Autumn Klair: Easy No Sew Tutu Tutorial

If there is a little girl in your life, chances are at some point she will want a tutu--

for dress up, special occasions...or to simply wear around the house on a daily basis.

And, if you're anything like me, making something from scratch for your child

kind of really makes you feel like a rock star.

If you feel like these two statements ring true then you, my friend, are in luck!

Making a tutu is ridiculously easy and (wait for it) ...

It doesn't require any sewing!

This is one that even the most craft-inept can pull off.

My husband helped me make one. Case and point. (haha, love you Honey!)

For baby girl's birthday I decided to make her a bright pink tutu.

I looked around online and found inspiration here and here, and this is my resultant process in

6 Easy Steps:

1. Take Measurements: Use a soft measuring tape to find the measurement around the intended wearer's waist or hips (depending on wear you want it to sit). Then, measure the desired hemline length of the tutu.

2. Gather Materials: You will only need two materials for this tutu--ribbon and tulle in the color(s) of your choice. For the tulle, you can either stick with one color, or you can mix a variety of colors. I think tutus tend to look best with just 2 or 3 colors, but you can get as creative as you want. Depending on the size of the intended wearer and your desired length, you'll likely need anywhere from 2 to 7 yards of tulle. For the ribbon, you will need the wearer's waist measurement + 20 inches of ribbon.

3. Create the Waistband: Take the measurement from around the waist and apply it to the ribbon. Add an additional 20 inches (10 inches for each tail end) of length to the ribbon. This will allow it to be tied together in a bow in the back. Tie the ribbon in a knot with the two 10 inch tails hanging out; this will make it easier to add the tulle and help you know when to stop adding the fabric.

4. Prepare the Tulle: You will need to cut your tulle into strips that are twice as long as the desired length of your hemline. For example, if you wanted a skirt to be 10 inches long, you should cut your strips of tulle to be 20 inches long. The width that you should cut each piece of tulle depends on the type of skirt that you want.

As a rule, if you want a fuller, fluffier skirt then you should cut thinner, shorter pieces. If you want a skirt that lies flat and isn't very fluffy, then cut wider, longer pieces. For Klair's skirt I went with the fluffier option and cut my strips about an inch wide.

5. Tie the Tulle on the Waistband: Take a strip of tulle, fold it in half (so you'll have a loop on one end and two loose tails on the other). Press the tulle strip against the waistband with a few inches of the loop end above the ribbon. Then, wrap the two tails around the ribbon and pull them through the loop--this creates a knot. Slide this tulle loop knot to the edge of the waistband (at the knot you made in the ribbon) and pull your tulle knot tight. Repeat the process with each piece of tulle.

If you want the skirt to look fuller and fluffier, then push the tulle strips closer together. If you want the tutu to be flatter, then don't push them as close together.
Once you've reached the end of your waistband (the knot) and your skirt is the desired fluffiness, stop adding tulle.

6. Try it on! Untie the two knots you made in the ribbon, wrap the tutu around the wearer's waist, and use the 10 inches of ribbon on either side to tie a pretty little bow in the back.

Note: I also tied in several pieces of thin, yellow, polka-dotted ribbon to add a little variety to this tutu.

And there you have it!

Without any sewing and with just two simple materials,

you created something that will make her smile.