Easy DIY Tutu (How to Make Any Costume Fit for a Princess)

I have a toddler who loves her daddy. Her face lights up every time he enters a room and she waddles over as fast as she possibly can to show him the toy they’re supposed to play with next. She watches his every move and wants to be just like him.

All of that is great – my husband is an amazing guy, so I love that she wants to be just like him. Unfortunately for me with Halloween coming up, that means she likes Star Wars and Super Heroes way more than Princesses and Fairies. There just aren’t a lot of Super Hero and Star Wars costumes for girls (especially toddlers), so I have come up with a solution to make any costume fit for a princess – Easy DIY Tutu!

Now, when I say this DIY Tutu is easy, I do not mean that it is easy as long as you’ve had years of sewing experience and a grand prize for your stunning handmade quilt. I mean that even my hand sewn pillow cases look like abstract expressionism and this tutu took me less than an hour.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your DIY No Sew Tutu:

• 2 Spools of tulle in contrasting colors
• 7/8″ Ribbon
• Scissors
• Measuring Tape

To make your tutu, measure around your daughter’s waist and measure from the waist down to where you’d like the tutu to fall. My daughter is in 2T clothes – her waist is 18 inches and I want the tutu to be about 9 inches long.

Next you’re going to cut the tulle. I love using spools of tulle because the 6″ width is perfect for this project, but if your craft store doesn’t have spools, you can purchase tulle by the yard. Your first step would then be to cut the tulle into 6″ strips. The easiest way I have found to cut the tulle is to cut a piece of cardboard twice the length you want the skirt (so I want my skirt to be 9 inches, so I cut a piece of cardboard to 18 inches). Then wrap your tulle around the cardboard and cut each end.

To cut the ribbon, add about 24 inches to your waist measurement to have room to tie a cute bow. You can customize the length of the ribbon, just make sure there is enough room to tie the tutu in place.

This is the part when you’re going to want to put the kids to bed, turn on a show, and settle in for an hour of tying tulle! The process may look confusing at first, but once you get into a rhythm, you will fly through it. Fold one piece of tulle in half and lay it behind the ribbon with the bend at the top.

Reach through the bend in the tulle from behind, bring your fingers over the ribbon and grab the two ends of the tulle. Pull the tulle ends through the loop created by the bend in the tulle above the ribbon and pull tight. 

Repeat with the contrasting color, pushing the tulle pieces together after every knot.

That’s it! Now you can add this to an R2D2 costume, a Spiderman costume, a Batman costume, or any other costume you like! These tutu are also perfect for dress up and creative play.

If you make a tutu for your daughter (or yourself!) I would love to see a picture! Post it to Wit & Wander’s Facebook page for a chance to be featured in an upcoming gallery!

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