How To Make A Sewn Tutu

It was not originally part of the business plan, but Bourgeois Baby has received many requests to carry girl's tutus.  Initially I did a few hand tied tutus- simple and easy, but there was really nothing special about them that required much skill.  So I began to play around with making a sewn tutu, and finally came up with a method that makes a fluffy tutu with an elastic waistband encased with costume satin.  I find that these sewn tutus give a professional look and are easy to put on and take off.  You can even add embellishments to the waistband like a bow or bling.

Here is a material list:

There were a few informational graphics that are handy to keep.  Standard tutu sizing is here.  You will notice that I mentioned in the video that I was making a newborn size tutu and cut the strips at 10 inches.  That is just a habit of mine- cutting a 2 inches longer than the recommended standard length to allow for some error during ruffling and serging.  You don't need to do that, as typically this also gives me tutus that are a bit longer than standard.

Ok. The Math!  Really, don't be afraid of this.  I came up with these calculations based on the average lengths I would consistently get during my test tutus.  Your machine may differ, so I highly suggest that you adjust this based on what your machine gives you in terms of ruffles per inches.  (And don't hesitate to contact me if you need help figuring this out.).

 

Would love to hear your feedback (this was my first video tutorial) and see your creations!