Sometimes I come across a craft project that I just shake my head at, because it is just too cute for words and that is exactly how I feel about this stunning tutu! Before I was the mama of a sweet little girl, I never could have appreciated the sweetness of this tutu trimmed in gorgeous satin ribbon! This tutu brings a huge smile to my face and those chubby little legs and piggies are so precious. Let’s join Shirley as she shows us how to create our own magical little tutu that will have your little sweetie dancing and prancing around in her very own fabulous tutu! Enjoy!
These tutus are just so adorable, and after you find out how easy they are to make, you can never go back! They do take quite a bit of time, but anything worth doing takes time and these are worth it! 🙂
~Supplies~
Ribbon Trimmed Tutu Kit
OR
For the tutu:
Elastic 1/2″-1″
6″ Spool of Tulle
Needle and Thread
To trim the tutu:
Coordinating 7/8″ DF Satin Ribbon (lots and lots!)
Scissors
Lighter
Thread
Sewing Machine
The first step is making your tutu. We have lots of tutu tutorials and each one is fun. For an easy tutu with an elastic waist go HERE. For a super full tutu with a crochet headband waist go HERE.
My tutu is made using just an elastic waist, and I only did one strip of tulle per knot. The ribbon adds a lot of fullness and can get heavy.
Next cut your ribbon into 6.25″ pieces. Make sure to seal your ends. How many pieces you need depends on how many strips of tulle you used in your tutu. I cut 110 pieces of ribbon.
Make sure to choose thread that matches your ribbon. Thread your sewing machine.
The ribbon pieces should have a slight curve to them.
The strips of tulle will curve a certain way too.
Place your ribbon piece in the sewing machine with the curves going up. Line up your tulle. Make sure to place your tulle about a little more than halfway on the ribbon. Don’t line it up with the edge of the ribbon.
Sew the pieces together. Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end. I found that instead of cutting the thread every time I finished one piece, I could just pull on it and start a new piece and clip the threads later. This saved on time and thread.
Here is how it looks when you’re done. It curves nicely all by itself. Isn’t it pretty?
Go ahead and do a few more. Ooh and ahh at your amazingness.
Here it is all done! Wasn’t that easy?
Now if you wanted to add a satin waist, that’s pretty easy too. Use the same DF Satin Ribbon and check out this video tutorial HERE.
If you love video tutorials, check out the video tutorial for this tutu and go HERE.
Have fun making all sorts of beautiful tutus!
Thank you Shirley…and you are right, this tutu is beeeeeeeautiful! I LOVE, love love it’s sweetness! It is elegant and that satin trim takes the cuteness to a whole new level! Tutus are wonderful for dressing up your little sweetie for a special occasion, Halloween, play days, church or just because. I can guarantee that wherever your little one wears this special tutu, she will be the bell of the ball!
I have a little one at my house that thinks life is centered around princesses and when she saw the picture of this adorable tutu, she immediately gasped and said “ohhhhh, pretty princeth” (with her adorable lisp)! Awwww, that sealed the deal. She will be getting one of these little beauties very, very soon! Who can resist a princess lovin’ gal with a cute little lisp?
Do you also have a little gal that you know would love a tutu just like this one? Here are a few more adorable tutus they are sure to love too!
The Ribbon Retreat has all of the supplies for these sweet tutus plus so much more! Our convenient, one stop shop has all the ribbon, flowers, clips, notions, etc, etc that you could possibly need to make your little one bows, a tutu or two, and other fun and fabulous hair accessories. And don’t forget…we sell the kit for the gorgeous Ribbon Trimmed Tutu in this tutorial right here at The Ribbon Retreat. Get your kit HERE!
Make sure to visit us HERE to get all of your crafty supplies!
Happy Creating & Happy Tutus!
66 Comments
I am drooling over this adorable skirt! The ribbon just adds the most perfect touch. I also love that it is pink 😉 I tackled some tulle for some skirts for my girls as well. They are a bit time consuming, but absolutely worth it. If your interested to see them I blog at tidbits-cami.com, and put up a couple of tutorials for different tulle skirts. I would love to give this one a try as well! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Cami! Thank you so very much! I am so glad you love this adorable skirt. I love the skirts that you made on your site. They are gorgeous, and they look amazing on your sweet girls. Thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful day and thank you again! Michelle 🙂
So beautiful! The ribbon creates a beautiful effect and adds a finishing touch on the skirt. I bet it is so lovely when it is bouncing and swaying.
