Not Your Ordinary Tutu Tutorial

So, I've been wanting to make tutus for my girls, especially Hannah who is my dancer girl! However, memories of my own tutu are of scratchy tulle things that ripped easily and weren't very comfy (tho they are pretty much in tatters, my mother saved them and I have them now!). So, with that in mind, a love for fantasy, and my recent experiences with belly dancing in its various forms, I came up with my own idea!

Here is my creation:

The "Scarf Skirt" or Not Your Ordinary Tutu!

I bought the blue sheer fabric to use for another project it ended up being not quite right for, and the striped fabric I bought at Goodwill a looooong time ago, and they just seemed to call out to each other!

Two yards of each ended up being enough to make 3, so I have an extra one that is size 4-5. It can be yours for only $20! Or, if you'r the do-it-yourself type, see the tutorial below for making your own super simple scarf skirt!

Make 6 total squares (or scarves) in the size needed and finish the edges (I used my serger, but you could roll hem or just fold and stitch). The math on sizing up or down and figuring out how much fabric you'll need is pretty simple, so I'll leave it to you! :o) You'll also need 18 or 16 inches (again easy to adjust for individual measurements) of 1/4 inch width elastic.

Pick a corner, any corner to start with! Lay two squares together (I did wrong sides together so all the seams would be on the outside). Measure 8 or 6 inches from the corner (A shown above), pin and sew along C (shown above and at right as red lines). Continue measuring, pinning and sewing until you have all 6 together. Complete the "circle" of squares by lining up the last corner and the first corner, measure, pin and sew. The arrows in the picture at right indicate which corners to line up and measure from, red lines indicate approximately where to sew.

Fold each top corner down along B (shown as a green line at left). This should measure about 12 or 10 inches depending on size, but slight variations won't make a big difference. To make the elastic casing, stitch along D as indicated in the picture at left about 1/2 to 3/4 inch from fold, back stitching and breaking at the edges of the "triangle", not sewing through seam C. This may seem wrong, but it is easier than trying to make the "circle" line up perfectly, and makes it easier when threading the elastic.

Thread your elastic through, and stitch about 1/2 inch overlap using a zig-zag stitch to allow for stretch and you're done! See, wasn't that simple?!

I don't have a picture of my girls in them because these are their Christmas presents this year, and I didn't want them to not be surprised!

Enjoy! :o)