One of the simplest things I have ever made is also super adorable.
We wanted to make the tutus shorter and straighter, you know... to incite an early love for ballet. There are lots of directions other places for longer tutus that end up more like skirts, but these directions are for the tutu pictured above and below.Supplies:
6-8 yards of tulle. You can use two colors if you want.
1 yard of 1/4 - 3/8 inch elastic
Step 1: Measure your child.
For my 6-month-old daughter, pictured above, I measured 18 inches. Don't make the measurement either too taught or too loose.
Step 2:
Cut the elastic 2 inches longer than the measurement you just took.
Step 3:
Overlap the elastic 1 inch on each side to make a wasitband. Sew by hand or machine.
Step 4:
Cut the tulle into strips. For the tutu above I cut strips that were 4-6 inches wide and 12-13 inches long. Vary the length of the strips based on the height of your child and the desired length of the tutu.
It is not very important to be precise with these cuts. Don't worry if they're not perfectly straight - it will all be covered up.
Step 5:
Gather two strips - either of contrasting colors or not - and fold them in half behind the elastic.
Step 6:
Pull the ends through the loop at top and pull tight.
Step 7: Repeat until the entire elastic is covered. Don't worry if the elastic seems to lengthen as you pull the tulle tight. If you measured correctly, it should still fit just right. You always have the option of loosening some of the tulle if the elastic is too long.
(Pictures of Addi's tutu are coming soon...)
And the good news is: Ellie likes it! Mostly because tulle is fun to play with. But, hey, we both win this way. :-)