Hi Rachel! Thank you so much! The ribbon is so lovely and is the perfect addition to this fun tutu! I am so glad you love it! Have a great day and thank you for stopping by!
Michelle 🙂
Wow, Shirley, you have certainly taken tutus to a whole new level, haven’t you?! The ribbon trim is just gorgeous, and the whole effect is chi-chi boutique-iness!
But, to be honest with you, what really has me squealing (actually, it’s more like high-pitched squeaking with my mouth closed) are those baby’s precious little piggies! I could eat them all up! xoxo
Hi Pat! Isn’t this tutu awesome?!? I love it and that stunning ribbon…and I am also lovin those sweet little piggies too! Shirley’s little model is just too cute! Thanks Pat! Have a great day! Michelle 🙂
I love our baby boy, but sadly he can not wear so charming clothes! Maybe i’ll try making one for me to wear!
Hi there! This tutu would be so fun to make for yourself. It would be stunning! Thank you for sharing! PINNED!
I would never have realised they were all separate little sections from the photo. I love the finished look.
Hi Stella Lee! I agree! When I first saw this tutu, I didn’t realize it was all individual strips and not one continuous one either! I am so glad you love this fun tutu! Have a great day! Michelle 🙂
So pretty! This might be worth the time for my toddlers! 🙂 pinned!
Hi there! Thank you so very much! You will love this fun tutu! Thank you for the pin! Have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
Your tutorials are awesome! I love this project…thanks so much for sharing at Totally Terrific Tuesday!
Hi Christie! Thank you so much! Have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
Beautiful tutorial and a beautiful tutu skirt 🙂 Love it. Thank you 🙂
Hi Salma! Thank you so much. I am so glad you love this fun tutu! Have a wonderful day and thank you again! Michelle 🙂
What a darling tutu! I am hopping over from Sew Pretty Sew Free. -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Hi Marci! Thank you so much! I am so glad you stopped by and that you love this cute tutu! Have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
Oh my goodness! My little girl would LOVE this tutu! Thank you so much for the great tutorial and for sharing on Show Me Saturday!
Pinning and sharing on my Facebook page!
Hi Ashley! Thank you so very much! I am so glad you love this adorable tutu! Thank you also for the pin and sharing it on your FB page! Have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
I love this tutu ! I will be making one for my daughter soon she is 9 and has loved tutu’s . I have one question how do you seal the ribbon ?
Hi Susan! Yay! I am so glad you love this fun tutu! Great question…when you seal satin ribbon you do have to be a little more careful than with normal grosgrain. You can seal it with a lighter, quickly moving the flame back and forth near the edge of the ribbon. Or, you can also use a product called Fray Check. Good luck with your tutu and thank you for stopping by! Michelle 🙂
Powerful Tutorial. Thank You For Posting.
Hi Michael! Thank you so much! Have a wonderful day. Michelle 🙂
I also love the idea of a ribbon trimmed tutu. Do you sew ribbon on both ends of the strip of tulle or just one end?
Joan
Oops! Nevermind…. just saw the other answer!
Hehe! No worries Joan! Thank you and have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
So cute! I just wanted to comment because I saw another tutorial yesterday where she sewed the ribbon on BEFORE making it a dress. Seemed a lot easier!
Hi Kristen! Thank you! I think sewing the ribbon on before creating the tutu would work amazing! It would definitely eliminate all of the bulk of the tulle if you did sew the ribbon on prior to creating the tutu. It is totally up to you and regardless of your process, your tutu will look amazing! Thank you Kristen again and have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
Is there a reason you made the tutu first? Would it be easier to sew ribbon to the tulle first? I’m just imagining the other pieces getting in my way….
SO cute either way!
Hi Christy! Thank you so much for your question. You can surely make your tutu however is easiest for you. When you create the tutu first, there definitely is a lot of tulle and mass you are maneuvering around. So, if it is easier for you to sew your ribbon on first, that is perfect. Good luck and thank you so much for stopping by! Michelle 🙂
I, too, love this Tutu!! I have a 6 yr old “Princess” granddaughter who loves to dress up and this will be
a perfect addition to her “royal” wardrobe!!! Can’t wait to get started on it….thankyou!!!!
