteness.

With so many beauty of this skirt, it is essential to learn how to make a tutu skirt for yourself and your little one.

In this tutorial, you will understand everything you need to know to make a beautiful, mesmerizing tutu skirt at home. This DIY tutu skirt-making project will be fun for you.

How to Make a Tutu Skirt: Different Styles

Tutu skirts can be made from different types of fabrics such as silk, tulle, nylon, muslin, tarlatan, or gauze. The extreme details can be customized to tell the audience what character the dancer is playing.

Image Source: Anastasia Shuraeva On Pexels

Since its first launch, the styles of tutus have changed from long and flowing skirts with an attractive silhouette to the latest style that leaves the women dancer’s leg in full view. 

Before you learn to sew tutu skirts, it is essential to understand different types of tutu skirts. Here are the top 5 styles and types of tutu skirts.

Classic Tutu

In the late 1800s, pointe work was becoming more popular. Tutu skirts were cut above the knee to allow ballerinas to move without any hesitation. 

Image Source: Pinterest

With that style and grace, they can perform on stage. That’s where the classic tutu skirts launched in the world. Today more than four different styles of classic tutu skirts are available. 

Romantic Tutu

A romantic tutu is a sort of long flowing skirt. It has about six layers and reaches somewhere around mid-calf. There are two basic types of romantic tutus available. 

The first skirt begins at the waist, and the second starts at the hip. It is also known as romantic tutu with Basque.

Pancake Tutu

Image Source: Pinterest

This tutu comes out of the hips. It’s short and has several layers of net. The layers are held up by a wired hoop that is embedded in between so that it can give a bouncy effect to the skirt. 

Pancake tutu skirts are made on briefs so that they can offer a seamless look while preventing them from slipping.

Bell Tutu

Bell tutu is one of the types of classic tutus. This tutu is popular as it was represented in many Degas paintings. 

It is made of many layers of netting of the same length. It is a short and stiff skirt, and the layers are not supported by a hoop, creating a bell shape.

Platter Tutu

Image Source: Pinterest

This tutu is similar to the pancake tutu. It sticks straight from the dancer’s waist. The flat-top layer in this tutu is decorated instead of being pleated.

Powder-puff Tutu

This tutu type is short. It doesn’t stick out as pancake or platter tutu. It comes with a couple of layers of netting and has no wired hoop in them. Powder-puff tutu’s design offers a fuller appearance and moves together with the dancer. 

How to Make DIY Tutu Skirt: Understanding the Anatomy

As you are about to start learning how to make a DIY tutu skirt, it is essential to understand different parts of the tutu skirt.

Image Source: Ella Pretty Blog

Understanding the anatomy will help you when learning how to sew a skirt. Let’s take a look:

The Bodice

Image Source: Pinterest

The bodice is part of the costume that gives you confidence while performing at the stage or any event. The shape of the bodice is like a corset (learn how to make a corset) and is designed to move with ballet dancers’ every move.

The modern tutu dresses are worn at ballet performance as it has an attached bodice.

The Frills

When you learn how to make a tutu skirt for a baby, it will need to have small frills that should be no longer 1 to 1.5mm from the top of the leg hole to the crotch line. 

As an average, tutu has about 12 layers of frills. These layers are attached 15mm from each other to align to the Basque.

The Basque

Image Source: Pacific Northwest Ballet

The Basque extends from the dancer’s waist to the crotch. It is made from a similar fabric as the bodice and looks like panties. 

The Basque has two basic types: Upper and Lower. The upper part is a visible part that extends from the waist to the hips, while the lower aspect forms the base for the net and tulle.

How to Make Net Skirt at Home: Things to Decide

Tutu skirts can be styled in many ways. Some want to look 1990s grunge-inspired, while others go glamour. Tutu skirts can help you look sext and hot.

Image Source: Gustavo Fring On Pexels

While learning how to make net skirts at home, you need to be more creative and think of some out-of-the-box ideas. For your DIY tutu skirt-making project, here are some of the things you should first consider.

Find the Right Style That Compliments Your Figure

Image Source: Road2beauty.com

Before thinking about how to sew tutu skirts at home, think of the style, you want to experiment with. Tutu or tulle skirts come in many shapes and sizes. 

Make sure the style you choose complements your figure. If you are tall and willowy, then a “poufy” voluminous skirt will help you look sexy. Someone who is smaller and curvier can opt for structured A-line skirts.

