Showing posts with label instructions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label instructions. Show all posts

Monday, December 22, 2008

How to make a tutu:

For whatever reason I decided to make the girls tutus this year. They love dancing around and being silly and I remember my sisters and I in our "cooking skirts." So who knows, maybe it will turn into something more.

Anyways, very simple... I think! :)

Supplies: I used three different colors of tulle, for a little spice! No-roll elastic, and of course, my new scissors! (Not photographed, sewing machine, 12 yards of 1.5" silk ribbon.)

I decided on these rolls of tulle because they are a good width, so I would only have to make one cut. Plus, there are 25 yards on one roll, can't go wrong! (I made two tutus out of these three rolls.) 

I'm not sure if I can blame it on my ancient sewing machine, BUT... I did a horrible sewing job on this elastic. I never realized there were "teeth" on the bottom plate of my machine, so the elastic wouldn't feed through... oh well. It works! 

I wanted the girls' tutu to be 10"- so I doubled that (20") since it was going to be folded in half then added an inch for fun. Seriously. half my table measured 21" so I added the extra inch to make it easy! 


I used my ring finger as a spacer between the (double) knot and the elastic itself. Doing this ensured the tulle wouldn't be too tight on the elastic, causing it to roll. 


Once it's double knotted, my knot was in the middle of the elastic. I did not want it there... 


So I dropped it down to one side. 


And voila!


When I was half way finished, I put the tutu on Gabriella's head so she could ham it up! Isn't she adorable... I'm partial! 

This is what it looks like before I looped the ribbon on. 



I'm so happy with the way it turned out. Especially since I had no idea what I was doing! The girls are highly allergic to anything "itchy." And I am EXTREMELY allergic to complaining... so I nipped that in the butt by adding the ribbon. It's a gorgeous touch too, I believe!

To add the ribbon, I simply folded the ribbon in half and picked a starting point. I laid the ribbon as if it were straddling the tutu. That way I could make the bow at the end. Then I looped over every two colors. I tried three, but it was too much, and didn't look very good. I could have looped over each color, but I think it would have separated the colors more then I wanted.





I have enough tulle left over to make two more if anyone is interested. (I do not have any ribbon left over however.)

Sorry my instructions are so 'wordy.' I wish I could adapt the KISS (keep it simple stupid/silly) philosophy!

Oh well, tomorrow... felt boards. I've spent so much time getting things together for everyone else, that I've neglected my own family. Which we've received cards for Mailbox! I'm so excited for the girls to open Mailbox and see cards from those they love the most!