How to Make a Princess Tutu!

Have a Princess race coming up?  Know a runner in your life doing the Disney World Princess Half Marathon?  Is her name Ricole?!  BECAUSE I'M DOING THAT RACE!  Thus, my need for a princess tutu.  The costume decision was a tough one, a very difficult choice between Minnie Mouse, Snow White, and a Princess Pirate.  But after some serious soul-searching, and considering my new-found love for Once Upon a Time, I made up my mind.

 

Do you watch Once Upon a Time?  I thought I would think it was stupid, but I love it.  Maybe its all those Lost Apollo bars they keep floating around... #LostFanForever

I considered buying a costume online but after a quick internet search I found that although the online costumes were quite affordable (as low as $10, cheaper than making one!), they were also quite risqué, if you know what I mean.  Without being able to see it in person first, it seemed likely to not fit right, likely to cause major chafing (a runner's nightmare!), and not be exactly the Snow White look I was going for (she's more pure and good, less scandalous, right?!).

So a tutu was needed!  Feels Like Home has an even better tutorial for making a tutu if you're really interested.  I followed their steps when I made my first one for precious 1-year-old Denali, now I'm a tutu pro!

Sweet Denali's Christmas Present

Step 1.  Buy your tool tulle.  There is some fabulous options at Joann's (including sparkly tulle!) but I went with the cheapest kind and getting some spray glitter instead.  The tulle was $0.89/yard and I used about 8 yards. You can choose to go with just one color or be a little more adventurous and choose two or more colors!  For this one I chose bright yellow and a paler yellow, 5 yards of bright yellow, 3 yards of pale.  If you're rich you should get the sparkly tulle, it's so pretty!  I'm not so rich so I got the regular kind.
  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Step 2.  Cut your tulle into 6 inch wide strips, then cut the fold to make it two pieces instead of one super long piece.  The tulle comes folded and is about 56 inches wide, but when you cut on the fold you get two pieces 6 inches wide and about 28 inches long.  This was a good length for me, you may want it shorter if for a child or longer if you're taller or less flamboyant more conservative.

Step 3.  Prepare your method of holding it on your body.  In the past I used ribbon (it's prettier and cheaper) but since this was for a race I went all out and got elastic and velcro.  Cut the ribbon long enough to wrap around you and tie in a cute bow.  Cut the elastic the size of your waist, and either sew or stick-on (duh, I used stick-on) velcro pieces at each end so it can make a loop.

This picture is not relevant to any of these steps but it has the precious pup in it so I thought you'd want to see it. 

Step 4.  Grab 3 strips at a time in whatever sequence you like.  I randomly went with 3 bright yellow, 2 bright 1 pale, 2 pale 1 bright, and 3 pales so I had a mixture of the color throughout.  Stack them on top of each other, then form a loop underneath your elastic.  Pull the loose end through the loop end and voila!  You have a knot going around the elastic.  It's easier to pull tight with ribbon but pull as tight as you can around the elastic (TWSS).

Step 5.  Do this over and over and over and over and over and over and over.  You'll know when you're done.

Step 6.  Spray it all over with massive amounts of fabric spray glitter.  I say, the more sparkly, the better.  Also, if you're more talented than I, make a sweet bow to cover where the elastic meets (not necessary if you used ribbon instead of elastic).

Step 7.  Wear it and get lots of compliments for looking awesome.

Step 8.  Make another one and wear one every-single-day so you keep getting weird looks compliments!

The end!  Go and enjoy being tutu-ified!