There's nothing quite as fun as wearing a tutu, and with the many patterns available, you'll have no trouble finding the perfect design for the little girl or big girl in your life. You may even find that you want to wear one yourself!
Kids' Easy Petal Tutu with Leaf Sash
Making a flower petal-inspired tutu is easy and fun, and it makes a great spring holiday outfit. Choose pretty tulle in her favorite color, and you're sure to see this tutu come out of the dress-up trunk on a regular basis.
Things You'll Need
- Three yards of tulle in desired color
- Half a yard of green tulle
- One and a half yards of 3-inch wide green satin ribbon
- Half a yard of one-inch wide elastic
- Sewing machine and thread
- Scissors, hand needle, and measuring tape
What to Do
- Cut the three-yard piece of tulle into six rectangles that are 24 inches by 36 inches. Fold each piece in half, aligning the two short sides together. Fold them in half again in the opposite direction.
- Cut each piece in a curved line, starting at the bottom of the folded side and going up to the opposite corner. When you unfold them, they will be pointed on each end.
- Fold each piece in half again, lining up the points. Sew a line 1 ½ inches from the folded edge.
- When you've completed all six petals, slide the elastic through each pocket, gathering the tulle as you go.
- Overlap the two edges of the elastic, and sew it closed. Slide the tulle over it to cover the seam.
- Cut the piece of green tulle into two equal pieces, each 18 inches by 27 inches. Fold the pieces in half as you did with the colored tulle, and cut it to form petal shapes.
- Fold each piece of green tulle in half, and hand sew it to gather it into a leaf shape. Hand both leaves to the green ribbon.
- Trim the ends of the green ribbon at an angle, and tie it around the waist.
More Tutu Sewing Patterns
The Internet is a great resource for all types of tutu patterns, many of which are available for free. Whether you're making a children's tutu for a Halloween costume or creating a unique look for yourself, you'll find great instructions online.
Kids' Tutu Patterns
The following websites offer patterns for kids' tutus:
- Chic 'n Joy has a printable pattern for a child's tutu.
- Carly Makes Things offer step-by-step instructions for a very simple, child-sized tutu.
- PatternPlay on Etsy sells an affordable pattern for an adorable little girl's tutu.
- CraftPassion has a pumpkin-themed toddler tutu tutorial, which you could adapt for any holiday.
Adult Tutu Patterns
You can also make an adult-sized tutu using one of these patterns:
- Free Sewing Patterns offers this helpful tutorial for making a tiered tutu.
- BurdaStyle has an intermediate-level pattern that will work for adults and kids.
- Tutu.com offers a variety of adult tutu patterns for sale.
Other Sources
The Internet isn't the only place to find patterns for tutus and dance skirts. Stop by your local craft store or fabric shop to find patterns you can purchase. You may also find tutu patterns at dance stores in your area.
Tips for Adding Style to Your Tutu
On its own, a tutu makes a great style statement. However, you can add personality to your creation by trying one of these ideas:
- Add colored satin ribbons around the tutu for texture.
- Experiment with fun novelty tulles, such as those with sparkles or subtle patterns.
- Sew or hot glue silk flowers to the tutu.
- Embellish the tutu with felt appliques, such as birds or polka dots.
- Use multiple colors of tulle for an exciting look.
- Sew little craft bells to the underside of the tutu so it makes music.
- Add craft feathers for a bird-inspired look.
Perfect Project for Beginners
No matter how you choose to wear or embellish your tutu, you'll love how easy it is to create these stylish skirts. If you're a beginning seamstress, this could be the perfect project for you.