Choose a Flattering Length

Determining the flattering length depends on your figure and size. The ideal length is at the knee or just above it. If you are learning how to make a net skirt at home for a petite girl, then go for a shorter length.

Balance Your Skirt With a Top

Image Source: AVE Styles

Tutu skirts can be styled with different types of clothes but a basic law to style voluminous pieces is to balance them with a fitted top. This enhances your overall look.

Do not wear a blouse or baggy shirt when styling a tulle or tutu skirt.

Cinch the Skirt at Your Waist

Tutu or tulle skirts are gorgeous types of clothing aesthetics that should be cinched at the waist. It gives your figure an impressive look. While sewing a tutu skirt, make sure you keep the measurement in mind.

Think of the Occasion

Tutu skirts are not made for every occasion. Choose an appropriate fabric, colors, and length. 

Image Source: Three Snails

Learning how to make a tutu skirt is a good idea. Understanding where you can wear it and where not helps you represent yourself. Save these beautiful DIY tutu skirts for your holiday party or special performance. 

13 Simple Steps for How to Make a Tutu Skirt for Adults

Tutu skirts are a fantastic piece of clothing item. It can be a fun addition to any adult’s wardrobe.

Buying ready-made tutu skirts can be expensive, and finding your desired color or style can be challenging. There’s an easy way out if you don’t want to spend so much. 

You can learn how to make a tutu skirt for adults at home with minimum supplies and effort. In this tutorial, you can learn to make your own tutu skirt and customize it as per your needs. 

Supplies You’ll Need

• • Tulle fabric
  • Tape measure
  • A scissor
  • Satin ribbon
  • Crocheted elastic band
  • Hot glue gun
  • Sewing pins
  • Sewing machine
  • Thread 

Image Source: Antoni Shkraba On Pexels

How Much Tulle Will You Need?

You will need a lot of tulle fabric to make a tutu skirt at home. Tulle fabric comes in a six-inch roll.

If you use tulle on a bolt, you will require about 10 yards (meter) for medium adults and 20 yards (18 meters) for extra-large adults. Ensure to check the care labels of the fabric to understand more about it.

Image Source: Antoni Shkraba On Pexels

The most common is a 25-yard spool. It is available in all colors so you can get your desired color. For making a tutu skirt for adults, 80-100 yards is sufficient.

The best thing about spool tulle is that it requires less cutting since it’s available in the right width. Once you buy it, you can cut it to your desired length. Make sure you buy more tulle fabric than you will need to ensure you get enough length. 

Purchase Elastic

To learn how to make your own tutu skirt for adults, you will need to buy elastic of 1.9cm to 1cm for the waistband of your tutu. 

Image Source: Bernina Blog

Determining the amount of elastic you need, you will have to measure the person’s waist and then buy it. Learn how to sew an elastic waistband.

If the waist measurement is 28 inches, then you should buy a 28inch strip of elastic.

When you purchase an elastic package, it has more elastic you need to cut it to your length and keep the extra elastic for the future. 

Cut the Tulle Fabric Pieces

Pick the desired length of your tutu skirt and add 1-inch to that measurement which will be the length of your tulle pieces. You will need four rectangles of tulle fabric. 

If you are using 118 inches wide tulle fabric, you need to fold the yardage 3x, so the width of the material becomes 14.7 inches. 

Now, use a ruler, rotary cutter, and a self-healing mat to get a straight edge. Iron your fabric if it has wrinkles and cut the fabric. 

Cutting the Linings

Since an elastic waistband will be used, you need to measure your hips. The tutu skirt opening should be big enough to accommodate your hips. 

Take the measurement and divide it by 3.14 to get the waist radius. For the skirt lining, add 1-inch to the tulle length. Keep the extra inch for the hem.

You can use a regular marker or tailor’s chalk or fabric pencil to trace the marking lines. Now, lay the lining fabric on the floor and fold it in half; salvaging edges coincide.

Start measuring from the top corner using the waist radius you just got and create a curve. Keep the skirt length in mind and measure it again to create a hem curve. 

Sew Side Seams for the Lining

Image Source: By Hand London

Turn the fabric inside out and pin and sew it. User serger machine and finish the seam. French seam method will also work best.

Start trimming the seam allowance and press with an iron. Now, turn the fabric on the right side, press it, and start stitching to close the raw edges within the seam allowance. With this, you won’t have any raw edges to fray.