Hi Agnetha! Thank you so very much! I am so glad you love this adorable tutu, and I am so excited for you to make it for your sweet “Princess” granddaughter. She is going to love it! Have a wonderful day and thank you again! Michelle 🙂
Hi i heard that when wrapping the ribbon aroun, when its finished it doesn’t have much/any elastic to it, is that true? Because im making a tutu dress for my daughter. Also what type of elastic do you use?
Hi Kayla! Thank you for your question. Shirley says, “It does make it a little wider, but it can still stretch more, just not shrink as much (if that makes sense). I should have used 3/8” but didn’t have any on hand. That would be better. Because mine didn’t “shrink” down as much and it is heavy with the ribbon, I just pinned it to my daughters onesie for her pictures. I just got the elastic at Joanns. Hope this helps! Good luck!” Thank you Kayla and good luck! Have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
I love the skirt! I’m going to make one for Halloween, but I can’t decide what length to cut the tulle. Edie will be 9 months old and I’d like it to hit at the knees. What size did you cut your strips?
Hi Karen! Thank you so much! I am so glad you love this fun skirt. It will be so much fun for Halloween! In regards to length for your little sweetie, you will want to measure from her waist to her knee and then I would add just a little to that to make sure it is long enough for her when Halloween comes around. It is so hard to give you an actual measurement because every little kiddo is different, so if you want just a standard length for a 9 month old, you could use a standard length of 7-8 inches. To get that measurement, I did a google search for “typical length of skirt for a 9 month old.” I help this helps Karen! Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by! Michelle 🙂
I made one of these adorable tutus for a 1 yr old’s birthday. The only thing I would add to the tutorial is to use a ravel stop product (fabric glue) on the cut ends of each piece & allowing to dry before tying onto elastic band. Satin ribbon ravels like crazy.
Hi Christie! Thank you so much for sharing your tip! I LOVE reader’s tips and tricks! You are awesome. Thank you again! Michelle 🙂
Thisis amazing! I stuck at sewing will I get the same curl affect if I glued on the ribbon trim??
Hi Tanisha! Thank you! Yes, you should get the same look. However, be careful with your glue placement and to make sure the glue doesn’t stick to other strands of tulle through the tulle. Good luck and hope the glue works for you! Have a great day! Michelle 🙂
Hello,
i really love the pink tutu with the ribbon. I want to try and make it myself, it’ll be my first time trying. Just want to ask if its best to make the tutu first and then sew the ribbon on? Or should i sew the ribbon on to the tulle strips?
Thanks for any ideas you can share.
Hi Vanessa! Thank you for your question. Shirley suggests making the tutu first. Good luck and thank you so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
Omg! this is beautiful!!
you cut 110 pieces of ribbon (at 6.25″)? So how many yards of ribbon is that?
I wanted to make this for my daughter’s halloween costume, but not sure if I can get all of that ribbon in time.
Hi Jessica! Thank you so much! Isn’t this tutu gorgeous? Your daughter would look adorable on Halloween in this beautiful tutu! Yes, that is correct. Shirley cut her pieces at 6.25″ and cut 110 pieces. In the Tutu Kit you can purchase that comes with the tulle, coordinating DF Satin Ribbon and elastic, you get 25 yards of the ribbon. You can find the kits HERE! The kit will come with everything you will need to complete a tutu from size Newborn to 2T/3T and it is available in 11 color options. (However, only 10 are available at this time as we are currently out of stock in the black). Also, our shipping is actually pretty fast. We try our very best to get your order out the day you place it or the following business day…depending on the time you place your order. If you are at all concerned about getting the supplies and having time to make the tutu, you could always call our Customer Service line and talk to a representative who could further assist you on when your order would ship and get to you. You can reach them at (208) 357-3887. I hope this helps. Thank you again and have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
This is such a good tutorial for a tutu I have just got a new sewing machine for Christmas
and I still need to figure out how to thread it properly but this looks like an easy project so
I should fine and also I pinned this tutorial ? ^-^
Hi Aimee! Yay…a new sewing machine! LOVE it! Congrats and yes, this is a great project to start with! You will have so much fun making it, and you will LOVE the completed tutu! Have a wonderful time and good luck with your new toy!!! Michelle 🙂
Incredible tutorial. I like this ribbon trimmed tutu. I’ll definitely try this. My baby will love to have that. She will look awesome in that tutu. Thanks a lot for this wonderful tutorial.
