Cut Tulle for a Tutu QUICK and EASY!

Top row: Bethany, Sarah, and Kelsey
Bottom row: Lauren, Sierra, and Lizzy

I've been making tutus for about three years now - mostly for Serenity, my nieces, and my friends' girls.

When I make them, I don't usually make just one - I make lots of them!

I even had a tutu-making slumber party for my nieces (Sierra and Lauren) and my friends' little girls a couple of years ago, and I taught all of them how make tutus - smart, huh?

I certainly didn't want to make SIX tutus!!

Besides, they had fun and learned a neat new project!

That's all of the rotten little stinkers in the picture above wearing the tutus they made themselves!

You can learn how I taught the girls to make their own easy No Sew tutus by clicking HERE!

If you already know how to make a tutu, then you know the most aggravating part is measuring and cutting the tulle.

It's so time-consuming!

But not for me - 'cause I figured out a super quick and easy method.

Listen up!

I was complaining to my friend Teensie a few years ago when I was making around a hundred tutus (well, it seemed like that many!) - there just had to be an easier way!

She said maybe I could figure out a way to wrap it - then something just clicked (you know how it is), and this is how I ended up doing it!

I'd never seen tulle cut this way before, and I never, never, never cut tulle any other way now!

I'm planning Princess Packs for Serenity's upcoming 3rd Birthday Party and I'm making tutus for the little Princess party guests as part of the PPs.

I need to make a least ten tutus - just to make sure I have enough.

TEN!

Of course I'm gonna use my quick and easy method, and that gave me the idea to share with y'all.

If you'd like to learn how I satin wrap tutus, check out my post,

DIY: Satin Wrap A Tutu!


Here's My Super QUICK and EASY Method:

Cut out a piece of cardboard 15" long and about 7" wide.
The width doesn't have to be exact, but the length does.

I like to use the flap from a cardboard box.

You'll need two rubber bands too.

When making a baby or toddler tutu or even a super short tutu for tweens & teens, I cut my pieces 15" long.
You can make it however long or short you prefer.
Remember to cut the cardboard about twice the length you'd like your finished tutu to be.
My tulle pieces are 15" long so my finished tutu is around 7" - 7 1/2" long.
I like to label my cardboard pieces too.

Next, wrap your tulle (I use the 6" spools) around the cardboard evenly.
Make sure you're not wrapping too tight - if the cardboard is bending in the middle, then it's way too tight.


Once you've finished wrapping (I usually wrap the entire roll so I don't waste tulle - I'll show you how to store leftover tulle in a minute),
secure both ends with the rubber bands.


Carefully and slowly, cut the ends of the tulle using the edge of the cardboard as your guide.
Make sure you don't pull up on the tulle while cutting it or it'll be shorter on one end.


Remove any scraggly pieces you might have.
Here's a picture with both of the ends cut - you can see my scraggly pieces in the front.


Pull the tulle off the cardboard, and ta-da!
You're done!
Perfectly cut pieces of tulle - quick and easy!
Below are the pieces I cut for a Snow White tutu:


Store any leftover tulle pieces on the cardboard.
All nice and neat and tidy!


Here's my finished tutu!
I usually use a slip knot when I make tutus, but this time I tried a double knot for the first time.
It came out pretty good and it was quicker to make.
This is also the first time I used a satin ribbon to wrap the waist of the tutu.
I really like how it turned out!
The tutu may look a bit uneven in the picture because of the hanger, but it's not.

Making a satin wrapped tutu is easier than you think - for sure easier than I thought! I used 3 yards of ribbon, but it all depends on how big of a tutu you're making.

I'm sure people do it different ways, but I wrapped my tutu like this:

Leave a "tail" of ribbon at the beginning (to tie into a bow), and wrap from the inside-out, threading the ribbon between every two pieces of tulle until you've work your way around. Be sure you don't pull the ribbon too tight as you're wrapping. When you've finished wrapping, tie the ribbon into a bow, cut off the excess, use a lighter to seal the ends, and hot glue the bow in place so it won't come undone.

Here's my picture tutorial that will show you how I wrap a tutu:

DIY: Satin Wrap A Tutu.

You can find the 6" spools of tulle at JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, Nashville Wraps, and many other online stores.

Look around - you can probably find it cheaper than your local stores - and that includes shipping and handling charges!

To learn how to make a tutu, you can follow my No Sew Tutu tutorial or Google "how to make a tutu" for almost 560,000 results!

EDIT 1/11/11:
I created this tutorial over two years ago, now when you Google "how to make a tutu" there are over 14,500,000 results!
WOW!

Little Birdie Secrets shows you how to make and inexpensive Baby Chick tutu costume! Tutus make GREAT costumes and cool holiday outfits! Here's Serenity all dressed up for the Mardi Gras earlier this year! I crocheted her leg warmers and sewed her bead bag too.

POST-IT-NOTE:

BTW people, this was taken in February - have you noticed that Serenity is wearing shorts under her tutu?!

The leg warmers ended up coming off later too 'cause it got very warm (you would say "hot") that day!

Blink - and our "Winter" is gone!

Of course little girls don't need a reason to dress up in a tutu!
Here's a picture of Serenity and her friends Cobee Lynn and CeeCee wearing tutus while playing outside.
Why?!
Because that's what all little girls should wear when they play outside!

POST-IT-NOTE 2:

I would like give a HUGE thank you to One Pretty Thing and Everything Your Mama Made and More and Tip Junkie for linking this post!

Have fun!