Sew Side Seams for the Tutu or Tulle

The next step of how to make a tutu skirt for a teenager is to lay two tulle layers on top of each other. Check if the edges are aligned well, and start sewing the side seams—Backstitch to secure the seam. 

If you want to sew tulle seams without puckering, then you need to change your needle to a ballpoint or jersey needle. Use short stitches and slow down the sewing machine to avoid creasing. Repeat for the last two tulle layers. 

Baste Tulle Layers Around the Waistline

Image Source: Pinterest

Until this step of how to make a tutu skirt for adults no-sew, you have to learn to sew the first four pieces of tulle to create two large fabric tubes.

At this stage, you need to align the side seams of tulle tubes. Keep the right side to the wrong side of the fabric and baste via two layers.

Change stitch length and run two parallel lines of basting stitches. Keep the long thread tails at the beginning and end of each row. This stage will take your time, and you need to have a lot of patience. All your efforts will be worth it. 

Gathering Tulle to Align the Top of the Skirt Lining

Image Source: Delia Creates

Here come the gathers. Grab two top threads and push the fabric over with another hand. Keep doing this until the gathers are distributed and match the top of the skirt lining. 

Sew Tulle and Lining Together

Keep the lining under the tulle so that the sating right side becomes the tulle’s wrong side. Pin it and start stitching across the gathering line. Finish waist seam using a serger 

Prepare the Elastic

It’s time to cut your elastic band as per your waist size, so it fits around your waist. Add 1/2 inch for the seam allowance and start sewing the elastic ends together.

Sew the Elastic to the Skirt

At this stage of how to make a net skirt, you need to point the elastic band and the waist in four basic parts, such as the center front, back, and the two half pieces on each side.

Image Source: Cografyharita.com

Pin it and sew the elastic to the tutu skirt. Make sure the elastic band should be smaller than the skirt opening. 

Just stretch the elastic towards you until the entire fabric goes in. Don’t rush. Slow down your sewing speed and remove the pins as you proceed. 

Hem the Lining

In the last step, you just need to hem the skirt lining using a sharp scissor. Trim excessive fabric and finish the edges of the lining with a narrow rolled hem on the serger.

With all these processes, you have just finished your tutorial on how to make tutu skirts at home. Voile! Don’t forget to give your DIY project a personalized touch using super easy and customized woven labels and hang tags from Super label Store.

Want to make a matching tutu skirt for your little one? Let’s learn it in the next section. 

Instructions: How to Make a Tutu Skirt No Sew for Child

There are nothing little girls like more than dressing up like a doll. So, why not make a homemade tutu skirt? It is easy to make and inexpensive sewing project.

Image Source: Aphotox On Pexels

Making a tutu skirt for a baby girl will be an incredible DIY project. It can be ready within no time.

Tutu skirt is an absolute way to brighten up your baby girl’s mood at any family get-together or small party. If you know how to make a tutu skirt for adults, then learning how to make a tulle skirt for a child will be an easy project for you.

Let’s help you create a beautiful tutu or tulle skirt for your princess.

While learning how to make a child’s tutu skirt, all the steps will be similar to making an adult skirt.

Image Source: Gustavo Fring On Pexels

One of the most important things you need to consider is the waist size and the amount of fabric. The amount of the fabric depends on the tutu skirt’s length you decide. Here are some of the measurements to help you determine the waist and length size.

Age	Waist (inch)	Length (inch)
0-3 months	15	7
3-6 months	16	8
6-12 months	17	9
2 years	18	9
3 years	19	10
4 years	20	11
5 years	21	11
6/7 years	22	12
8/9 years	23	12
10/11 years	24	12
12/14 years	25	12

Follow the above-listed same steps for how to make a tutu skirt, no-sew for a child, and you will get a beautiful tutu skirt for your princess.

Image Source: Gustavo Fring On Pexels 

If you take a blue color fabric, then you can follow the same steps for how to make a blue tutu skirt for your little one. 

Conclusion

Tutu skirts are adorable pieces of clothing for both adults and kids. These skirts help adults look hot and sexy while looking fabulous on baby girls.

You can make a tutu skirt for you and your little one at home. The best thing about these tutu skirt instructions is that you can make all types of tutus at home. 

Be it for a birthday party, winter dinner, valentine’s day, or Christmas. 

Whatever instructions you follow for how to make clothes at home, don’t forget to give your DIY project a personalized touch with high-quality woven labels from Super label Store.