Hi Jessica! Thank you so much! I am so glad you love this fabulous tutorial. I absolutely love this stunning tutu, and I am so glad you love it too and are planning to make one for your little sweetie! Have so much fun creating this tutu and have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
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Hey! Beautiful tutu! Thanks for posting! How do you seal the ribbon? Thanks!!!
Hi Mimi! Thank you so much. I am so glad you like this fun tutu. There are a couple of ways to seal the ends of the ribbons. You can either heat seal them with a lighter or you can use a tool called a Creative Versa Tool. This tool is so awesome! You can cut ribbon with it and it seals the ends at the same time! I hope this helps! Have a great day Mimi! Michelle 🙂
Hi, I was curious if there is a reason you make the tutu first and then sew the ribbon on? Could you sew the ribbon on and then make the tutu?? Thanks!!
Hi Heather! Thank you for your question. I think it was just Shirley’s preference to make the tutu and then sew the ribbon on. I am sure you could sew the ribbon on first for sure. Good luck and let us know how your tutu turns out. Have a great day! Michelle 🙂
Can you guys give a tutorial on how to tie the bow to the waist band and which is better ( satin or the thicker material ribbons). PLEAAASSEEE HELP
Hi Sheryl! Thank you for your question. Have you seen our video tutorials for this fun tutu? If not, check them out HERE and HERE. They may help answer your question about the waist band. Also, in regards to your ribbon question, I prefer using the satin ribbon on this tutu because it is beautiful and shiny and looks a little more formal. I also prefer satin ribbon for this project because it is lighter weight and not so stiff. I hope this helps. Good luck and have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
Hi when I try this my ribbon and tulle pucker up as if you pull one string to gather it any ideas why?
Hi Claire! Thank you for your question. The first thing that came to mind was possibly the tension on your machine needs to be adjusted just a little bit. Other than that, I would suggest making sure that you are feeding the ribbon and tulle through the machine at the same time. In our video tutorial for this cute tutu, Shirley gives a quick suggestion on this same thing. You can find our video tutorial HERE! I hope between my suggestion and the video tutorial, you can get your question/issue resolved and get back to sewing this super adorable tutu! Have a great day and thank you again! Michelle 🙂
Hello I was wondering can I use fabric glue to glue the ribbon on the bottom?
Hi Jessica! Thank you for your question. You could always try to glue the ribbon to the tulle. I would only try it on one or two pieces first to see how it would work. You would have to be super careful not to glue the tulle and ribbon to the work surface you are working on, because the glue will go through the tulle very easily. Let us know how gluing works for you! We would love to hear so all of our friends who do not sew could also create this adorable tutu. Thank you again and have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
Did you do more than one layer or did you just tie one piece of tulle on with the two ribbon ends stacked and not even on the bottom? Not sure if I am explaining this right, sorry.
Hi Tammy! Thank you for your question. There is just one layer of tulle on this fabulous tutu! Just keep tying more and more tulle to the elastic to make it more and more full! Fun huh?!? Good luck and have a wonderful day! Michelle 🙂
Hi I love this tutu it’s my first time DIY a tutu and sewing ? Hoping for the best thanks so much for his awesome tutorial!
One question with the tulle did you use two pieces with each slip knot and do you think I can hand stitch the ribbon ??
Hi Elizabeth! Thank you for your comment and question. I am so glad you like this fun tutu! Yes, one piece of tulle is used for each knot. You could definitely hand stitch the ribbon onto the tutu. It will be time consuming but would work for sure. Good luck creating your tutu. You are awesome! Have a great day. Michelle 🙂
hi, can i use your picture in my instagram account.. i want to sell tutus and i want inspiration for my design so my costumer can see… i i can link your account to give you credit for your work.. hope it is ok… thank you
Hi Joi! Yes, that would be great! We would love the mention on your Instagram account! Thanks so much! Have a wonderful day! — Lanae 🙂