How to Sew a Ballerina Tutu for Play or a Halloween Costume

By Debbie Colgrove

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Materials

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Finished Costume Tutu. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Every little girl dreams of being a ballerina. Create this simple tutu, add a onsie, body suit or leotard and tights to finish the costume.

1" ribbon -- the waist measurement plus 24" (Grosgrain ribbon is easier to keep tied than a satin ribbon)
Tulle-- the length of your tutu is the desired length from the waist of the person wearing the tut. the width is four times the waist measurement, cut out eight times so you have eight layers of tulle in the finished tutu. Use different colors of tulle for the different layers for colorful fun.
- For example: a 13" long tutu for a 23" waist
- Tulle is 54" wide so you can get four 13" strips from the width.
- 4 times 23"(waist)equals 92". 92" divided by 36" (a yard) equals just over 2.5 yards of tulle.

Quality thread or thread and string, depending on your choice of methods to gather. How Ruffles and Gathers are Formed
Optional -- decorations to spruce up the tutu (such as glue and glitter or narrow ribbon tied into bows and tacked to the tutu) Use something under the tulle when using glue to protect the surface. Remove the under laying material before the tulle dries to it. Tulle with embellishments is available at many fabric stores. If you are using embellished tulle to sew your tutu, remember to clean out your sewing machine after sewing to make sure any glitter or embellishment materials are not in your sewing machine.

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Match Center and Ends. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Cut the strips of tulle and stack them lining up the edges.
Sew your basting or zigzag over string (to gather) along the top edge of the stack of tulle.
Without gathering the tulle, find the center of the gathering stitches and mark the center.
Fold the length of ribbon in half and mark the center.
Mark the ribbon 12" in from each end.
Lay the stitched tulle on the edge of the ribbon (wrong side of the ribbon if it has a design) so that 1/4" is overlapping the ribbon.

Match the center of the tulle with the center of the ribbon. Pin.
Match the ends of the tulle with the mark that is 12" in from the end of the ribbon. Pin.
Gather the tulle to fit the ribbon.

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Attaching the Tulle. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

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Finish the Waistband. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

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Back of Finished Tutu. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Separate the layers of tulle so that they fluff out.
Tie the tutu in the back.
Decorate the tutu by placing dots of glue (with parchment paper behind the glue) and sprinkling the dots with glitter. Line the hem edge with glue and glitter.
Make small bows from narrow 1/8" wide craft ribbon and hand sew the bows scattered on the tutu or on the hem area of the tutu How to Tie a Perfect Bow
Visit a craft store for a wide variety of stick on type decorations. Sew on decorative buttons can also add to add to a tutu.